Visual Manual

The first screen you see when launching OpenSkyLab. It introduces the four core capabilities: Mount GoTo & Tracking, Camera & Live Stacking, PHD2 Autoguiding, and Automated Sequences. Click Next to begin the quick setup.

Choose your preferred language for the entire interface. Currently supports English, Português, and Español. All panels, tooltips, help text, and notifications will be displayed in your chosen language. This can be changed anytime from Settings.

Set your geographic coordinates and timezone. This is essential for accurate sky map rendering, GoTo calculations, object rise/set times, and scheduler planning. You can enter coordinates manually or use auto-detection.

Configure your telescope, camera, and accessories. Select your mount type, main camera, guide camera, focuser, and filter wheel. Equipment profiles can be saved and switched between different setups.

Configure the connection to your equipment driver. If your INDI server runs on the same machine, keep the default localhost:7625. For remote setups (e.g., a mini-PC on the telescope), enter the remote IP address. Simulator Mode creates virtual devices for learning the interface.

Review your settings summary before starting. Shows the selected language and driver mode. Click 'Start OpenSkyLab' to enter the main application with the sky map and dashboard.

The main dashboard shows the interactive sky map in the background with the tab navigation bar, equipment status cards, quick action buttons, and status bar. The 'Getting Started' banner appears in simulator mode to help new users.

Shows real-time status of all connected devices: Mount (with current RA/DEC coordinates), Main Camera, Guide Camera, Focuser, Filter Wheel, Guider (PHD2), Weather Station, and Dome. Each card shows connection status and key metrics. Click any card for quick access to its panel.

Four quick-access buttons for the most common workflows: Start Imaging Session (step-by-step guided setup), Go To Object (search and slew to a target), Take Single Frame (quick single exposure), and Run Sequence (run a capture sequence).

Full-screen interactive sky map showing constellations, deep-sky objects, and current telescope pointing. Toggle between Simple and Realistic rendering modes. Filter objects by catalog (Messier, Caldwell, NGC, IC). Controls for zoom, constellation lines, grid overlay, and magnitude limit.

Full mount control panel with directional slew buttons (N/S/E/W), slew speed adjustment, tracking toggle, and park/unpark. Shows current RA/DEC coordinates, tracking status, and pier side. GoTo targets can be entered manually or selected from the sky map. Includes Meridian Flip controls and Polar Alignment wizard access.

Camera control with exposure settings (duration, gain, offset, binning), cooling control with target temperature, and ROI selection. Preview section shows the last captured frame with auto-stretch. Supports single frame capture, loop mode, and live view. Frame format selection (FITS, XISF, TIFF) and save directory configuration.

Focuser control with absolute position readout, step-based movement (in/out), and temperature compensation. Autofocus routine with V-curve analysis and configurable step size. Displays HFR (Half-Flux Radius) graph to visualize focus quality over multiple positions.

PHD2 autoguiding integration showing guide star selection, real-time RA/DEC error graph, RMS statistics, and guide pulse history. Controls for calibration, guiding start/stop, and dither settings. Displays guide camera feed with the selected guide star highlighted.

Plate solving panel using ASTAP or astrometry.net. Takes a short exposure, solves the field to determine exact sky coordinates, and optionally syncs the mount. Shows solved coordinates, field of view, rotation angle, and matched star count. Essential for precise GoTo and framing.

Capture sequence editor for automated imaging. Create sequences with multiple targets, each with filter/exposure/count settings. Supports conditions (altitude limits, moon distance), triggers (meridian flip, autofocus), and nested loops. Drag-and-drop reordering and sequence templates.

Multi-night target scheduler with automatic planning. Add targets with priority, minimum altitude, and moon constraints. The scheduler calculates optimal imaging windows considering rise/set times, transit, and weather. Supports multi-night planning and automatic session management.

Dome and rotator control panel. Shows current dome azimuth, slit status (open/closed), and slave tracking mode. Manual rotation controls and park position. Auto-sync keeps the dome slit aligned with the telescope during tracking and GoTo operations.

Post-session summary with captured frames count, total exposure time, tracking performance metrics, weather log, and guiding RMS history. Export reports in PDF or JSON format for logging and analysis.

Application settings organized by category: General (language, theme, units), Equipment Profiles (mount, cameras, focuser, filter wheel, rotator, weather, dome, flat panel), Connection (INDI server, port), and Data (save paths, file format). Equipment profiles can be created, edited, and switched.

Real-time event log showing all system events: device connections, slew commands, capture progress, guiding corrections, errors, and warnings. Filter by severity level and search by keyword. Useful for troubleshooting and reviewing session activity.

Built-in help with getting started guide, feature documentation, keyboard shortcuts reference, and links to online resources. Context-sensitive — shows relevant help based on the active panel.

Step-by-step guided imaging setup with five stages: Equipment (verify connections), Cool Down (set camera temperature), Alignment (plate solve and sync), Focus (run autofocus), and Capture (start sequence). Each step shows device status with green indicators when ready. You can skip steps or go back at any time.

Object search and slew interface within Mount Control. Search by name (M31, NGC 7000) or coordinates. Shows object details: catalog, constellation, magnitude, size, rise/set times, and current altitude. The 'Slew' button initiates the GoTo. Includes Polar Alignment and Import features.

Quick capture dialog for a single exposure. Set exposure time, gain, and filter. The captured frame opens in the built-in FITS viewer with auto-stretch, zoom, and annotation tools. Useful for framing verification and focus checks.

Sequence execution dialog showing the loaded sequence with target list, progress per target, and overall completion. Real-time frame counter, estimated time remaining, and current capture status. Pause, skip, or abort controls available during execution.

Bottom status bar showing real-time information: weather conditions (temperature, humidity, cloud cover, wind speed), device connection count, WebSocket status, Simulator Mode indicator, device list, tracking state, park status, safety status, and current RA/DEC coordinates. Version number displayed at the far right.

Top toolbar with sky map controls: rendering mode toggle (Simple/Realistic), magnitude limit slider, mount type selector (EQ/AltAz), catalog filters (Messier, Caldwell, NGC, IC), celestial body toggles (Sun, Moon), star magnitude display, and current time. Additional controls for FOV indicator, grid, and constellation overlays.

Horizontal tab bar for switching between panels: Dashboard, Mount Control, Camera, Focuser, Autoguiding, Plate Solver, Sequencer, Scheduler, Dome, Session Report, Settings, Event Log, and Help. The active tab is highlighted. PRO features are marked with a badge.

Interactive guided tour that walks you through the main interface elements. Highlights each area with a tooltip explaining its purpose. Covers the sky map, control panels, equipment status, and quick actions. Recommended for first-time users to quickly learn the interface layout.