What's New in AstroPlanner V2

AstroPlanner V2 is almost a complete rewrite of AstroPlanner V1 and includes many improvements and new features. The list below summarises the more important changes. Also see the screen shots page for pictures of many of these improved features.

Macintosh-specific

• Runs natively on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
• Runs correctly from the Applications folder.

Windows-specific

• Runs on all Windows systems (Windows 8.1 and after), including both 32- and 64-bit systems.
• Includes an installer that installs the application securely in the correct place.
• No longer uses the (outdated) MDI interface, which allows use of multiple monitors, etc.
• ASCOM telescope control is supported.

Both platforms

• Much faster and more scalable (performance is not significantly reduced for larger plan documents)
• Multi-threaded for better performance and improved user interaction.
• Stores data, images, etc. in "approved" places that are less likely to come into conflict with security software, etc.
• Files and databases are stored in a new format that is both more compact and much less prone to data corruption.
• No longer has separate Observing/Planning tabs.
• Each Telescope resource has it's own computerised mount settings.
• Even more telescope mounts are supported natively, and more features of those mounts are supported.
• There are no longer Local and Global observations. All observations are effectively "global" and reside in the Observation Database.
• Observation logging is now done on a separate Observations tab in the plan document.
• Observations now have associated observing Sessions grouping them together.
• Observations can now have attached files and images associated with them.
• Objects, observations, sessions, resources, etc. all have their own set of user-defined fields. The user-defined fields can be of multiple types (and can even use scripting to compute their values). Any number of fields can be created.
• Improved scripting features and script editor (with syntax colouring, auto-indenting, and various features to make editing and debugging easier).
• Improved user-contributed plan and user-contributed script downloading, with the ability to choose via category, etc. and a search feature.
• Background image downloads.
• Images can be displayed in the field of view chart.
• Observer and Imager resources.
• Ability to show the field of view chart for Imagers as well as Eyepieces.
• Much improved printing system, based on the scripting engine, that allows printing of multiple types of forms, including finder charts.
• Setup Wizard for new users makes setting up sites, telescopes, etc. easy, and allows automatic selection of catalogues based on the user's interests.
• Much improved and faster Plan Creation Wizard.
• Improved comet/minor planet/supernova/gamma ray burst import interface.
• Improved import and export feature; includes XML and JSON features.
• Journal feature for adding your own "diary" entries.
• Several new object measures such as Observability, double star Splitability, etc.