Cedar Aim vs StoneBusters

Cedar Aim™ is the companion mobile app for the Hopper™ electronic finder from Clear Skies Astro. Cedar Aim helps you point your telescope precisely towards any celestial object with ease. How It Works Cedar Aim connects to your Hopper device, which captures real-time images of the sky where your telescope is pointed. By matching star patterns, Cedar Aim instantly determines your telescope's exact position in the sky. Choose your target object and follow the guidance on your mobile device to move your telescope precisely to your selection. Key Features • Real-time telescope position detection through fast star pattern recognition • Intuitive directional guidance system for fast object location • Access to comprehensive celestial object database including Messier, NGC, IC, and planetary targets • Works with any telescope mount - no motorization required • Completely local operation - no internet connection needed during use • Seamless wireless connection to your Hopper device Perfect For • Amateur astronomers seeking efficient object location • Stargazing sessions with family and friends • Astronomy educators and club outreach events • Anyone who wants to spend more time observing and less time searching Requirements • Hopper™ electronic finder device (sold separately by Clear Skies Astro) • Telescope (any mount type - no motorization required) • iOS device with GPS and WiFi capability • Clear view of the night sky Cedar Aim eliminates the frustration of traditional star-hopping by providing precise, automated guidance to thousands of celestial objects. Whether you're hunting down faint galaxies or showing Saturn to curious children, Cedar Aim ensures you'll find your targets quickly and confidently. Experience the future of visual astronomy with Cedar Aim and Hopper— where technology meets the timeless wonder of stargazing.

On the mobile screen, users can access data from the Minor Planet Center, such as the NEO Confirmation Page (NEOCP) and the Possible Comet Confirmation Page (PCCP). A list of recently observed NEOs, organized by classification: unnumbered single-opposition, multiple-opposition, and numbered objects. Object from NEOfixer (University of Arizona) may be visualized, filtered and sorted. A personalized “starred” list let the user to have a list of preferred objects available for quick view and a custom list of selected objects, based on various physical and observational parameters may also be listed. Additionally, a list of objects that were removed from the NEOCP is available, with each object graphically categorized by its final classification (e.g., NEO, comet, artificial object, missing object, etc.). Once an object is selected, the app provides detailed information, including: an observation summary (observatory codes and details), Ephemeris calculation, Orbital elements and uncertainty orbit graphic representation for NEO. Users can also "identify" an object displaying physical and orbital data retrieved from NASA JPL's Solar System Dynamics (SSD) database. This includes secondary designations, discovery circumstances, and citation text (if available). There is also the possibility to “WAMO” an object with personal MPC observatory code to obtain the status of observation, and also have Summary WAMO data visualized as bar histograms and tables. As a curiosity—and to assist users without an observatory code—if location permissions are enabled, the app can list the 30 nearest observatory codes based on distance from the user's device. (For security reasons, the exact coordinates or map positions of the observatories are not displayed, and never will be.) The app relies on APIs provided by: - The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's SSD and CNEOS (Center for Near-Earth Object Studies) - NEOfixer (University of Arizona) Some calculations, such as topocentric ephemerides, are performed directly on the device. While the app provides convenient, on-the-fly previews of information, users are strongly encouraged to refer to the official sources mentioned above for authoritative and professionally calculated data.