Free Astronomy Tools & Mini-Projects — explore the night sky with beginner-friendly utilities.

Hi, my name is Mike. MessierExplore is a personal astronomy journey turned open toolkit — offering logbooks, sky guidance, and astrophotography utilities.

There are many astro gear choices and methodologies to choose from, which makes for a very deep journey! I hope to cover several avenues over time, but for now, the exploration here leans towards the classic dobsonian telescope and the 110 Messier Objects, plus Jupiter's Great Red Spot.

The suggested first quest in this journey is the Messier Observing Program for logging and sketching the 110 Messier objects of the night sky, with log book and assisted guidance computer below.

• 📥 Download / Use Tools
• 💻 Peek at the Code
• 🗺️ Roadmap / What’s Next

Easy access. No install required.

• What it is: Printable logbook with the 110 Messier objects.
• Get your personalized PDF Free: https://logbook.messierexplore.com
• Code: Located in this repository as a python command-line script, and then as a cloud deployed web service.
• Features: personalized cover page, tracking checklist, per-object log pages, sketch area, clean typography.
• Pursue a certificate and pin from the Astronomical League with qualifying log completion!

• 📝 Inputs: location (country + zipcode)
• 📊 Outputs: live-conditions-adjusted ranked list of suggested Messier targets at your location + explanations
• 🌐 Try it: https://tgc.messierexplore.com

🚀 Why Target Guidance Computer is Exciting
The Target Guidance Computer is more than a Messier checklist – it’s a smart companion that combines astronomy math with real-world conditions.
🌙 Highlights which objects sit high and clear of the Moon
☁️ Explains how tonight’s clouds, darkness, and sky quality affect your session; dew risk and heat/shield assessment too.
✨ Shows you what you haven’t logged yet

Minimalist design so you're up and running in seconds, with your approximate location, the tool personalizes your observing journey, tracks your “seen” list, and serves up the conditions and best targets for tonight at 9 PM local time.

💡 Also added is Jupiter Great Red Spot (GRS) next transit time (at your location) so you can catch the 195 year old storm via live photons!

• What it is: Lightweight, beginner-friendly image stacking pipeline for Dobsonian + MFT DSLR. For myself I'm planning to explore micro four thirds DSLR attachment to keep size and weight down. While dobsonian is not the highest grade choice for astrophotography, it is nice for live photon-to-eyeball observing and I'm exploring the capture of this.
• Download: (tbd)

Want something added? Open an issue with feature ideas ✨

├── assets/          # template pdfs employed by the logbook
├── data/            # messier object list, temporary sqlite db for playing (a production env would employ a cloud sql backend)
├── docs/            # license and manuals (work-in-progress)
├── output/          # the output folder of personalized logbooks if running logbook locally by commandline
├── services/        # web services of all tools (logbook, target guidance computer)
├── static/          # static images in a folder accessible by the web services
├── tests/           # pytest test suite
├── tools/           # cli version of tools as command line apps (logbook)
└── utils/           # shared logic for tools that come in web service and also commandline flavors 

• YouTube Channel (journey to Astronomical League certification)
• Messier Logbook Generator (Docker / GCS / Cloud Run)
• Messier Target Guidance Computer (location-based)

• Image Stacking Pipeline Utilities (Dobsonian + MFT DSLR)

• Code: MIT (see LICENSE)
• Documentation/screenshots: CC BY 4.0 (see docs/LICENSE)
• Logo: All Rights Reserved (contact for permission)

⭐ If you like this project, give it a star and follow along — more tools are on the way!