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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Awesome ephemeris software I just came across
Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 3:17 PM on 11.03.09 |
->> Just came across this very cool, and freeware, photographers ephemeris software, http://stephentrainor.com/tools
Its integrated with Google Maps so you an put in a location, and see overlaid on that map exactly what lines the sun and moon are going to rise and set on. You can also put in any given period of the day and see where the sun and moon will be.
Really useful tool if you want to find out on what day the moon is going to be rising over a certain building or part of a landscape and also how high in the sky it will be at a certain time.
I've been using this type of software for years, even having a few versions on my iPhone, but this is the first that I've seen that can overlay the info onto a satellite map.
Check it out, and if you like it, support the author |
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Jack Howard, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Central Jersey | NJ | USA | Posted: 3:23 PM on 11.03.09 |
| ->> Thanks Jeff! This is way cool! |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 3:50 PM on 11.03.09 |
->> Jeff, thanks for the link!! I love it! I'm really getting into lightpainting and this is the sort of info that is great to have. I love that the dates on the sun and moon is plotted out for a long time, makes planning that special shot much easier way in advance. Now I can pick out dates that will work for a photo, write them down and then just have to see what the weather is like that day.
Also the fact that the info can be overlaid on a sat map just makes planning just ridiculously easy. Scouting a location before shooting is still always a good thing to make sure that nothing has changed, but to have this info EASILY at hand makes this almost scary. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 4:22 PM on 11.03.09 |
->> I'm looking forward to testing this out tonight to see just how accurate it is. I've set up some sight lines for the moon rise with the street perpendicular to my place so I should be able to go out about 11pm tonight and see the moon right over the street about 10 degrees in the sky.
If you didn't try it yet, click the "details" tab and then you can adjust the time slider for each day and it will move the lines on the paper that show where each object will be at the given time you select, and then in then also list the altitude at that time. |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 4:39 PM on 11.03.09 |
| ->> I think one added feature I would like to see is to be able to print out the map with the lines drawn on it and the different side tab info. I did get a print out using screen capture software, but it's not an elegant solution. Other than that I don't see anything I would change. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 4:50 PM on 11.03.09 |
->> I'd like the ability to have 12 or 24 hour time displayed just because it requires a little less thinking on my part lol.
Would be really handy to be able to print out a map with lines at given intervals drawn on there though I agree, as this software needs an internet connection to work and as such, many prime landscape shootings locations aren't going to have service.
I guess it would be easy enough to just print a map from the regular Google Maps images and then mark that with the times your interested in. Not quite as integrated solution but it would work.
I think this will be really handy as far as being a great tool for planning some shots where you'd like to feature a moon rise in your images though |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 5:15 PM on 11.03.09 |
->> Jeff,
It just means you have to shoot all your shots within distance of a wifi connection so you can have the info in realtime. As ubiquitous as Starbucks are I don't think that should be a problem. They have a location at the bottom of the Grand Canyon don't they? Nepal might be a problem tho. |
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Byron Hetzler, Photographer
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Granby | CO | USA | Posted: 5:36 PM on 11.03.09 |
| ->> Great find Jeff! |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 10:22 AM on 11.04.09 |
->> Happy to report that this software is dead on accurate.
Over the course of last evening, I used it to predict where the moon would be at certain times of the evening. Then using the Google satellite map view of my yard, plotted the position with various lines of sight based upon my standing at a set position, such as that at 10pm, if I'm standing right next to a given tree, the moon should be centered exactly over a nearby cell tower. Sure enough, when I'd walk out at 10pm and stand next to the tree, the moon was exactly over the tower, as it appeared from my viewing location. Awesome! |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 11:31 PM on 04.08.10 |
| ->> some great news. There is now a TPE iPhone app. According to the developer blog the app has been approved and will be available April 17th for $8.99. According to him, fuctionality is the same as the desktop. If that's the case, that is great news indeed and well worth the $ considering the ability to actually have the info with you in the field. Not to mention I have been very much less than impressed with the other apps in this category. Can't wait, just in time for spring & summer shooting. |
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Kevin Seale, Photographer
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Crawfordsville | IN | United States | Posted: 12:28 AM on 04.09.10 |
| ->> Thanks for the update Erik. I love the desktop app and really look forward to having this info with me in the field. |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 8:18 PM on 04.17.10 |
| ->> d/l the app today, pretty cool deal. Have it on my iPod, works well definitely worth the $ I think to not have to boot up my computer every time I want to check the % of moon or the angles. The sun/moon rise and set also works without a net connection, although map and other data isn't available. |
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