Alpha for Astronomy is an app designed for easy planning of astronomical observations. To create a plan, press the 'plus' button at the top right of your mobile device.
A plan requires four things: a location, a start date, an end date, and a target.
To select a target, scroll to the bottom of the 'New plan' sheet after pressing the plus button on the main screen and begin typing. Not sure where to start? Try typing 'galaxy' or 'nebula'.
Alpha for Astronomy can calculate astronomical data of search results or your created plans. Calculations for deep-sky objects can be done offline. There is currently a bug related to the peak times and altitudes of certain objects, which I am currently trying to fix. Calculating the position of planets, though, unfortunately requires an internet connection.
Times in Alpha for Astronomy use a 24-hour format. When you are creating a plan and enter a location, the times displayed under the Weather section will be local to the entered location.
In contrast, all other times in Alpha for Astronomy are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This is to allow some degree of offline support, as determining the timezone offset in different locations requires an internet connection.
Please email alpha.for.astro@gmail.com with any questions or feedback. Thank you!