• Class: The type of object displayed.
• Distance: The distance between the viewer and the object.
• Az: Azimuth, a measurement from a viewer to the object projected on a reference plane. Part of the horizontal coordinate system, along with altitude.
• Alt: Altitude, the vertical elevation in degrees of the object from the horizon, measured in degrees. Part of the horizontal coordinate system, along with azimuth.
• RA: Right ascension is the celestial equivalent of terrestrial longitude.
• Dec: Declination is the celestial equivalent of terrestrial latitude.
• J2K RA: Right ascension referenced from the point in time at January 1, 2000.
• J2K Dec: Declination referenced from the point in time at January 1, 2000.

For Hipparcos catalog stars, the following data applies:

Hipparcos data

Position

• RA (J2000): Right ascension is the celestial equivalent of terrestrial longitude.
• Dec: Declination is the celestial equivalent of terrestrial latitude.
• Parallax: Difference in a star's position at multiple measurements throughout the year. Used to determine a star's distance.
• Reference flag: Reference flag for astrometric parameters of double and multiple systems. Consult the Hipparcos guide for more information.

Motion

• pmRA: Change in position of the right ascension per year.
• pmDE: Change in position of the declination per year.

Spectrum

• Vmag: The magnitude in the Johnson UBV photometric system.
• BT magnitude: Blue magnitude (445 nanometers). Refers to the photometric system used to measure the stars.
• VT magnitude: Visual magnitude (551 nanometers). Refers to the photometric system used to measure the stars.
• Johnson B-V: Difference between blue and visual magnitudes.
• Cousins' V-I: Difference between visual and infared magnitudes.
• Combined flag: Consult the Hipparcos guide for more information.
• Reduction V-I: Difference between visual and infared magnitudes.
• Spectral type: A classification of stars based on their spectral characteristics. According to an informal tradition, O stars are "blue", B "blue-white", A stars "white", F stars "yellow-white", G stars "yellow", K stars "orange", and M stars "red", even though the actual star colors perceived by an observer may deviate from these colors depending on visual conditions and individual stars observed.

Variability

• Variable type: 'C' for constant, 'P' for periodic, 'D' for duplicity-induced, 'M' for micro-variable, 'R' for revised color index.
• Period: Cycle duration of brightness of the star.
• Hip. magnitude: Median magnitude in the Hipparcos photometric system.
• Range: Difference in brightness between brightest and dimmest readings.
• # observations: Number of Hipparcos magnitude observations.
• Scatter: Scatter of the Hipparcos magnitude observations.
• Reference: Reference flag for the photometric parameters. Consult the Hipparcos guide for more information.
• Additional info: More information on variability.

Designations

• Hipparcos: Unique identifier in the Hipparcos catalog.
• Henry Draper: Unique identifier in the Henry Draper catalog.
• Bonner DM: Unique identifier in the Bonner Durchmusterung.
• Cordoba DM: Unique identifier in the Cordoba Durchmusterung.
• Cape Photo. DM: Unique identifier in the Cape Photographic Durchmusterung.

Multiple star

• CCDM: Identifier in the Catalogue of Components of Double and Multiple Stars.
• Historical status: 'H': determined multiple by Hipparcos; 'I': determined multiple by an input catalog; 'M': determined by miscellaneous catalogs.
• Num. entries: Number of separate catalogue entries with the same CCDM identifier.
• Num. components: Number of components into which the entry was resolved.
• Add'l info in annex: Double and multiple systems annex flag. 'C': component solutions, 'G': acceleration terms , 'O': orbital solutions, 'V': variability-induced movers, and 'X': stochastic solution.

Measurement

• Source: This field qualifies the source of astrometry. 'F': fixed system; 'I': independent system; 'L': linear system; 'P': primary target; 'S': single-star merging.
• Solution quality: This provides an indication of the reliability of the double or multiple star solution: 'A','B','C', 'D'.
• Component IDs: Letter combinations representing the reference of brightness between two components.
• Pos. angle: The position angle between components.
• Angular sep: The angular separation between components.
• Magnitude diff: This field gives the magnitude difference between the components, expressed in mag.
• Is survey star: The 'survey' was the basic list of bright stars added to and merged with the total list of proposed stars, to provide a stellar sample (almost) complete to well-defined limits. A flag 'S' indicates that the entry is contained within this 'survey'.
• Chart: Where identification of the star using ground-based telescopes might prove difficult or ambiguous (e.g. for faint stars, for crowded zones, or for components of double or multiple systems), identification charts were constructed. A value of 'D' indicates charts produced directly from the STScI Digitized Sky Survey, while a value of 'G' indicates charts constructed from the Guide Star Catalog. G : charts constructed from the Guide Star Catalog.
• Notes: Flag indicating that the Hipparcos catalog contains additional notes about this star.

Correlation

• DE:RA: Correlation coefficient for declination over right ascension.
• pmDE:pmRA: Correlation coefficient for declination over right ascension.
• pmRA:DE: Correlation coefficient for proper motion right ascension over declination.
• pmRA:RA: Correlation coefficient for proper motion right ascension over right ascension.
• pmRA:Plx: Correlation coefficient for proper motion right ascension over parallax.
• Plx:RA: Correlation coefficient for parallax over right ascension.
• Plx:DE: Correlation coefficient for parallax over declination.
• pmDE:DE: Correlation coefficient for proper motion declination over declination.
• pmDE:RA: Correlation coefficient for proper motion declination over right ascension.
• pmDE:Plx: Correlation coefficient for proper motion declination over parallax.
• Goodness of fit: This number indicates the goodness-of-fit of the astrometric solution to the accepted data.
• Rejected: This field gives the percentage of data that had to be rejected in order to obtain an acceptable astrometric solution.

For Tycho 2 catalog stars, the following data applies:

Tycho-2 main entry

Position

• Mean RA: The mean right ascension in decimal degrees in the ICRS system and J2000 equinox. Several catalogs are used to determine the Mean RA.
• Mean RA epoch: The epoch of the mean right ascension in Julian years.
• Dec: The mean declination in decimal degrees in the ICRS system and J2000 equinox. Several catalogs are used to determine the declination.
• Mean Dec epoch: The epoch of the mean declination in Julian years.
• # positions used: The number of positions used in order to compute the mean position and proper motion.
• Observed RA: The Right Ascension of the star, in the ICRS system (J2000 equinox), at the epoch specified by the parameter ra_epoch, and given in decimal degrees.
• Observed RA epoch: The epoch of the observed right ascension in years.
• Observed Dec: The declination of the star, in the ICRS system (J2000 equinox), at the epoch specified by the parameter dec_epoch, and given in decimal degrees.
• Observed Dec epoch: The epoch of the observed declination in years.

Motion

• pmRA: The proper motion in the RA direction, in milliarcseconds per year.
• pmDE: The proper motion in the declination direction, in milliarcseconds per year.

Spectrum

• BT magnitude: The Tycho-2 BT (blue) magnitude, blank when no magnitude is available.
• VT magnitude: The Tycho-2 VT (visible) magnitude, blank when no magnitude is available.

Designations

• Tycho: The TYC identifier is constructed from the Guide Star Catalog region number, the running number within the region and a component identifier which is normally 1. All are separated by hyphens.
• Hipparcos: If this star has a Hipparcos designation, it will be listed here.

Measurement

• Is Tycho-1 star: A flag which specifies whether or not the star was in the original Tycho Catalog (Tycho-1).
• Solution type: A flag describing the type of Tycho-2 solution, where 'D' = double star treatment, 'P' = photocentre treatment, and no value = normal treatment.
• Proximity: A proximity indicator, being the angular distance in units of 100 mas to the nearest entry in the Tycho-2 main catalog or first supplement.

Statistics

• DE:RA: The correlation coefficient of the observed right ascension and declination.
• GoF Mean RA: The goodness-of-fit parameter for the mean right ascension. This goodness of fit is the ratio of the scatter-based error to the model-based error.
• GoF Mean Dec: The goodness-of-fit parameter for the mean declination. This goodness of fit is the ratio of the scatter-based error to the model-based error.
• GoF Motion RA: The goodness-of-fit parameter for the proper motion in right ascension. This goodness of fit is the ratio of the scatter-based error to the model-based error.
• GoF Motion Dec: The goodness-of-fit parameter for the proper motion in declination. This goodness of fit is the ratio of the scatter-based error to the model-based error.

The deep space browser gives you access to multiple catalogs such as the New General Catalog (NGC), Barnard Catalog, Sharpless Catalog, and RCW Catalog. In addition, you can view images of deep space taken by the Hubble Telescope via an image album.

Deep space objects will render as standard star chart symbols in the Luminos Sky View.

For New General Catalog objects, the following data applies:

General

• Class: The type of object displayed.
• Distance: The distance between the viewer and the object.
• Az: Azimuth, a measurement from a viewer to the object projected on a reference plane. Part of the horizontal coordinate system, along with altitude.
• Alt: Altitude, the vertical elevation in degrees of the object from the horizon, measured in degrees. Part of the horizontal coordinate system, along with azimuth.
• RA: Right ascension is the celestial equivalent of terrestrial longitude.
• Dec: Declination is the celestial equivalent of terrestrial latitude.
• J2K RA: Right ascension referenced from the point in time at January 1, 2000.
• J2K Dec: Declination referenced from the point in time at January 1, 2000.

HCNGC Details

General

• Type: The basic type of object associated with the NGC designation.
• Class: The classification of the object for its object type.
• RA: The Equinox 2000.0 Right Ascension in hours, minutes, and seconds, and tenths of a second for the object.
• Dec: The Equinox 2000.0 Declination in degrees, arc minutes, and arc seconds for the object.
• Constellation: The abbreviation for the constellation in which the object is to be found.
• Summary: The Summary Description as published in the original NGC. For a complete list of abbreviations, consult the NGC catalog site.

Metrics

• Size: The size of the object, usually in arcminutes.
• Position angle: The position angle of the object in degrees.
• Variable size: Flag indicating if this object has a variable size.
• Size is less: Flag indicating if this object size varies to a smaller value.
• Visual magnitude: The visual magnitude of the object.
• Blue magnitude: The blue magnitude of the object.
• Surface brightness: The calculated visual surface brightness of the galaxy.

Discovery

• Discoverer: The name of the original discoverer of the object. There were more than 100 different discoverers of objects which made their way into the original NGC.
• Year: The year in which the discovery of the object took place.
• Telescope type: The type of telescope used for the discovery of the object, and was compiled from published papers of the time, mostly by the original observers themselves, or from information published by the observatory in which the observers worked.
• Telescope diameter: The aperture of the telescope used for the object's discovery, in inches when it could be found.

Notes

• Historical notes: The initials of the researcher who has an historical note about the object.
• Observing notes: The initials of the observer who observed the object and generated an observing note for it.
• Uranometrial charts: All of the Uranometria 2000.0 chart numbers upon which the object should be plotted.
• Herald-Bobroff atlas: All of the Herald-Bobroff ASTROATLAS chart numbers upon which the object should be plotted.
• GSC region: The Hubble Guide Star Catalog (GSC) Small Region Number for the object.
• POSS blue plate #: The Palomar Observatory Sky Survey Blue plate/print number containing the object.
• POSS red plate #: The Palomar Observatory Sky Survey Red plate/print number containing the object.
• Sources used: References to all of the major sources used to research the object. For a complete list of abbreviations, consult the NGC catalog site.

Designations

• New General Catalog: The New General Catalog (NGC) designation for the object.
• General Catalog: The General Catalogue (GC) designation for the object.
• John Herschel: The John Herschel (JH) designation for the object.
• William Herschel: The William Herschel (WH) designation for the object.
• NGC equivalents: The other equivalent NGC designations for the object.
• IC equivalents: The other equivalent Index Catalog designations for the object.
• Also cataloged as: Most of the other major catalog designations for the object. For a complete list of abbreviations, consult the NGC catalog site.

For Barnard Catalog objects, the following data applies:

Barnard Catalog

• Description: E.E. Barnard's description of the object.

Barnard Details

• ID: The unique designation in the Barnard Catalog.
• RA (1875): Right ascension value in the 1875 epoch.
• Dec (1875): Declination value in the 1875 epoch.
• RA (2000): Right ascension value in the 2000 epoch.
• Dec (2000): Declination value in the 2000 epoch.
• Diameter: Size of the object.

For Sharpless Catalog objects, the following data applies:

Sharpless Details

• ID: The unique designation in the Sharpless Catalog.
• Galactic Lon: The Galactic longitude.
• Galactic Lat: The Galactic latitude.
• Galactic Lon (Lund): The Galactic longitude based on the Lund pole (pre-IAU system).
• Galactic Lat (Lund): The Galactic latitude based on the Lund pole (pre-IAU system).
• RA (B1950): Right ascension value in the B1950 epoch.
• Dec (B1950): Declination value in the B1950 epoch.
• RA (B1900): Right ascension value in the B1900 epoch.
• Dec (B1900): Declination value in the B1900 epoch.
• Diameter: Maximun angular diameter of H II region.
• Structure: Classification as to structure, from 1=amorphous to 3=filamentary.
• Form: Classification as to form: 1=circular; 2=elliptical; 3=irregular.
• Brightness: Classification as to brightness, from 1=faintest to 3=brightest.
• Number of stars: Number of associated stars with the H II region.

For RCW Catalog objects, the following data applies:

RCW Details

• ID: The unique designation in the RCW Catalog.
• Galactic Lon: The Galactic longitude.
• Galactic Lat: The Galactic latitude.
• RA (B1950): Right ascension value in the B1950 epoch.
• Dec (B1950): Declination value in the B1950 epoch.
• Minor axis: The angular diameter of the short axis of the encompassing ellipse.
• Major axis: The angular diameter of the long axis of the encompassing ellipse.
• Brightness: Classification as to brightness, (v) very bright (b) bright (m) medium or (f) faint.
• IDs: Other catalog identifiers for this object.
• Has remarks?: Indicates whether this entry has observational or editorial remarks asociated with it. Luminos will display those remarks in the "Description" section above the Details section.

Luminos has a built-in utility for tracking any night sky objects you've seen, along with the date and notes pertaining to the item. For any object you are browsing in Luminos, simply tap the "Mark as seen" icon to let Luminos know the time when you first saw the object. If you make a mistake, simply tap the icon again to remove the object from the list.

Things you've seen

To see a full list of "Things you've seen", open the Browser and tap the "Things you've seen" icon. You will be shown a list with every item you've marked as seen since running Luminos. Marking an item persists between uses of the program.

The Observation Lists browser contains custom lists of objects as well as pre-programmed "challenge" lists. The Observation Lists can be accessed through the object browser by tapping the magnifying glass icon on the toolbar in the lower left corner and then choosing Observation Lists in the browser.

Custom Lists

The Custom Lists section is used to manage personal lists of objects. You can create as many lists as you like and each list can have as many objects as you wish.

To start a new list, tap the New Custom List item.

In the editor which opens you can name your list. You can also add the current camera direction to the list or, if you have an object selected, you can add the selected object to the list.

Editing lists

If you wish to delete or rearrange your lists, tap the Edit button in the upper right corner and use the controls which appear. Tap the Done button when you've finished editing your lists.

The list can be rearranged by dragging items around using the stacked-bars icon at the right end of each row.

Deleting items can be done either by tapping Edit and then using the Delete control next to the list to reveal the Delete button, or you can simply stroke left on a list and the Delete button will appear without having to use the Edit button.

Adding objects to lists

The current direction or currently selected object can be added to a list by opening the list and then tapping the appropriate row from the "Add new item" section.

Objects can also be added directly to any list. To add an object, browse to it and then use the "Add to list" item in the object's Actions section.

The picker which opens can then be used to add the object to one or more lists at once.

To add an object, tap the list. A checkmark will appear indicating the object is in that list. Tapping a list which already contains the object will remove the object instead and the checkmark will disappear.

The blue disclosure button at the right can be used if you want to open the list for editing instead of adding the object to it. Once open, the list behaves the same as if you'd opened it through the Observation Lists browser and can be renamed and rearranged if desired.

Challenges

The Challenges section contains popular pre-programmed lists of observation targets.

Just as with Custom Lists, objects in challenge lists can be marked as having been observed and notes can be recorded as well.

Challenge lists can not be renamed, rearranged, or otherwise edited.

Many planets and moons in the Solar System have notable surface features such as craters or other geological formations. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) names and approves all of these features since its founding in 1919.

There are two ways to access features in Luminos. If a planet or moon has surface features, they will be accessible in the browser page for that object underneath the General information section.

In the surface features page for a planet or moon, the features are grouped by type. Selecting any individual feature brings up an information page containing location and description of the feature, as well as a set of actions. You can mark features as seen, add them to lists, or move the camera to view them.

The other way to view a feature is to select the planet or moon on which it is located and view it from space. Any body with surface features present will label them while the object is selected. Tap a feature name to select it.

To toggle the display of feature names on a planet or moon, tap the "Show labels" action.

Luminos includes a catalog of 5000 years of solar and lunar eclipses, with the ability to visit them in time and observe their progress. Both eclipse categories can be accessed from the Browser page for Earth.

You can also find solar eclipses listed on the Sun browser page, and lunar eclipses on the Moon page. Each item will indicate the time until the next solar or lunar eclipse occurs.

Eclipse lists are browseable by date, with past eclipses at top and future eclipses at the bottom. Tap the date range on the right to jump to a specific time period. Entries and icons reflect the type of eclipse at that date:

• Partial solar eclipse: In a partial solar eclipse, the Moon passes betwen the Earth and the Sun in such a way that the Moon only blocks a portion of the Sun from view.
• Total solar eclipse: During a total solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun completely from view, other than its aurora. This generally occurs when the Moon is at its closest orbit to Earth and the Earth is farthest from the Sun.
• Annular solar eclipse: An annular solar eclipse is similar to a total solar eclipse, except that the Moon is not close enough to the Earth to fully obscure the Sun. The outer rim of the Sun remains visible.
• Hybrid solar eclipse: Hybrid solar eclipses are total during parts of their path, and annular during others. They are rare occurences.
• Partial lunar eclipse: During a partial lunar eclipse, a portion of the Moon passes through the Earth's umbral shadow. This allows much of the moon to retain its usual color.
• Total lunar eclipse: When the Moon passes through the Earth's umbral shadow--where all sunlight is blocked--a total lunar eclipse occurs. This causes the Moon to take on strong shades of orange and red.
• Penumbral lunar eclipse: In a penumbral lunar eclipse, the Moon passes through the part of Earth's shadow which allows some light to reflect on to the Moon. This causes faint shadows across the Moon's surface.

Solar Eclipses

Tapping on any solar eclipse brings up an information display, an interactive map, and a set of actions.

General information

• Central duration: The central duration indicates how long the total phase of the eclipse lasts at the point of greatest eclipse. Central duration is not listed for partial solar eclipses.
• Greatest longitude: The longitude location on Earth of the point of greatest eclipse.
• Latitude: The latitude location on Earth of the point of greatest eclipse.
• Path width: The width of the Moon's umbra on Earth at its point of greatest eclipse. The path is the course of the Moon's shadow as it passes along the Earth.
• Magnitude: The fraction of the eclipsed body which is in eclipse at greatest eclipse. Partial eclipses have magnitudes between 0.0 and 1.0, and total eclipses are greater than 1.0, with larger numbers indicating more coverage.
• Gamma: The perpendicular distance of the Moon's shadow axis and Earth's center at greatest eclipse. The absolute value of the gamma can be used to determine the type of eclipse.

Additional figures and data can be found by swiping left or right to the secondary page of eclipse detail. This includes the Sun's azimuth and altitude, the delta between Universal and Terrestrial Dynamic times, and the Lunation Number of the Moon at the time.

Solar eclipse chart

Tapping the solar eclipse chart raises a dialog with a detailed planet map for the eclipse path and duration. The map can be panned with drag gestures to see the effects of the eclipse around the world. The bottom slider updates the crosshair position on the eclipse path to indicate the different positions of the shadow as time progresses. When you are finished, tap the "Done" button in the upper right.

The eclipse chart contains additional data fields such as the saros number of the eclipse. Eclipses in the same saros repeat roughly 18 years apart, and are similar in appearance due to the Sun, Earth, and Moon being in relatively similar positions.

The orange line indicates the umbra path of a non-partial eclipse. Yellow circles on the path indicate 15 minute markers of progress. The greatest eclipse point is designated with a "max" crosshair. Finally, the Sun and Moon icons indicate the positions on earth where the Sun and Moon are directly overhead at the time.

Solar eclipse actions

In addition to the normal actions for "Center on screen", "Zoom in", "Add to list", and "Mark as seen", solar eclipses include two additional actions:

• Set to best time: This will set the clock in Luminos to the time of greatest eclipse of this entry.
• Go to best location: Tapping this action moves the camera to the location of the greatest eclipse for this entry.

Using these actions together with "Zoom in" and "Center on screen" allow you to simulate seeing an eclipse at its greatest time and location.

Lunar Eclipses

Tapping a lunar eclipse entry brings up an information display, chart, and actions specific to that eclipse.

General information

• Total phase: The amount of time that the Moon is totally eclipsed by Earth's umbral shadow.
• Partial phase: The amount of time that the Moon is partially eclipsed by Earth's umbral shadow.
• Penumbral phase: The amount of time that the Moon is partially eclipsed by Earth's penumbral shadow.
• Umbra mag.: The fraction of the Moon's diameter that is obscured by the Earth's umbra.
• Penumbra mag.: The fraction of the Moon's diameter that is obscured by the Earth's penumbra.
• Gamma: The distance of the the axis of the Moon's shadow from the Earth's center at maximum eclipse. The absolute value of the gamma can be used to determine the type of eclipse, and the positivity or negativity of the number can indicate whether it occurs above or below the center of the Earth.

Swiping right on the information display for a lunar eclipse will bring up additional details and figures, such as the Lunation Number, a series number which indicates lunar eclipses, starting in January 2000.

Lunar eclipse chart

Similar to the solar eclipse chart, tapping on a lunar eclipse chart allows you to see the relative positions of the Sun and Moon on the Earth at the time of the eclipse.

You can pan across the globe to see which locations are nearest to the Moon, making the eclipse visible. Adjusting the slider at the bottom of the map shows the closest position on the Earth to the Sun and Moon during the eclipse over time, as indicated by the icons. Tap the "Done" button when you wish to exit the chart.

Lunar eclipse actions

Similar to solar eclipses, a lunar eclipse contains an addtional action:

• Set to best time: This will set the clock in Luminos to the time of greatest eclipse of this entry.

Note that the "View from space" action will allow you to orbit the Moon and see the effects of the eclipse on its illumination.

There are two modes of operation for Luminos: panning and motion tracking.

Panning mode

Normally, you can point the Luminos display by sliding your fingers across the display. The camera for Luminos will follow your finger, and you can point the display in any direction.

Tapping anywhere on the screen will always switch Luminos back to panning mode.

While using panning mode, you can interact with the Sky View using different gestures:

• Single finger : With a single finger, you can pan across the Time Display.
• Two fingers : Using two fingers, you can pinch or expand your field of view. In effect, this allows you to zoom into or out of areas of the sky. Alternatively, you can use the Field of View control.
• Three fingers : By dragging three fingers up and down the display, you can change your elevation on the current location. In other words, dragging three fingers down will raise your perspective off of planet Earth. Raise your elevation high enough, and the Sky View will automatically shift to give a view of your home planet, where you can then spin the planet with one finger and even drag upward with three fingers to land on a different part of the planet. Alternatively, you can use the Elevation Control.

Motion Tracking

An alternative mode of display -- motion tracking -- will point the camera's field of view based on the orientation of the device itself. This allows you to hold the device in any direction and see the actual sky behind the device represented in the display. When the device itself is moved, the Luminos display will track the movements and adjust accordingly. Luminos uses the compass and accelerometer of the device to find the correct position. As such, you may need to move the device for a few seconds when starting free look mode to calibrate the view.

To switch into motion tracking mode, simply select the motion tracking icon in the main Browser: Or, lift the device into the air in a smooth, brisk motion which tilts the bottom of the device. Either action will cause the Luminos display to synchronize with the direction in which the device is pointed.

To switch back to panning mode, simply touch any point on the Luminos display.

Luminos offers many ways to configure the application to meet your needs. The Settings can be accessed through the object browser by tapping the magnifying glass icon on the toolbar in the lower left corner and then choosing Settings in the browser.

• Night settings

  Night settings make Luminos more useful during evening viewing by helping to preserve your vision in the dark and by prolonging the battery life of your device.

  • Night vision : In night vision mode, the Luminos display will reduce the amount of light in non-red wavelengths. Using only red wavelengths allows the rods in the eyes to adjust to low light settings, as the rods cannot detect red light. As such, night vision mode will allow you to see the Luminos display and controls with minimal negative effect on your night vision. Night vision can be enabled or disabled without restarting Luminos. To further reduce the effect on your night vision you should also turn down the brightness on your device.
  • Battery saver : Battery saver disables certain animations which would otherwise increase battery drain due to increased rendering demands. When enabled, battery saver will stop animations for the sparkle highlight which is shown when an object is selected and will also stop the twinkle animations on constellation images.
    To further reduce battery drain you should avoid zooming in to extreme fields of view for long periods, as these also require more updates to the display in order to maintain smooth motion. For best results, use a field of view of at least one degree. Below a field of view of 10 arcminutes the rendering rate is nearly the same as without the battery saver feature enabled and any savings will be negligible.
• Grids

  The "Settings" > "Grids" controls allow you to turn off individual grid displays for different coordinate systems. The "Brightness" slider will adjust screen brightness only for any visible grid lines.

  • Alt / Az : The values on the Alt / Az (Altitude / Azimuth) coordinate system correspond to the latitude and longitude values on a terrestrial globe. To view the Alt / Az values, set the toggle to "On".
  • Equatorial : Enabling this toggle will display the equatorial grid, a projection of coordinates onto the celestial sphere. When locating an object in the equatorial grid, the object exists at the same coordinate no matter where it is viewed on Earth.
  • Ecliptic : When this setting is enabled, the sky will show or hide a representation of the ecliptic coordinate system. Ecliptic coordinates are focused on the path that Sol follows across the sky over the course of a year. As such, ecliptic coordinates are often used to chart solar objects.
  • Galactic : To view the galactic coordinate system grid, enable this option in the "Settings" menu. The galactic coordinate system centers on Sol and is aligned with the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
  • Brightness : The grid section contains a slider bar to control how bright the grid lines are relative to the rest of the application interface.
• Coordinates

  The "Coordinates" controls allow you to specify your preference for the formatting of coordinates displays.

  • Degrees : This control will change the format of angles which are displayed in degrees. "Deg" will format those angles as decimal degrees, for example 34.8482°. "DM" will format the angles as degrees and minutes, such as 34° 50.892'. "DMS" will format the angles as degrees, minutes and seconds like this 34° 50' 53.52". The default setting is DMS.
  • Hours : This control will change the format of angles which are displayed in hours. "Hours" will format those angles as decimal hours, for example 2.3232h. "HM" will format the angles as hours and minutes, such as 2h 19.392m. "HMS" will format the angles as hours, minutes and seconds like this 2h 19m 23.52s. The default setting is HMS.
  • RA format : Changing this control will change the format of the Right Ascension portion of equatorial coordinates to either be displayed in degrees or in hours. The default format for Right Ascension is hours.
  • Reckoning : This toggle controls whether Azimuth angles are reckoned from the North or from the South. Users located in the Northern hemisphere normally measure azimuth from the North pole, while those in the Southern hemisphere measure azimuth from the South pole. The default value is North.
• Stars

  The "Stars" settings allow you to control the overall display of stars. All star catalogs are affected by the settings in this section.

  • Show stars : This toggle controls whether any stars are shown in Luminos. To disable all visible stars, set this slider to "Off". To adjust the relative brightness of visible stars, use the "Brightness" slider under "Show stars".
  • Show labels : This toggle controls whether bright stars are automatically labeled in Luminos. To disable all automatic star labels, set this switch to "Off". To adjust how many labels are shown, use the "Density" slider under "Show labels". To adjust the brightness of the labels, use the "Brightness" slider under "Show labels".
• Constellations

  The "Constelations" settings allow you to control the display of constellations.

  • Figures : This selector controls which, if any, constellation figures are shown. To see stick-figures of the constellations, set this to "Lines". To see illustrations of the constellations set this to "Images". Setting Figures to Off will not display any constellation figures. To raise or lower the brightness of constellation figures, use the corresponding "Brightness" slider.
  • Boundaries : Boundaries between the constellations separate the sky into 88 distinct regions. To view all of the boundaries between the constellations, set this to "On". To see only the boundary of the constellation centered on your screen set this to "Auto". Similarly, the brightness of the constellation boundaries is adjustable using the "Brightness" slider directly underneath the toggle.
  • Labels : Labels for the constellations make it easy to identify which constellation you're seeing. To have all of the constellation names shown all the time set this to "On". To see only the name of the constellation centered on your screen set this to "Auto". To not show any names set this to "Off". Similarly, the brightness of the constellation names is adjustable using the "Brightness" slider directly underneath the toggle.
• Deep Space

  The "Deep Space" settings allow you to control the display of labels on deep space objects.

  • Show labels : This toggle controls whether deep space objects are automatically labeled in Luminos. To disable all automatic deep space labels, set this switch to "Off". To adjust how many labels are shown, use the "Density" slider under "Show labels". To adjust the brightness of the labels, use the "Brightness" slider under "Show labels".
• Milky Way

  Luminos displays a visual representation of our Solar System's galaxy, the Milky Way Galaxy. Normally, the Milky Way forms a glowing strip of light across the night sky. To adjust the visibility of the Milky Way in the Luminos sky, use the following sliders:

  • Brightness : Use this to control the overall brightness of the Milky Way in the display.
  • Wavelength : Use this control to choose between the visible and infared representations of the Milky Way. In the infared view, it is possible to see the dust clouds located in our galaxy.
• Environment

  Luminos gives you detailed control over the realism of the environment while exploring the sky. You have the ability to customize your display to present a more realistic environment, or a more sparse environment which emphasizes only the sky.

  • Terrain : Setting the terrain to "Off" completely hides the ground and allows you to see the entire sky without obstacles.
  • 3D Terrain : If the terrain is on and 3D terrain is enabled, Luminos will attempt to display terrain features which match your actual environment. Luminos will fetch terrain data based on your current location setting and display the corresponding hills, mountains, and valleys. You must be connected to the Internet to load new terrain data. The 3D terrain will only display if the overall "Terrain" setting is enabled.
  • Atmosphere : This toggle determines whether or not Sol will light up the atmosphere during daytime. Although the atmosphere can provide a more realistic and appealing display, disabling it will give a clearer view of the sky, even during daytime. The atmosphere will only display if the "Terrain" setting is also enabled.
  • Lens flare : Lens flare causes visual artifacts when the view is pointed in the direction of a bright light source, such as Sol, providing a more realistic appearance in the atmosphere. To disable lens flare, set this toggle to "Off".
  Location

  ---

  The celestial objects you see are affected by your viewing location. Luminos will default to using your current position on Earth as its viewing location. When you start Luminos, it will ask you for permission to determine your current location. If you allow this, Luminos will download and display terrain which matches the geographical features of the area in which you reside. If you don't allow Luminos to detect your location, you can set it manually in the Location Display.

  

  Alternatively, you can set your location to other areas on Earth to see how your position affects the night sky.

  To view the Location Display, select "Location" from the Browser menu: The Location button appears after the Settings button.

  Location detection

  In the Location Display, you will first be presented with your current latitude and longitude, according to Luminos. These values are either determined at startup or set manually in this display. To request that Luminos retrieve your position at startup, make sure the "Detect at startup" slider is set to "On". Alternatively, hit the "Detect location now" button and Luminos will retrieve your position immediately using the built-in features of the device. You must have the device's Location Services enabled for Luminos to find your whereabouts.

  Manual location

  If you prefer to set your location to a specific latitude and longitude, simply tap the currently displayed values. You will be presented with dial controls to set the latitude and longitude directly, and a slider to raise or lower your elevation at that location. Your Sky View will update in real time as you change your settings, and terrain will adjust as appropriate. When done, dismiss the dialog or hit "Done".

  Location browsing

  Another way to set your current location is to navigate the "Countries" displayed at the bottom of the Location Display. By tapping into the countries listed here, you can choose a specific city or area in which you would like your Sky View to be located. Countries will be divided by state or province, as appropriate. Inside the countries, you can further refine your location by typing into the search bar located at the top of the display.

  Luminos can contact remote servers to retrieve additional country data if the device is online. To do this, simply navigate through the "Countries" menu at the bottom of the Location Display. Each country will present an "Install" button; tapping that button will prompt Luminos to download the data for that country in the background.

  You are free to continue using Luminos while it downloads country data.

  Terrain display

  Luminos not only adjusts the sky to match your location; it also alters the terrain which is displayed in the Sky View landscape to match that of your location. However, Luminos must have access to the terrain data to display it. If the terrain data is not already available to Luminos--or if terrain is turned off in the Settings display--no land will display at all.

  Time

  ---

  The time controls let you change the date and time as well as control the flow of time. To access the time controls, tap the Clock button in the lower left area of the Toolbar. If at any point you wish to return to the actual date and time, simply tap the "Now" button in the upper left corner of the screen.

  

  Time Display

  The Time Display contains a multitude of buttons to control the date and time, as well as the speed and flow of time. In the upper right corner of the screen, a set of buttons representing the month, day, and date are positioned above buttons representing the hour, minute, second, period, and time zone. Tap one of the buttons to highlight it, and you can change that aspect of time. Once an aspect is selected drag your finger up or down the dashed wheel located on the right side of the screen. This will immediately change the value of the selected aspect, updating the time and date accordingly.

  To change the rate of time, use the bar located at the bottom of the screen. Normal time flow is "1x". By setting the button to "1 min/s", "10 min/s", "1 hr/s", "10 hr/s", or "1 day/s", you can accelerate time. The direction of time flow is toggled with the "Rev", "Stop", and "Fwd" buttons representing reverse, stopped, and forward time flow, respectively.

  To hide the Time Display, hit the Clock button in the Toolbar again.

  Calendar

  ---

  The Calendar helps you plan your observation sessions by displaying visibility information for the Moon and the brightest planets. To access the calendar, tap the button in the lower left area of the screen.

  For convenience, Luminos will open to the Day Details for the current date. To access the Month View, tap the back button in the upper left corner of the detail view.

  Day Details

  

  The day detail displays a diagram of the rise and set times for the Sun, Moon and brightest planets. The display starts with noon for the current day on the left, proceeding through the night in the middle and ending with noon of the next day on the right. The bars indicate when each object will be above the horizon for your current location.

  At the bottom of the display is a text description of the phase of the moon for the selected date, including the exact time for the four major phases (full, new, first quarter and last quarter) on the days when those phase changes occur.

  Month View

  

  The month view displays a lunar calendar illustrating the phases of the moon in the current month. Tapping any day in the calendar will take you to the Day Details for that date.

  Scrolling the months view will access other months in the calendar. Swiping left or right on the current month will display other months. If you are using an iPhone and holding it in a portrait (vertical) orientation, then swipe up or down to change months instead.

  Telescopes

  ---

  Luminos has tools to assist you with your telescope to simplify tasks like choosing eyepieces and other equipment as well as controlling compatible mounts.

  

  To view the Telescope display, tap the telescope icon on the lower right area of the main display on the Toolbar:

  The Telescope display is divided into three major sections:

  • Site equipment
  • Remote control
  • Tools

  Site equipment

  In the Telescope display, you will first be presented with a list of the equipment currently selected for your site. Initially you won't have any equipment and all slots will be set to "none". Tap on a slot to open a picker where you can add, edit, delete and re-arrange your inventory using standard iOS list editing.

  

  By default your site is simply named "Home". To rename it, tap the Edit button in the upper right corner of the popover and use the edit field which appears.

  Tools

  The Tools section contains information and tools to assist you with your viewing session.

  

  The first three items in the Tools section are informational displays showing you the Field of View, Magnification factor, and Exit Pupil diameter based on your currently selected equipment. You must at least select a Telescope and an Eyepiece before any information can be displayed.

  The next two items in the Tools section are overlays for the main display.

  The first overlay is the Reticle display, which shows how much you'll be able to see when looking through the selected equipment. Tap on the Reticle row to turn the display on or off, change the brightness, or select a style for the reticle.

  The second overlay is the Telrad Circles display, which shows a series of concentric circles matching those found on a Telrad finder. The circles on Luminos' display can be used to assist in aiming your telescope when using a Telrad device. Tap on the Telrad circles row to turn the display on or off or change the brightness.

  The final item in the Tools section allows you to enable or disable flipping controls. Flipping controls provide a simple way to flip the screen display along the horizontal or vertical axis, making it more comfortable to use with a telescope. When the "Enable flipping" option is set to "On", flip buttons will appear in the upper left area of the Sky View, near to where the "Home" and "Now" buttons often appear. Tapping the flip buttons will toggle horizontal or vertical reversal of the display, or both.

  Remote control

  ---

  The remote control features of Luminos allow you to use Luminos to assist you with using a computer-controllable mount. To access the remote control feature, tap the Telescope icon in the main display and then choose the Remote Control item.

  
  • Compatibility
  • Configuring your connection
    • Protocol
    • Connection
    • IP Address
  • Connecting
  • Status display
  • Using Goto
  • Centering and Guiding
  • Syncing
  • Mount Features

  Compatibility

  If your mount is capable of being controlled by a computer then it's likely that you can use Luminos to control it. Mounts which can be controlled will have either a Serial Port connector, a USB connector, or an Ethernet port designed for the purpose of control by a computer.

  Regardles of which interface your mount has, your iOS device will require an adapter in order to connect. A popular choice is a Wifi adapter which can be connected via Serial or USB cable to your mount. Your iOS device can then connect to the Wifi device wirelessly to control your mount. If your mount has an Ethernet connector then you'll need a router to connect your mount to a network so that this device can communicate with it.

  Luminos is compatible with a wide variety of mounts and supports common protocols such as Celestron NexStar, Meade, Astro-Physics and LX200-compatibles.

  Configuration

  The Configure… option is available any time you're not connected to your mount and is used to configure connection details as well as options supported by your mount.

  

  Configuration consists of selecting the protocol to use when communicating with your mount, selecting how Luminos will be connecting to your mount, and configuring the settings for the connection.

  

  Protocol

  Selection of the correct protocol is important and is similar to knowing what language to speak to another person in. The language in this case isn't a human language but instead specifies the commands the mount understands, how the computer should phrase those commands, and how the mount will reply. These are the protocols which Luminos understands:

  • Astro-Physics GTO: This protocol should be used if you have any Astro-Physics GTO mount. It should not normally used for other manufacturer's mounts unless the manufacturer specifically claims that the Astro-Physics protocol is appropriate for your mount.
  • Celestron NexStar: This protocol is used by all Celestron NexStar mounts. It may also be appropriate to choose if you have a non-Celestron mount which claims to be compatible with the Celestron protocol.
  • Meade: This protocol should be used if you have any Meade mount. This protocol includes features which Meade supports in their mounts but which other manufacturer's often either omit or modify from their Meade-defined behavior. If you have another manufacturer's mount which is Meade-compatible you should probably choose the LX200 Compatible protocol instead, which is the subset of the Meade protocol supported by most manufacturers.
  • iOptron: This protocol is specific to iOptron brand mounts and should not normally be used with other brands.
  • LX200 Compatible: This is the most common 'standard' protocol and is understood by a wide variety of computer-controllable mounts. If your mount claims to be Meade-compatible this is the best choice to ensure reliable operation.
  • More protocols are being added all the time to Luminos. If your mount isn't compatible with one of the available protocols and you'd like to see it supported, contact Wobbleworks at mount-protocols@wobbleworks.com with details. It will be especially helpful if you're willing to beta test a driver for your mount, as it isn't possible or practical to have one of every mount in-house for development.

  Connection

  The Connection settings tell Luminos how to connect to your mount via a WiFi Serial Device.

  IP Address

  When connecting via a WiFi serial device you must specify the IP address of your device as well as the port number it is listening on.

  

  For popular devices such as the SkyFi interface using their default "ad hoc" mode, the settings are 10.0.0.1 for the IP address and 4030 for the port number. If you are using another device or have changed the default settings you may need to enter different values for these fields.

  Note that there are no serial port settings available when connecting via WiFi. Those settings must be configured on your WiFi Serial Device by following the manufacturer's instructions. Devices designed specifically for connecting to telescopes will usually have the settings configured at the factory to the correct values for most telescopes (9600 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, one stop bit).

  Connecting

  

  Once the connection is configured you can connect to your mount by switching the Connection switch from Off to On. Luminos will then establish the connection and configure your mount. You may receive a message if Luminos can't connect to your mount:

  • Connection failed: If the connection fails you should check your settings and make sure your WiFi device is turned on. You should also make sure that your iOS device is connected to the WiFi network and is using the correct settings for that network. Some WiFi Serial Devices are known to have bugs in certain versions of their firmware. If you're experiencing dropped connections intermittently check with the manufacturer to see if updates are available.

  • Mount not responding: This message occurs if Luminos is able to connect to the mount but isn't able to talk to it. The cause may simply be that your mount isn't turned on or that it isn't connected correctly to your WiFi device or cable. This message may also be displayed if the wrong protocol is selected, which would cause the mount to not understand what Luminos is saying to it.

  Status display

  Once Luminos has successfully connected to your mount the display will change and show status lights, the mounts current direction and various features for controlling the mount.

  
  • Status lights: Three lights are shown next to the Connection switch which indicate communication with the mount is occurring. The first light will be green to indicate that the connection is established and working properly. If it is yellow then something has gone wrong while talking to the mount and it may be necessary to re-connect or to change the protocol used. The second and third lights show activity by flashing when data is being sent to the mount (the second light) or being received from the mount (the third light).
  • Coordinates: The coordinates display shows the direction readings obtained from the mount.
  • Local Sidereal Time (LST): Local Sidereal Time is the Right Ascension of the Zenith, which is straight up from wherever you are. Luminos will compare the LST reported by your mount with its own notion of LST and will warn you if there is a difference by showing a warning icon. Tapping the warning icon will show details about the difference so you can decide if it warrants any action. When there is a difference it means that the calculations used for pointing your mount will be different in Luminos than what your mount will come up with, possibly resulting in pointing errors. LST is determined by time, date and location settings, so if there's a difference you should verify those settings both in Luminos and in your mount.
  • Follow mount: Selecting this will instruct Luminos to keep the Sky View centered on the mount's current position, updating the view as the mount moves. Even if you're not having Luminos stay centered on the mount, there will be a marker in the sky view showing where the mount is currently pointed.
  • Progress: The progress display is only shown while the mount is slewing (moving) as a result of a Goto command. The progress bar shows how far along the movement is to its destination and there is also a Stop button which can be used to abort the Goto. Note that the progress bar will sometimes not move initially, or may start to move and then go backwards. This happens because some mount types can't always go directly to a target and must move the telescope out of the way of your tripod or pier before it can go to the destination.

  Using Goto

  The Goto feature of Luminos makes it simple to aim your telescope at a target using Luminos.

  
  • Goto current direction: This option will instruct the mount to aim itself in the same direction that the Sky View in Luminos is currently centered on.
  • Goto selected object: This option is only available if you have selected an object in Luminos and will instruct your mount to aim itself at that object.
  • Slew rate: Some mounts support changing the speed at which Goto commands will move the scope. If multiple speeds are supported then Luminos will display those in a segmented control. Speed changes only take effect at the start of a slew. To change speed during a slew first stop the slew, then change speed, then start the slew again. Slower speeds will take longer to reach your target but will generally be much quieter and, for some telescopes, may be a safer choice than a fast speed.

  Centering and Guiding

  After you've instructed the mount to aim itself at an object using the Goto features, you can use the Centering and Guiding feature to fine-tune the direction.

  

  The four arrow buttons can be used to move the mount in a manner similar to the keypad which came with your mount. You can also use the Swap East/West and Swap North/South buttons to reverse the directions moved on those axis in order to compensate for directional differences caused by aiming your mount at different parts of the sky.

  If your mount supports multiple speeds then Luminos will offer those in the form of a segmented control below the arrows.

  

  The actual speeds offered, if any, will vary based on your mount's capabilities.

  Syncing

  To improve accuracy Luminos also includes syncing options. Syncing instructs the mount to treat whatever direction it's currently aimed as being the same as the direction of the sync option selected. The actual sync options offered will vary based on the capabilities of your mount and some mounts may not offer this feature at all. The Sync options are found below the arrow buttons in the Centering / Guiding section.

  

  Syncing is especially useful for finding dim objects by first having the mount Goto something bright and easy to find which is near the desired dim object. After the Goto the arrow buttons are used to accurately center that bright target. Finally, tapping on the Sync To Target button will re-calibrate the mount so that it knows it's now pointing exactly at the bright object. Now any Goto commands within a short distance of that target will now be much more accurate which should make it easier to find dim targets nearby.

  There are up to three sync options offered, all of which have the same basic behavior and differ in what they sync to.

  • Sync to target: This option is offered if you recently used one of the Goto features within Luminos to point your telescope at a target. This is the option normally chosen for sync'ing.
  • Sync to selected object: This option is offered if you have an object selected in Luminos and want the mount to sync to it without having to Goto it first. This option is used if you used your mount's hand controller to perform the Goto but you've switched to Luminos to do the sync. Note that Sync to Selected Object will not be offered if the selected object is the same as the Sync to Target object since that would be redundant.
  • Sync to current direction: This is similar to the Sync to Selected Object option except that it uses the coordinates of the center of Luminos' Sky View as the sync target.

  Mount Features

  If Luminos supports additional features of your mount then they will be listed under the Features section while you are connected to the the mount.

  

  Features may include the ability to view Info gleaned from your mount, Park and Unpark your mount, adjusting the brightness of a reticle, or adjusting an attached focuser.

  Which features are available and the options available within those features will vary depending on what your mount supports.

  Elevation

  ---

  At any time, you can adjust your elevation at your current location using the Elevation button located in the lower right area of the Toolbar. Whenever your elevation is adjusted, you can always return to your actual location using the "Home" button in the upper left area of the screen.

  

  Elevation Control

  The Elevation Control presents a dashed wheel on the right side of your screen. By dragging the wheel up or down you will move closer or farther from your current location. As you move farther away, Luminos will automatically adjust the camera to show you the surface of the object you are leaving.

  Your current distance from the surface is displayed next to the wheel on the lower right.

  To hide the Elevation Control, hit the Elevation button in the Toolbar again.

  Field of view

  ---

  Use the Field of View button located in the lower right area of the Toolbar to change how focused your screen is in its current direction. Whenever your field of view is adjusted, you can always return to your actual location using the "Home" button in the upper left area of the screen.

  

  Field of View Control

  The Field of View Control contains a dashed wheel on the right side of your screen to narrow or widen your perspective. By dragging the wheel up or down you will narrow or widen the field of view, respectively. You can perform the same operation by using a two-finger pinch on the Sky View display at any time.

  Your current field of view is indicated in the button as a text value. To set the field of view quickly to one of the pre-determined values, simply tap the buttons on the screen representing the values 1 arc-minute, 10 arc-minutes, 1 degree, 10 degrees, or 60 degrees.

  To hide the Field of View Control, hit the Field of View button in the Toolbar again.

  Tips and tricks

  ---

  The following tips and tricks can help you get the most out of your Luminos exploration:

  • Centering your view : In motion tracking mode, you are free to tilt the display in any angle you choose. The user interface will follow you at any angle or rotation. If you accidentally point the view at the ground, you will be warned with the following notice:

    "The view is directed at the ground. Touch here to direct it at the horizon instead."

    Touching any part of the display will switch to panning mode. Touching the warning notice will re-orient the camera to the horizon, making the sky visible again.

  • Following the selection : If you lose track of your current selection, an orange arrow will appear which points toward the selected object. Follow the pointer by panning your view, or press the "Center" button on the Toolbar to bring the selection back into view.
  • Selection history : Luminos will keep an internal list of the objects you have selected recently. If you want to return to a recently selected object, swipe across the Selection Bar.
  • Returning home : If you ever get overwhelmed or lose your place in the application, simply hit the Home icon in the upper left of the Sky View. The Home button will always return you to your default location on Earth and re-center the view.
  • Zooming in : To select objects which are close by, try zooming in using the two-finger zoom. Once the objects are separated, they are easier to select. Alternatively, you can use the Field of View control.
  Appendix I: Greek alphabet

  ---

  The Greek alphabet is frequently used in astronomy to identify stars. To help you familiarize yourself with the alphabet the following table summarizes the letters, their abbreviations and their names.

  Upper	Lower	Abbrev.	Name
  Α	α	alf	Alpha
  Β	β	bet	Beta
  Γ	γ	gam	Gamma
  Δ	δ	del	Delta
  Ε	ε	eps	Epsilon
  Ζ	ζ	zet	Zeta
  Η	η	eta	Eta
  Θ	θ	the	Theta
  Ι	ι	iot	Iota
  Κ	κ	kap	Kappa
  Λ	λ	lam	Lambda
  Μ	μ	mu	Mu
  Ν	ν	nu	Nu
  Ξ	ξ	ksi	Xi
  Ο	ο	omi	Omicron
  Π	π	pi	Pi
  Ρ	ρ	rho	Rho
  Σ	σ	sig	Sigma
  Τ	τ	tau	Tau
  Υ	υ	ups	Upsilon
  Φ	φ	phi	Phi
  Χ	χ	chi	Chi
  Ψ	ψ	psi	Psi
  Ω	ω	ome	Omega