2022-06-22, 10:17 PM
Hi Greg,
Please, please enable column sorting in Real Time.
I totally get the "ideal" point of observing is to make the observation when it is best place in the sky. No argument on that concept. But in reality, observers don't always have those conditions.
First, I am a double star observer working off of long-term projects (physical binaries, all of Struve, all of Aitken, all of Burnham, etc.). I am willing to make an observation if it is not ideally placed, knowing what I give up in quality. But also my observing location is a suburban back yard, with a huge tree blocking meridian to the east, and my north blocked by my house, and I am on the landing path to a major airport so I have planes disturbing the air, and neighbors turning lights on at random. Usually my best place to point the scope is not where the "Best Now" or "Tour" algo says it is, and I can't keep up with my projects because these algos remove my targets from Real Time. Yes I can pick the object from Nightly Planner, but it's a real pain to use: I have to first open up the detail window and then a sub menu to slew to -- instead of just hitting a button on Real Time. When using ST3 I was very efficient because I could sort the columns as dictated by conditions -- now it is observing with ST has become very irritating.
I observe with a 20-inch f/5.25, so I am on the ladder all night. When I could sort columns I could arrange my list by constellation and RA, and I could stay on the ladder for the whole session because the sky would bring the double stars to me. Now look how "Best Now" pre-sorted a list of Struves in Hercules: there is often 1 hour of RA difference row to row. I either have to move the ladder with each slew, or I have to scrutinize the observing list and "sort" it manually by earliest RA.
Please, give us the flexibility to manipulate our observing lists. Yes we give up the best view, but in life we don't always have that opportunity.
Thanks
Mark
Please, please enable column sorting in Real Time.
I totally get the "ideal" point of observing is to make the observation when it is best place in the sky. No argument on that concept. But in reality, observers don't always have those conditions.
First, I am a double star observer working off of long-term projects (physical binaries, all of Struve, all of Aitken, all of Burnham, etc.). I am willing to make an observation if it is not ideally placed, knowing what I give up in quality. But also my observing location is a suburban back yard, with a huge tree blocking meridian to the east, and my north blocked by my house, and I am on the landing path to a major airport so I have planes disturbing the air, and neighbors turning lights on at random. Usually my best place to point the scope is not where the "Best Now" or "Tour" algo says it is, and I can't keep up with my projects because these algos remove my targets from Real Time. Yes I can pick the object from Nightly Planner, but it's a real pain to use: I have to first open up the detail window and then a sub menu to slew to -- instead of just hitting a button on Real Time. When using ST3 I was very efficient because I could sort the columns as dictated by conditions -- now it is observing with ST has become very irritating.
I observe with a 20-inch f/5.25, so I am on the ladder all night. When I could sort columns I could arrange my list by constellation and RA, and I could stay on the ladder for the whole session because the sky would bring the double stars to me. Now look how "Best Now" pre-sorted a list of Struves in Hercules: there is often 1 hour of RA difference row to row. I either have to move the ladder with each slew, or I have to scrutinize the observing list and "sort" it manually by earliest RA.
Please, give us the flexibility to manipulate our observing lists. Yes we give up the best view, but in life we don't always have that opportunity.
Thanks
Mark