The sky map seems to be offset from the actual direction one faces by 15-20 degrees or so. Does anyone know if this is intentional? Perhaps in order to not block the view with the phone itself?
Sounds like he difference between magnetic and true. In Salt Lake that difference is about 14 degrees. The compass in the phone is almost surely magnetic, but the software should be able to compensate by using the GPS for position. Magnetic variation is pretty well known. ________________________________ From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 7:09 AM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Google sky map The sky map seems to be offset from the actual direction one faces by 15-20 degrees or so. Does anyone know if this is intentional? Perhaps in order to not block the view with the phone itself? _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php
With my HTC phone, they actually had a bug at first where North and South were reversed, East and West were correct. After they fixed the bug, I found a similar issue to what you are reporting. I found if I hold the phone upside down it works properly. Thanks, Dave -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Brent Watson Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 7:35 AM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Google sky map Sounds like he difference between magnetic and true. In Salt Lake that difference is about 14 degrees. The compass in the phone is almost surely magnetic, but the software should be able to compensate by using the GPS for position. Magnetic variation is pretty well known. ________________________________ From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 7:09 AM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Google sky map The sky map seems to be offset from the actual direction one faces by 15-20 degrees or so. Does anyone know if this is intentional? Perhaps in order to not block the view with the phone itself? _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php
I just held mine upside down, but the offset is the same. It's as if the user is supposed to hold the phone slightly to the left of where they are looking, all the time. Weird. I've got the HTC Sensation. Everything seems right except that darn slight offset from the compass points. On 12/22/11, Dunn, David <David.Dunn@supervalu.com> wrote:
With my HTC phone, they actually had a bug at first where North and South were reversed, East and West were correct. After they fixed the bug, I found a similar issue to what you are reporting. I found if I hold the phone upside down it works properly.
I'll have to double check, but I believe you can set a magnetic offset. It used to be much more accurate. I notice that the last few updates kinda killed its serious usefulness. Dan -- Sent from my iPod. Please excuse any mispelings or errors. On Dec 22, 2011, at 7:58 AM, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
I just held mine upside down, but the offset is the same. It's as if the user is supposed to hold the phone slightly to the left of where they are looking, all the time. Weird. I've got the HTC Sensation. Everything seems right except that darn slight offset from the compass points.
On 12/22/11, Dunn, David <David.Dunn@supervalu.com> wrote:
With my HTC phone, they actually had a bug at first where North and South were reversed, East and West were correct. After they fixed the bug, I found a similar issue to what you are reporting. I found if I hold the phone upside down it works properly.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php
Polaris is offset to the west of where it should be; if it was the magnetic offset, wouldn't it be east of true, from SLC? On 12/22/11, Brent Watson <brentjwatson@yahoo.com> wrote:
Sounds like he difference between magnetic and true. In Salt Lake that difference is about 14 degrees. The compass in the phone is almost surely magnetic, but the software should be able to compensate by using the GPS for position. Magnetic variation is pretty well known.
Sounds like there is a real bug there. You are correct in your assessment. ________________________________ From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 7:48 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Google sky map Polaris is offset to the west of where it should be; if it was the magnetic offset, wouldn't it be east of true, from SLC? On 12/22/11, Brent Watson <brentjwatson@yahoo.com> wrote:
Sounds like he difference between magnetic and true. In Salt Lake that difference is about 14 degrees. The compass in the phone is almost surely magnetic, but the software should be able to compensate by using the GPS for position. Magnetic variation is pretty well known.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php
I downloaded an app called "SkEye" (free) and after playing with it for a couple of days, I prefer it to the Google Sky Map. It works very similarly, though it doesn't have the offset problem we've been discussing that plagues GSM. It also has a "push to" feature with a constant read-out of where the bulls-eye cursor is aiming. Messier objects and selected NGC objects are in the database, as well as named stars and solar-system objects. I'm going to uninstall Google Sky Map and go with SkEye for a while, unless I find any deal-breaker bugs. So-far, though, I like it.
I just spent 20 minutes in the deepening twilight in the backyard with the smartphone and SkEye. It's dead-on. No offset like Google Sky Map. I'm done with GSM. With the sky still bright, I found Altair, Fomalhaut (!) low in the south, Capella (easy), Vega (also easy), Deneb (fair), and, no lie, Polaris. The waxing crescent moon above Venus is incredibly beautiful. Jupiter high in the east calls to me to take a telescope out. After supper I just might do that. :-)
I've got to agree with you Chuck--I just downloaded it, and it's pretty amazing. I liked GSM for it's ease of use, but this is so much better. Dan On Dec 24, 2011, at 1:05 PM, Chuck Hards wrote:
I downloaded an app called "SkEye" (free) and after playing with it for a couple of days, I prefer it to the Google Sky Map.
It works very similarly, though it doesn't have the offset problem we've been discussing that plagues GSM. It also has a "push to" feature with a constant read-out of where the bulls-eye cursor is aiming. Messier objects and selected NGC objects are in the database, as well as named stars and solar-system objects.
I'm going to uninstall Google Sky Map and go with SkEye for a while, unless I find any deal-breaker bugs. So-far, though, I like it.
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-- Daniel Holmes, danielh@holmesonics.com "Laugh while you can, monkey boy!" -- Lord John Whorfin
participants (4)
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Brent Watson -
Chuck Hards -
Daniel Holmes -
Dunn, David