This is the minimal source code base to run a simple Raspberry Pi based DSO observation planning tool within a WiFi network. The DSO visibility tool is based on https://docs.astropy.org/en/stable/generated/examples/coordinates/plot_obs-planning.html .
- Raspberry Pi 3/4
- Raspberry Pi OS, e.g. Bookworm
- Python3, pip3
sudo apt install python3-pip
sudo pip3 install matplotlib --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install numpy --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install astropy --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install bottle --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install pyephem --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install skyfield --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install pytz --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install astroquery --break-system-packages
sudo pip3 install spaceweather --break-system-packages
Run the /home/pi/setup.sh script for basic installation.
The required python packages will be added if missing. The dsoserver which will be launched via systemctl will be set up. On request the DSO visibility catalogue and plots will be created for today.
The crontab will be extended to run the python script which will create the DSO visibility catalogue and DSO-plots per day for your location. The location coordinates are stored in sky/dso/config.py. The calculations will take a while, so the cronjob is installed to run at 3.02 am in the morning. The catalogue and the plots for the day will be stored in /home/pi/sky/dso. At first use the skyfield API will slowly download the ephemeris DE421 file 'de421.bsp'. It contains high accuracy tables of celestial body positions for huge time spans. Using the python module astroquery additional DSO information regarding the object type (galaxy, cluster, nebula) is displayed as well. The astronomical night timespan (=sun more than -18 degrees below the horizon) is displayed if available, otherwise the nautical night time span (=sun more than -12 degrees below the horizon). Data for analysis of the geomagnetical activity is provided by celestrak via the spaceweather module.
The dsoserver can be accessed in the same WiFi network with a browser:
Display all available DSO visibility plots for tonight either as graphs or list:
http://111.222.333.4:44444/tonight
http://111.222.333.4:44444/alldsos/list
Display the best visible DSOs in the South which are above 10 degrees altitude either as graphs or list:
http://111.222.333.4:44444/best/S/10.0
http://111.222.333.4:44444/best/S/10.0/list
