Quick Start
From a fresh installation to your first night plan. Each step links to the page that covers it in full.
1. Sign in and change the default password
Open http://<host>:5000 and sign in with admin / admin. A warning reminds you to change
that password at each sign-in until it is done (My settings -> Security). See AUTHENTICATION.md.
2. Follow the setup wizard
On a fresh install the admin account opens a guided wizard: location, sky quality (Bortle / SQM), equipment, notifications, then a preview of tonight’s best targets. Every step can be skipped and done later. See BEGINNER_EXPERIENCE.md.
What the wizard fills in can be changed afterwards:
| Setting | Where |
|---|---|
| Location, timezone, sky quality, horizon profile | App settings -> Locations (LOCATIONS.md) |
| SkyTonight constraints (altitude, airmass, size, Moon separation) | App settings -> Configuration (CONFIGURATION.md) |
| Telescopes, cameras, combinations | Equipment (EQUIPMENT.md) |
| Notifications | My settings -> Notifications (NOTIFICATIONS.md) |
| Theme, language, startup tab, experience level | My settings -> Customize (USER_SETTINGS.md) |
3. Wait for the first SkyTonight run
SkyTonight computes tonight’s targets in the background: once at startup, then one hour after nautical dawn and one hour before nautical dusk. The first run takes a few minutes; its progress shows in the SkyTonight tab. To rerun it after changing a setting, use Run SkyTonight Now in App settings -> Configuration. See SKYTONIGHT.md.
4. Decide whether tonight is worth it
- Astrophotography tab: the night’s score, the best imaging window, the Moon, the Sun, aurora and upcoming events (ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY.md).
- Weather tab: hourly forecast, seeing and transparency, observation conditions (WEATHER.md).
5. Pick targets and plan the night
- In SkyTonight -> Deep Sky Objects, sort by AstroScore, filter by type or constellation, and open a target for its altitude chart and details.
- Add targets to Plan My Night (Astrodex -> Plan my night), set a duration for each, and let the optimizer order them by visibility (PLAN_MY_NIGHT.md).
- Check the framing of a target with your camera in the framing simulator (SKYTONIGHT.md).
6. After the night
- Turn the plan into an Observation Log session and record what you actually shot (OBSERVATION_LOG.md).
- Add your pictures to the Astrodex, your personal collection of imaged objects (ASTRODEX.md).
- Watch your progress in Your Sky and keep a Wishlist of what is next (SESSION_ANALYTICS.md).
Next steps
- Several sites or several users: LOCATIONS.md, AUTHENTICATION.md
- Phone use and push notifications: MOBILE.md
- HTTPS and remote access: 6.REVERSE_PROXY.md
- Something does not work: TROUBLESHOOTING.md
- Updating: 3.UPDATE.md
Last updated 2026-11-13