How to Start

Get up and running with DeepSkyLog in minutes

DeepSkyLog offers multiple ways to upload your astrophotography data. Choose the method that fits your workflow best: the NINA Plugin for real-time uploads during imaging sessions, or the DeepSkyLogDesktop desktop app for batch-syncing existing files from your hard drive.

Step 1: Create Your Account

  1. Visit app.deepskylog.space and create your account
  2. Verify your email address and log in
  3. Set up your first Location (e.g., your backyard, remote site)
  4. Create an Equipment profile — combine your telescope, camera, and filters into a named setup

These Location and Equipment profiles will appear in both the NINA Plugin and the desktop app once you sign in.

Step 2: Choose Your Upload Method

Option A: NINA Plugin (Real-Time Upload)

The NINA plugin uploads frame metadata automatically as you capture, so your session data appears in DeepSkyLog in real time.

Installation:

  1. Open NINA and go to Plugins (gear icon in the left sidebar)
  2. Switch to the Available tab and search for DeepSkyLog
  3. Click Install, then restart NINA
  4. After restart, find DeepSkyLog under the Installed plugins list

Configuration:

NINA Plugin Configuration

  1. Toggle Plugin Enabled to ON
  2. Click the Account link to sign in with your DeepSkyLog credentials
  3. Select your Location from the dropdown (these are the locations you created in the web app)
  4. Select your Equipment profile from the dropdown
  5. Optionally enable Allow SNAPSHOTs if you want single test frames to be uploaded too
  6. Click Refresh if your locations or equipment profiles were recently updated

Once configured, every frame captured during your NINA sequence will have its metadata automatically sent to DeepSkyLog. The following data is uploaded:

  • Image Details: File path, filter, exposure time, binning, and camera temperature
  • Quality Metrics: Mean and median ADU, detected stars, HFR, FWHM, and eccentricity
  • Guiding & Focusing: Guiding RMS, focuser position, rotator angle, and pier side
  • Weather Conditions: Temperature, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover, and sky quality

Option B: DeepSkyLog Sync Desktop App (Batch Upload)

DeepSkyLog Sync is a standalone Windows application for uploading existing FITS files from your hard drive. It is ideal for importing historical data or syncing files captured with software other than NINA (e.g., AsiAir, SGPro, APT).

Download DeepSkyLog Sync for Windows

Installation and sign in:

  1. Run the installer and launch DeepSkyLog Sync
  2. Install and launch the application
  3. Go to the Settings tab and sign in with your DeepSkyLog account

DeepSkyLog Sync Settings

In Settings, you can also configure:

  • Calculate star metrics — enable this to compute HFR, star count, and eccentricity locally before upload. This is especially useful for files from AsiAir or other software that does not include these values in FITS headers. Note: this makes syncing slower.
  • Monitor folder for new images — enable this to watch a folder and automatically sync new files as they appear, turning the app into a real-time uploader.

Syncing images:

DeepSkyLog Sync - Sync Images

  1. Switch to the Sync Images tab
  2. Click Select Folder and pick the directory containing your FITS files (e.g., Z:\2025-02-05)
  3. The app scans the folder and lists all found frames with their metadata: target name, HFR, star count, eccentricity, HFR standard deviation, and exposure time
  4. At the bottom, select the Location and Equipment profile to associate with the upload
  5. Use Select All / Deselect All or pick individual files
  6. Click Sync Selected to upload

Step 3: Projects Are Created Automatically

You don’t need to create projects manually. When frames are uploaded via the NINA Plugin or DeepSkyLog Sync, projects are created automatically based on the target name in the FITS metadata. The location and equipment you selected in the plugin or desktop app are assigned to each project as well.

Once a project exists, any future frames with the same target name are added to it automatically.

Head to the web app to review your projects and optionally set filter goals (e.g., 10 hours of Ha, 5 hours of OIII) to track your imaging progress.

Step 4: Explore Your Data

With frames uploaded and projects set up, you can now:

  • View dashboards with integration time, session history, and progress toward goals
  • Use the Sky Map (powered by Aladin) to visualize frame coverage and mosaic layouts
  • Analyze quality metrics — track HFR trends, guiding performance
  • Collaborate — share projects with team members and track contributions

Tips

  • Use consistent target names across NINA and the desktop app for automatic project matching
  • Check the HFR and eccentricity stats to identify subpar frames before you start processing
  • Set filter goals on your projects to see exactly how much integration time you still need

Need Help?

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