Frequently Asked Questions

What is DeepSkyLog?

DeepSkyLog is a professional astrophotography data management platform designed to help you organize, track, and analyze all your imaging sessions. Whether you’re using NINA, AsiAir, or manually uploading FITS files, DeepSkyLog keeps everything organized in one place.

Who is DeepSkyLog for?

DeepSkyLog is perfect for astrophotographers who want to:

• Keep track of all their imaging sessions
• Organize frames by project, target, and equipment
• Monitor equipment performance and usage
• See mosaics on a sky map and visualize sky coverage
• Track imaging goals and progress

Do I need special equipment?

DeepSkyLog works with any astrophotography setup. You can:

• Integrate directly with NINA imaging software
• Upload FITS metadata files manually
• Import from AsiAir or other platforms
• Track any telescope, camera, or filter setup

Features & Functionality

What file formats are supported?

DeepSkyLog supports:

• Metadata extraction from standard FITS headers
• Batch imports from acquisition software

Can I organize frames into projects?

Yes! Projects are the core organizational unit in DeepSkyLog. You can:

• Group frames by target object (e.g., “M31 Andromeda”)
• Associate equipment profiles with each project
• Set imaging goals and track progress
• View all sessions for a specific project

Does DeepSkyLog support multiple imaging locations?

Absolutely. You can create location profiles for:

• Your backyard observatory
• Remote imaging sites
• Club observatories
• Each location tracks its own statistics

What is the Sky Map feature?

Our Sky Map uses Aladin Lite integration to:

• Visualize target positions
• Show frame coverage on the sky
• Show mosaic layouts

NINA Integration

How does the NINA plugin work?

Our NINA plugin automatically:

• Uploads new frames metadata after each exposure (the actual image data is not uploaded, just the metadata!)
• Assigns frames to the Equipment and Location.
• Updates project statistics in real-time.

Do I need to keep NINA running?

Only during imaging sessions. The plugin uploads frames metadata as they are captured, so once your observatory PC shuts down after sunrise, you’ll still have access to the session insights.

Can I use DeepSkyLog without NINA?

Yes! While NINA integration is convenient, you can:

• Upload FITS files manually through the web interface
• Use our desktop uploader tool. Desktop tool can monitor a folder and sync files in real time. The application can also calculate HFR metrics (star size) if the value is not present in the FITS metadata, this is handy when syncing files from e.g. AsiAir.

Equipment & Tracking

How do equipment profiles work?

Equipment profiles let you:

• Define telescope, camera, and filter combinations
• Track usage hours for each item
• Monitor performance metrics (HFR, guiding stats)
• Associate equipment with specific projects

Can I track multiple telescopes?

Yes! You can create unlimited equipment profiles for different setups. This is perfect if you have:

• Multiple telescopes or cameras
• Different imaging rigs
• Borrowed or rented equipment

Mosaics

What are mosaics in DeepSkyLog?

Mosaics let you group multiple projects that together cover a larger area of the sky. For example, if you image the Andromeda Galaxy in four overlapping panels, you can combine them into a single mosaic and visualize the full coverage on the sky map.

How does mosaic auto-detection work?

DeepSkyLog can automatically detect mosaics based on your project names. It looks for a common base name with a panel identifier. Projects that share the same base name are grouped together as a mosaic.

The following naming patterns are recognized:

The base name (everything except the panel identifier) must match exactly between projects for them to be grouped together. For example, “M 31 Panel 1” and “M 31 Panel 2” share the base name “M 31” and will be detected as a mosaic.

What if my projects are not named with panel numbers?

Projects without a recognizable panel identifier will not be included in auto-detection. You can always rename your projects to include a panel number (e.g., “My Target Panel 1”) and run auto-detection again, or create a mosaic manually.

How are panels positioned in the grid?

If your projects have RA/Dec coordinates (from FITS headers), DeepSkyLog uses those coordinates to automatically determine the correct grid position for each panel. If coordinates are not available, it falls back to the panel number order.

Can I add new panels to an existing mosaic?

Yes. When you run auto-detection and DeepSkyLog finds new projects that match an existing mosaic’s name, it will offer to add just the new panels. The new panels are placed in empty grid positions based on their coordinates.

Collaboration

How do I set up a collaboration project?

1. Open your project and click Edit
2. Check the Collaboration Project checkbox (your project must have filter goals defined)
3. Save — you’re now the collaboration Owner
4. Open Collaboration Management from your project to invite team members
5. Choose a role for each member: Member, Admin, or Viewer
6. Invitations are valid for 30 days

How does automatic frame routing work?

When a collaboration member uploads frames from NINA or the desktop uploader, DeepSkyLog automatically matches the target name to the collaboration project. Collaboration projects take priority over private projects — so if you have a private “M31” and join a collaboration “M31”, your uploads go to the collaboration.

What are the collaboration roles?

Can I see who contributed which frames?

Yes! Every frame is tagged with the contributor. You can see per-member statistics including frame count, integration time per filter, and session history.

What happens if I cancel?

If you cancel your subscription:

• Your account remains active until the end of your billing period
• You can download all your data before cancellation
• We retain your data for 30 days after cancellation in case you want to return

Pricing & Billing

Is there a free trial?

Yes! Every new account gets a 1-month free trial with:

• 10 projects
• 3,000 frames
• Access to all features including collaboration

No credit card required to start your trial.

How much does it cost after the trial?

After your trial, choose the plan that fits your needs:

• Basic: $4.99/month — up to 50 projects, unlimited frames, all features
• Full: $7.99/month — unlimited projects, unlimited frames, all features, priority support

You can upgrade from Basic to Full at any time.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept:

• All major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover)
• PayPal

Payments are processed securely through Paddle, which handles all tax/VAT compliance automatically.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time. Your account will remain active until the end of your billing period.

Technical Support

How do I get help?

We offer multiple support channels:

• Email support for all users
• Documentation and guides

Do you have an API?

Yes! Subscribers have API access for:

• Automated uploads
• Custom integrations
• Data exports
• Third-party tools

Getting Started

How do I sign up?

1. Visit app.deepskylog.space
2. Create your account (email verification required)
3. Set up your first equipment profile
4. Create your first project
5. Start uploading frames!

Do you offer onboarding help?

Yes! New users get:

• Welcome email with quick start guide
• Interactive tutorial in the app
• Sample data to explore features (log in as demo/demo)

Still have questions? Contact us