Simple Sky: Your New Free Astrophotography Planning Companion

Hey fellow stargazers! Ever found yourself with your amazing telescope pointed at the sky, only to realize you have no idea what celestial wonders are actually worth photographing that particular night? If so, you're not alone. That's precisely the problem I aimed to solve with my very first app, Simple Sky!

What is Simple Sky?

Simple Sky is a brand new, completely free web app designed to help you pinpoint the best astrophotography targets based on your specific equipment and the current sky conditions. Think of it as your personal night sky advisor, ready to guide your next imaging session.

You can check out the app here:

How Does it Work?

Getting started with Simple Sky is straightforward:

• Input Your Details: Enter your location (you can even save your favorite spots!), the date, and time.
• Define Your Setup: Choose your telescope from our growing database or add your own custom setup. This helps the app tailor recommendations to your specific field of view and capabilities.
• Get Recommendations: Simple Sky analyzes current atmospheric conditions and uses a sophisticated scoring algorithm to suggest optimal targets for your session.
• Accurate Data: We pull object data from multiple verified sources to ensure accuracy, so you can trust the recommendations.

The Backstory: From Frustration to App Creation

Like many of you, I've invested a good chunk of time and money into astrophotography gear. But the more equipment I acquired, the more I felt overwhelmed trying to decide what was actually feasible and rewarding to shoot on any given night. This app is my personal solution to that challenge, built with the hope that it can make planning easier for our entire community.

Important Stuff to Know:

• 100% Free: No hidden costs, no subscriptions.
• No Ads: Enjoy an uninterrupted planning experience.
• Affiliate Links: For full transparency, you'll find Amazon affiliate links for equipment within the app if you're looking to upgrade your setup.
• Optional Donations: If you find Simple Sky helpful and want to support its development, there's an optional donation button.
• Code Status: Currently, the code is private as I'm still navigating the future of this project.

As a first-time app developer, I'm incredibly excited to share Simple Sky with the community that inspired its creation. I'd be thrilled to hear your thoughts, feedback, and any bug reports you might encounter. Let's make our astrophotography nights more productive and enjoyable!

Clear skies!