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Features

Main Screen Layout

Menus

Initial Setup

Eclipse Preparation

Script File Format

Camera Configuration

Notes

Troubleshooting

Shortcuts and Tips

Credits & Acknowledgments

Menu items are enabled/disabled according to the context. Many features and settings can only be accessed through the numerous contextual menus.

Lunar Eclipse Maestro menu:

  • About Lunar Eclipse Maestro - Display the application version and other information.
  • Make a Donation… - Allow you to make a PayPal donation for the use of the application and the hard work behing it.
  • Check for Updates… - Look on my Internet website for an updated version of the application.
  • Preferences… - Open the application preferences window.

File menu:

  • Configuration Wizard… - Set the eclipse, observer’s location and photography equipment to generate a basic camera script.
  • New Script (⌘N) - Create a new script.
  • Open Script… (⌘O) - Open a script file so you can modify it.
  • Load Script… (⌘L) - Load a script. When a script is loaded, menu items performing camera actions in the Camera menu are deactivated even if a camera is connected.
  • Reload Script (⌘R) - Rereads the script file. Use this after you’ve edited the script.
  • Unload Script (⌘U) - Stops execution of a script. Then use Load Script… to resume.
  • Close (⌘W) - Close the frontmost window.

Observer menu:

  • Location… (⌥⌘L) - View or modify latitude, longitude and altitude in the Photographer Location dialog.
  • Update Location from GPS (⌘6) - If a GPS is connected, update coordinates, then recalculate local circumstances and event times, then reload any running script to make the event time changes take effect. Enabled only when the GPS is connected and has a position fix.
  • Locations Timezone Update - Allows you to automatically update the timezone of every observer’s locations (requires an active Internet connection).
  • Current Time - The application clock matches the Mac’s clock (except for the optional clock error correction), this is "real time".
  • Simulated Time… (⌥⌘T) - Use this to test your eclipse scripts. It sets the software to an arbitrary date and time without messing up the Mac’s clock.
  • Simulated Second Umbral Contact - Use this to test your eclipse scripts starting forty seconds before second umbral contact. It sets the software to an arbitrary time without messing up the Mac’s clock.
  • Simulated Third Umbral Contact - Use this to test your eclipse scripts starting forty seconds before third umbral contact. It sets the software to an arbitrary time without messing up the Mac’s clock.
  • Adjust Event Times… (⌘7) - View/edit event times for moonrise, moonset, first through fourth umbral contacts, first and fourth penumbral contacts, and maximum eclipse in the Event Times Override dialog. When a script is already loaded, it is automatically reloaded to update the script actions. If you wish to automatically override computed times, write down the event times in the script, and then make sure to never select Observer’s Location… or to change Refraction Correction as touching any of these will wipe out your override (until you reload the script).
  • Local Circumstances Table… - Opens a window summarizing the local circumstances. Data can easily be copied to an external destination.
  • General Circumstances Table… - Opens a window summarizing the general circumstances. Data can easily be copied to an external destination.

Display menu:

  • Eclipse Diagram
    • Show Ecliptic - Display or hide the ecliptic as a dotted yellow line.
    • Show Celestial North - Display or hide the celestial north as a red tick mark.
    • Show Moon North - Display or hide the lunar north as a green tick mark.
    • Show Moon Surface - Display or hide the Moon’s surface.
    • Show Earth’s Umbra/Penumbra Outlines - Display or hide the Earth’s umbra and penumbra outlines.
    • Center on Moon - Center the diagram on the Moon (horizontal coordinates) or on the Earth’s umbra/penumbra (equatorial coordinates).
    • Show Sunrise/Sunset Times - Display or hide the times of sunrise and sunset.
  • Eclipse Map
    • Show Eclipse Type Info - Display or hide the eclipse type info.
    • Moon-Earth Umbra Diagram at Maximum Eclipse - Display or hide the maximum eclipse diagram at the mouse-over location.
    • Cursor Tracking - Display or hide the geographic cursor coordinates on the eclipse map.
    • Mapping Settings
      • Show Continents Contours - Display or hide the contours of the continents.
      • Show Continents and Countries - Display or hide the contours of the continents and the borders of the countries.
      • Show NASA Blue Marble Earth - Display or hide the NASA Blue Marble image of the Earth’s surface.
      • Show Greatest Eclipse Point - Display or hide the greatest eclipse point.
      • Show Map Scale - Display or hide the scale on the eclipse map.
    • Animated Solar Terminator - Display or hide the solar terminator animation.
    • Update Frequency - How often is the solar terminator animation updated from every 1 second to 10 minutes.
    • Zoom In (⌘+) - Zoom in by a factor of 2.
    • Zoom Out (⌘-) - Zoom out by a factor of 2.
    • Zoom Default (⌘=) - Reset zoom level to the default value.
    • Save Observer Orthographic PDF Map… - Lets you create a color high-resolution PDF file containing containing the eclipse diagram and an equirectangular projection map of the eclipse visibility areas from the observer’s location.
    • Save General Orthographic PDF Map… - Lets you create a color high-resolution PDF file containing containing the eclipse diagram and an equirectangular projection map of the eclipse visibility areas.
  • Show Major Timers… (⌘⇪T) - Display the major timers in a floating window.
  • Local Time Mode - Used to display the local time using the observer’s location timezone setting.
  • Night Vision Mode (⌘⇪N) - Used to preserve your dark adaptation.
  • Sky Chart… - Open a window displaying the sky chart of the eclipse. No Internet connection required.
  • Solar and Lunar Elevations Graph… - Open a window displaying the solar and lunar elevations over the course of 24 hours.
  • Meteorology… - Open a window displaying meteorological data with the areas of visibility overlaid. 3-day local weather predictions are also available.
  • GFS Weather Predictions… - Open a window displaying world and regional weather predictions up to 96 hours. Internet connection required.
  • Eclipse Visibility List from a Location… - Open a window displaying a list of eclipses visible from a given location.
  • Google Earth File Generator… - Create a kmz Google Earth file of the eclipse visibility areas and geometry.
  • Gridded Set of Points File Generator… - Create a text file containing a gridded set of points with the local circumstances.
  • Google Map of the Eclipse… - Open an interactive Google Map window of the eclipse. Internet connection required.
  • Eclipse in Google Earth… - Open an interactive Google Earth window of the eclipse. Internet connection required. Not available after 2017 January 11th because Google has shut down the Google Earth API/plugin.

Camera menu:

  • Press Shutter Release (⌘1-⌘4) - Take a photo on the selected camera with the current exposure settings. When a script is loaded, this menu item is deactivated even if a camera is connected.
  • Single Exposure with Settings… (⌥⌘1-⌥⌘4) - Take a photo on the selected camera while letting you choose the exposure settings. When a script is loaded, this menu item is deactivated even if a camera is connected.
  • Live View… (⌘⇪1-⌘⇪4) - Display the live view on the selected camera. When a script is loaded and the general preference setting to allow Live View manual triggering is off, this menu item is deactivated even if a camera is connected.
  • Available Properties… (⌥1-⌥4) - Display the available properties for each connected camera. When a script is loaded, this menu item is deactivated even if a camera is connected.
  • Battery Levels… - Display the battery level of each connected camera.
  • Check Settings… - Display a window into which the settings of each connected camera can be checked.
  • Properties Analysis… (⌥⇪1-⌥⇪4) - Display a detailed report of the camera properties for each connected camera. When a script is loaded, this menu item is deactivated even if a camera is connected.
  • Property events Analysis… (⌥⌘⇪1-⌥⌘⇪4) - Display a detailed report of the camera property events for each connected camera. When a script is loaded, this menu item is deactivated even if a camera is connected.
  • Benchmarks… - Display a window into which the potential of each connected camera can be asserted.
  • Exposure Calculator… - Display in a new window an exposure calculator for eclipse events.
  • Field of View Calculator… - Display in a new window a field of view calculator to visualize the eclipse image scale and maximum exposure without tracking.
  • Sensor Sampling Calculator… - Display in a new window a sensor sampling calculator to visualize the sensor sampling of the camera body and its attached lens.
  • Exposure Sequence Analyzer… - Display in a new window the list of all the exposures with their consecutive time difference.

Setup menu:

  • Hardware Configuration… - Use the Hardware Configuration dialog to tell the application what equipment you are using.
  • Camera References… - Manage the known cameras in the Camera References List dialog.
  • Clock Error Adjustment… - Apply a static correction to the Mac clock to easily cancel out any timing error.
  • Configure Serial GPS Unit… - To set up the parameters of a serial GPS receiver connected through either Bluetooth or a Serial to USB adapter.
  • Use GPS time - If a GPS is connected, constantly update the clock error adjustment based on time readings from the GPS.
  • Use GPS PPS Signal - If a GPS is connected, expect a Pulse-Per-Second signal, and use the rising edge of the pulse to determine the clock error adjustment.
  • GPS Satellite Window… - If a GPS is connected, you can display the satellites being used, their sky position and signal to noise ratio.
  • Atmospheric Refraction Correction - Correct or not eclipse event times for refraction.
  • Apparent Horizon Correction - Take into account or not the apparent horizon correction.
  • Show Events Under Horizon - Display or hide the data of the contact events that happen when the Moon is under the horizon.
  • Lower Refresh Rate for Countdowns - Reduce the CPU load when a script is running. Useful for slower computers or to increase the battery’s autonomy.
  • Show Zenith Angles - Toggle between contact North angle (P) and Zenith angle (Z or V).
  • Choose Lunar Eclipse
    • Choose one lunar eclipse from a set of up to 50. The Besselian elements are automatically loaded.
    • View or edit the Besselian elements of lunar eclipses using a text editor.
  • Current Besselian Elements… - View the Besselian elements of the current lunar eclipse.

Window menu:

  • Lunar Eclipse Maestro Log - Visualize the application’s log from the System Console.
  • User Additional Sounds Folder - Open the folder where the user additional sound files should be located.
  • Domain Additional Sounds Folder - Open the folder where the domain additional sound files should be located.

Help menu:

  • Lunar Eclipse Maestro Help - Open the application help.

Moon-Earth umbra/penumbra diagram contextual menu:

Used on the Moon-Earth umbra/penumbra diagram.
  • Show Ecliptic - Enable/disable the display of the ecliptic as a dotted yellow line.
  • Show Celestial North - Enable/disable the display of the celestial north as a red tick mark.
  • Show Moon North - Enable/disable the display of the lunar north as a green tick mark.
  • Show Moon Surface - Enable/disable the display of the Moon’s surface.
  • Show Earth’s Umbra/Penumbra Outlines - Enable/disable the display of the Earth’s umbra and penumbra outlines.
  • Center on Moon - Center the diagram on the Moon (horizontal coordinates) or on the Earth’s umbra/penumbra (equatorial coordinates).
  • Show Sunrise/Sunset Times - Enable/disable the display of the times of sunrise and sunset.

Eclipse map contextual menu:

Used on the eclipse map.
  • Eclipse Type Info - When activated the type of the eclipse is shown at the mouse-over location.
  • Moon-Earth Umbra Diagram at Maximum Eclipse - When activated the maximum eclipse diagram is shown at the mouse-over location.
  • Cursor Tracking - Display or hide the geographic cursor coordinates on the eclipse map.
  • Mapping Settings
    • Show Continents Contours - Display or hide the contours of the continents.
    • Show Continents and Countries - Display or hide the contours of the continents and the borders of the countries.
    • Show NASA Blue Marble Earth - Display or hide the NASA Blue Marble image of the Earth’s surface.
    • Show Greatest Eclipse Point - Display or hide the greatest eclipse point.
    • Show Map Scale - Display or hide the scale on the eclipse map.
  • Animated Solar Terminator - Display or hide the solar terminator animation.
  • Update Frequency - How often is the solar terminator animation updated from every 1 second to 10 minutes.
  • Zoom In - Zoom in on the eclipse (ant-)umbral duration map.
  • Zoom Out - Zoom out on the eclipse (ant-)umbral duration map.
  • Zoom Default - Default zoom on the eclipse (ant-)umbral duration map.
  • Save Observer Orthographic PDF Map… - Lets you create a color high-resolution PDF file containing an eclipse diagram and an equirectangular projection map of the eclipse visibility areas from the observer’s location.
  • Save General Orthographic PDF Map… - Lets you create a color high-resolution PDF file containing an eclipse diagram and an equirectangular projection map of the eclipse visibility areas.

Local circumstances contextual menu:

  • Show Events Under Horizon - Display or hide the data of the contact events that happen when the Moon is under the horizon.
  • Lower Refresh Rate for Countdowns - Reduce the CPU load when a script is running. Useful for slower computers or to increase the battery’s autonomy.
  • Show Zenith Angles - Toggle between contact North angle (P) and Zenith angle (Z or V).

Script actions browser contextual menu:

Used to automatically alter all the exposures from the script actions list in the main window.
  • Display in EV Units - Show the exposures in either EV (Exposure Value) or Q (ISO 1 based) units.
  • Automatic +5EV - Add 5 stops to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +4EV - Add 4 stops to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +3EV - Add 3 stops to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +2⅔EV - Add 2.7 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +2½EV - Add 2.5 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +2⅓EV - Add 2.3 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +2EV - Add 2 stops to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +1⅔EV - Add 1.7 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +1½EV - Add 1.5 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +1⅓EV - Add 1.3 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +1EV - Add 1 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +⅔EV - Add 0.7 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +½EV - Add 0.5 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic +⅓EV - Add 0.3 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • No Exposure Compensation - Reset all the exposure settings to the values in the current script.
  • Automatic -⅓EV - Subtract 0.3 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -½EV - Subtract 0.5 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -⅔EV - Subtract 0.7 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -1EV - Subtract 1 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -1⅓EV - Subtract 1.3 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -1½EV - Subtract 1.5 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -1⅔EV - Subtract 1.7 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -2EV - Subtract 2 stops to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -2⅓EV - Subtract 2.3 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -2½EV - Subtract 2.5 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -2⅔EV - Subtract 2.7 stop to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -3EV - Subtract 3 stops to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -4EV - Subtract 4 stops to all the current exposure settings.
  • Automatic -5EV - Subtract 5 stops to all the current exposure settings.

Sky chart contextual menu:

Used on the sky chart.
  • Show Azimuthal Grid - Show or hide the azimuthal grid in white with a selectable spacing. Off by default.
  • Show Equatorial Grid - Show or hide the equatorial grid in gray with a selectable spacing set by default on Fine (every hour). On by default.
  • Show Ecliptic - Show or hide the ecliptic in yellow. Enabled by default.
  • Show Planets Names - Show or hide the names of the planets in yellow. Enabled by default.
  • Show First-Magnitude Stars - Show or hide the first-magnitude stars in white. Enabled by default.
  • Show Stars Names - Show or hide the name of the first-magnitude stars in white. On by default.
  • Show Second-Magnitude Stars Names - Show or hide the name of the second-magnitude stars in white. Disabled by default.
  • Save PDF File… - Lets you create a color high-resolution PDF file containing the sky chart during the eclipse.

Google Maps interactive window contextual menu:

Used on the Google Maps interactive window.
  • Go to Observer Location - Center the view over the current observer’s location.

Google Earth interactive window contextual menu:

Used on the Google Earth interactive window.
  • Show Local Circumstances Tool - Show or hide the local circumstances tool. On by default.
  • Fly to Observer Location - Fly to 10 kilometers over the current observer’s location.
  • Show Grid - Show or hide the grid. Disabled by default.
  • Show Navigation Controls - Show or hide the navigation controls. Enabled by default.
  • Show Scale Legend - Show or hide the scale legend. Enabled by default.
  • Show Status Bar - Show or hide the status bar. Enabled by default.
  • Show Overview Map - Show or hide the overview map. Disabled by default.
  • Show Atmosphere - Show or hide the blue atmosphere that appears around the perimeter of the Earth. On by default.
  • Show Sunlight - Show or hide the sunlight that appears around the perimeter of the Earth. On by default.
  • Show Countries Borders Layer - Show or hide the countries borders. On by default.
  • Show Road Networks Layer - Show or hide the road networks. On by default.