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2.4.0

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@brickbots brickbots released this 26 Jan 01:29
· 36 commits to release since this release
v2.4.0
0e41494

v2.4.0 Release

The prebuilt image for this release is available at:
https://ddbeeedxfpnp0.cloudfront.net/software/PiFinder_2.4.0.img

For information about how to update software versions:
https://pifinder.readthedocs.io/en/release/user_guide.html#update-software

New Features

Sky Quality Meter (SQM) - Experimental

A new Sky Quality Meter feature measures sky brightness and displays the corresponding Bortle scale classification. This is the culmination of a lot of work to adjust the imaging system and was pulled together by @mrosseel 🎉

b81e5c5a_001_SQM b81e5c5a_002_SQM

There is a dedicated SQM screen under Tools/Experimental which will display current SQM for the area of sky the camera is being pointed at along with Bortle equivalent and the title bar info now also rotates between SQM and constellation abbreviation.

We're excited about this new feature and are looking for feedback! It should report values close to other devices that report SQM, but due to variation in field of view, spectral response, and calculation techniques it may not exactly match. However values reported by PiFinders should be very comparable between units and for the same unit at different sites and different parts of the sky. With the 10 degree FOV of the PiFinder it's easy to compare different areas of the sky to map overall site quality 🌌

Help us improve this feature: If you have another device that displays SQM (Magnitude per arcsecond squared) please let us know how the PiFinder numbers compare. Hold down the SQUARE button from the SQM screen and choose CORRECT to enter the SQM from another device, capture a test images from the camera, and prepare a zip file for sending to the PiFinder team, which will take several seconds during which the UI will not respond. This will NOT send any data and will only save the .zip file to the shared PiFinder storage where you can grab it and send it via email at a later time 👍

Camera Auto Exposure - Experimental

Automatic exposure control using a PID-based algorithm that adapts to changing sky conditions 📷 This should be huge help to new and experienced PiFinder users alike. It will automatically adjust exposure downward as the sky darkens through the night, or will lengthen exposures if you are pointing at a brighter area of sky!

This is an experimental feature and is not enabled by default. To turn this on, go to Settings/Camera Exp and choose Auto. You can switch back to a constant exposure at any time.

Press the SQUARE button while on the Focus to get an overlay with current exposure and star count from the most recent solve.
b81e5c5a_005_Focus

WDS Catalog

We're happy to now include the Washington Double Star catalog with over 150,000 double star pairs! This is by far the largest catalog the PiFinder software includes and there was a lot of optimization to make this perform well. The catalog loads in the background and you'll received a message shortly after start up when it's fully available. This paves the way for other large catalogs and offers a lifetime of double star observing!

For more information on WDS, pleased see: https://www.astro.gsu.edu/wds/

Improvements

Cedar-Detect System Service

Cedar-Detect now runs as a dedicated system service rather than a subprocess, improving stability and resource management. This change is transparent to users but provides better crash recovery and memory handling.

GPS

  • Configurable baud rate: GPS baud rate can now be configured via the Advanced settings menu (#345)
  • Reorganized GPS settings: GPS options now grouped under Settings > Advanced > GPS Settings
  • GPSD improvements: Fixed lock_type handling for GPSD-based GPS messages (#358)
  • Early dongle fix: Fixed issue where some GPS dongles never reported sky data (#373)

Catalogs

  • WDS catalog: Improved loading speed with background loading for better UI responsiveness (#352, #355)
  • Async search: Search is now asynchronous for improved responsiveness
  • Comet catalog: Better refresh and download handling with non-blocking updates (#353)
  • Bright stars: Fixed off-by-one error in bright stars catalog

User Interface

  • EQ mode: Push-to now uses +/- buttons rather than arrows for clearer directional guidance
  • Settings reorganization: Advanced settings (PiFinder Type, Camera Type, GPS Settings) now grouped under an "Advanced" submenu
  • Preview cleanup: Removed background subtraction and gamma functions from preview
  • Experimental menu: Moved higher in menu structure for easier access

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed preview crash when marking menu items are missing
  • Fixed crash when screenshot title contains a slash
  • Fixed OSX logging levels by applying log config in each subprocess
  • Fixed various solver stability issues with improved error handling
  • Fixed typo in SkySafari documentation
  • Fixed typo in menu

Hardware & Documentation

  • Adjusted GPS antenna holder sizing
  • Improved case tolerances and new dovetail design
  • Updated shroud with tighter tolerance
  • Added instructions to build guide for testing LEDs and buttons
  • Clarified DIY vs Assembled parts in case documentation

Contributors

mrosseel
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