Date
1 - 16 of 16
RAPAS Polar Alignment App No Longer Available in Apple App Store
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I got an notification on my Iphone that the AP polar alignment app has been pulled from the App store. Does anyone know what's happening with this?
Don |
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Peter Nagy
It appears "Polar Finder" for Android is still there. This is the correct Android app for RAPAS for A-P mounts.
Are you using Apple? Peter |
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Yes. I'm in the Apple world. Don Anderson
On Friday, January 15, 2021, 11:25:31 p.m. MST, Peter Nagy <topboxman@...> wrote:
It appears "Polar Finder" for Android is still there. This is the correct Android app for RAPAS for A-P mounts. Are you using Apple? Peter |
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Dale Ghent
The A-P polar alignment app was made and maintained by George Varros, whose personal site (http://gvarros.com) also appears to be offline. Google and DuckDuckGo still point to it in relevant web search results, so it must be only recently that it went offline. I hope he's ok.
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On Jan 16, 2021, at 00:03, Don Anderson via groups.io <jockey_ca@...> wrote: |
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Derek K.
If you’re evaluating alternatives I can recommend the PS Align Pro app for iOS (link below).
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It simulates several Polar scope reticles, including PASILL and RAPAS, compensates for refraction and nutation (can’t vouch for these specific aspects from personal experience, but I’ve found it to be quite accurate overall for my Mach1) and incorporates numerous handy calculators (similar to those found at astronomy.tools). Derek PS: I’m not affiliated with the app author On Friday, January 15, 2021, 21:03, Don Anderson via groups.io <jockey_ca@...> wrote:
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Hello Don, Dale and all,
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George Varros has retired and was no longer able to continue upgrading the app. We are now recommending Polar Scope Align by Dimitrios Kechagias available in the App store. There are free and Pro versions. https://apps.apple.com/app/polar-scope-align/id970157965 Links to the various apps for Windows, Android and Apple can be found in the product section for the RAPAS. https://www.astro-physics.com/rapas Clear Skies, Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com -----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dale Ghent Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2021 11:00 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS Polar Alignment App No Longer Available in Apple App Store The A-P polar alignment app was made and maintained by George Varros, whose personal site (http://gvarros.com) also appears to be offline. Google and DuckDuckGo still point to it in relevant web search results, so it must be only recently that it went offline. I hope he's ok. On Jan 16, 2021, at 00:03, Don Anderson via groups.io <jockey_ca@...> wrote: |
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I have Polar Scope Align and it is excellent.
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Greg On Jan 16, 2021, at 1:39 PM, Marj Christen <marj@...> wrote: |
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Thanks Derek. I will check it out. Don Anderson
On Saturday, January 16, 2021, 10:19:28 a.m. MST, Derek K. via groups.io <kirthgersenwall@...> wrote:
If you’re evaluating alternatives I can recommend the PS Align Pro app for iOS (link below). It simulates several Polar scope reticles, including PASILL and RAPAS, compensates for refraction and nutation (can’t vouch for these specific aspects from personal experience, but I’ve found it to be quite accurate overall for my Mach1) and incorporates numerous handy calculators (similar to those found at astronomy.tools). Derek PS: I’m not affiliated with the app author On Friday, January 15, 2021, 21:03, Don Anderson via groups.io <jockey_ca@...> wrote:
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Thanks Marj. I did see that one when I did the search in the App store. Will have a look. Don Anderson
On Saturday, January 16, 2021, 11:39:43 a.m. MST, Marj Christen <marj@...> wrote:
Hello Don, Dale and all, George Varros has retired and was no longer able to continue upgrading the app. We are now recommending Polar Scope Align by Dimitrios Kechagias available in the App store. There are free and Pro versions. https://apps.apple.com/app/polar-scope-align/id970157965 Links to the various apps for Windows, Android and Apple can be found in the product section for the RAPAS. https://www.astro-physics.com/rapas Clear Skies, Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com -----Original Message-----
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dale Ghent Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2021 11:00 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS Polar Alignment App No Longer Available in Apple App Store The A-P polar alignment app was made and maintained by George Varros, whose personal site (http://gvarros.com) also appears to be offline. Google and DuckDuckGo still point to it in relevant web search results, so it must be only recently that it went offline. I hope he's ok. > On Jan 16, 2021, at 00:03, Don Anderson via groups.io <jockey_ca=yahoo.ca@groups.io> wrote: > > I got an notification on my Iphone that the AP polar alignment app has been pulled from the App store. Does anyone know what's happening with this? > Don > |
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Kent Kirkley
I assume if we have Astro Physics PolarAlign AP 2.7 we can continue to use it? Kent Kirkley -----Original Message-----
From: Marj Christen <marj@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Sent: Sat, Jan 16, 2021 12:42 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS Polar Alignment App No Longer Available in Apple App Store Hello Don, Dale and all,
George Varros has retired and was no longer able to continue upgrading the app. We are now recommending Polar Scope Align by Dimitrios Kechagias available in the App store. There are free and Pro versions. https://apps.apple.com/app/polar-scope-align/id970157965 Links to the various apps for Windows, Android and Apple can be found in the product section for the RAPAS. https://www.astro-physics.com/rapas Clear Skies, Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com -----Original Message----- From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dale Ghent Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2021 11:00 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS Polar Alignment App No Longer Available in Apple App Store The A-P polar alignment app was made and maintained by George Varros, whose personal site (http://gvarros.com) also appears to be offline. Google and DuckDuckGo still point to it in relevant web search results, so it must be only recently that it went offline. I hope he's ok. > On Jan 16, 2021, at 00:03, Don Anderson via groups.io <jockey_ca=yahoo.ca@groups.io> wrote: > > I got an notification on my Iphone that the AP polar alignment app has been pulled from the App store. Does anyone know what's happening with this? > Don > |
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Kent I still have it on my older Ipad and it still works. Don Anderson
On Saturday, January 16, 2021, 11:58:47 a.m. MST, Kent Kirkley via groups.io <kgkirkley@...> wrote:
I assume if we have Astro Physics PolarAlign AP 2.7 we can continue to use it? Kent Kirkley -----Original Message-----
From: Marj Christen <marj@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io> Sent: Sat, Jan 16, 2021 12:42 pm Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS Polar Alignment App No Longer Available in Apple App Store Hello Don, Dale and all,
George Varros has retired and was no longer able to continue upgrading the app. We are now recommending Polar Scope Align by Dimitrios Kechagias available in the App store. There are free and Pro versions. https://apps.apple.com/app/polar-scope-align/id970157965 Links to the various apps for Windows, Android and Apple can be found in the product section for the RAPAS. https://www.astro-physics.com/rapas Clear Skies, Marj Christen Astro-Physics, Inc 11250 Forest Hills Rd Machesney Park, IL 61115 Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847 www.astro-physics.com -----Original Message----- From: main@ap-gto.groups.io [mailto:main@ap-gto.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dale Ghent Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2021 11:00 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: Re: [ap-gto] RAPAS Polar Alignment App No Longer Available in Apple App Store The A-P polar alignment app was made and maintained by George Varros, whose personal site (http://gvarros.com) also appears to be offline. Google and DuckDuckGo still point to it in relevant web search results, so it must be only recently that it went offline. I hope he's ok. > On Jan 16, 2021, at 00:03, Don Anderson via groups.io <jockey_ca=yahoo.ca@groups.io> wrote: > > I got an notification on my Iphone that the AP polar alignment app has been pulled from the App store. Does anyone know what's happening with this? > Don > |
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Jeffc
I have been using the AP Polar Align for years and it works great. A few years ago I downloaded Polar Scope Align (PSA) (free version) for the skywatcher star adventure pro (for a hawaii trip). I did not realize PSA also handles the RAPAS, but there it was in settings! I just downloaded the "pro" version.. imo well worth the $3. Best of all (I think) PSA Pro has a "daytime polar alignment" where it uses the smartphone accelerometer / gps / compass for rough alignment Az and Alt. It is probably not very precise, but I suspect better than what I've been getting with a compass and level ! I'm looking forward to using it for the summer public programs for finding the planets before sunset.... I polar align during the daytime and use resume-from-park to be able to do a goto to Jupiter and/or Saturn. PSA Pro looks like it will make the task much much simpler (and probably more foolproof). -jeff
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I have been running the A-P Polar Align version 1.1.62 since I first got my mount and RAPAS in 2018. Will it continue to work as long as I have this phone, or will there be some point in time at which the app will no longer open from my phone ?
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Jeffc
> I have been running the A-P Polar Align version 1.1.62 since I first got my mount and RAPAS in 2018. > Will it continue to work as long as I have this phone, or will there be some point in time at which the app will no longer open from my phone ? It will (should) continue to work. In fact.. if for some reason you deleted it from your iphone, or got a new iphone, you will still be able to download the app since you purchased the app already. For future reference: to re-download the app : 1. Launch the App Store , 2. Tap on your account icon on the upper right, 3. Tap on "Purchased". 4. Then type astro-physics in the search box. 5. It should show you purchased the app: There will be an "open" button if the app is installed on the device, or a "download" icon if not installed. As for the future... it could turn out there are changes to future versions ios which will require apps to be updated to run on that version. Usually apple gives a bit of advance notice of these things. (IIRC recently this happened with ios-13.) -jeff On Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 10:57 AM M Hambrick <mhambrick563@...> wrote: I have been running the A-P Polar Align version 1.1.62 since I first got my mount and RAPAS in 2018. Will it continue to work as long as I have this phone, or will there be some point in time at which the app will no longer open from my phone ? |
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Thanks Jeff
I bought the Polar Scope Align Pro Watch app for my iPhone yesterday and I kept my old A-P Polar Align app as well. The Polar Scope Align app warns that the position of Polaris may not exactly match the year rings in the reticle. For example, I notice that Polaris is positioned closer to the 2030 ring than the 2020 ring. I also noticed comparing the position of Polaris in the Polar Scope Align versus the A-P Polar Align apps that Polaris is about 5 minutes "faster" in the Polar Scope Align app than it is in the A-P Polar Align app. In any case, I am assuming that the Polar Scope Align app is more up-to-date and I will align my mount as close as possible to where the app is telling me Polaris should be. Mike  
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Derek K.
The Polar Scope Align app enables adjustments for atmospheric refraction plus “Aberration and Nutation” by default.
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It may be interesting to experiment with disabling each adjustment via selectors in the “Advanced settings” menu accessible from the gear-shaped icon on the bottom right in the iOS version, to gauge the impact on the estimated Local Hour Angle and North Celestial Pole distance. Derek On Monday, January 18, 2021, 08:14, M Hambrick <mhambrick563@...> wrote:
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