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Quick start and tips

Get up and running fast, then tune the app for your catalog workflow.

Getting started

  1. Install Python 3.10+ and PySide6.
  2. Download the GitHub release or clone the repo.
  3. Launch `python3 app/main.py`.

Set your image folders

Open Settings to set a master image folder or per-catalog folders.

Use standard IDs

Filenames should include IDs like `M31`, `NGC7000`, or `IC5070` for matching.

FAQ

Answers to the most common questions.

  • Where is metadata stored? In JSON files under `data/`.
  • Where are my notes saved? In the same metadata JSON under the `notes` field.
  • How are “best visibility” months calculated? The “best visibility” months are computed from RA/Dec + your latitude/longitude using a sidereal-time approximation. It’s a solid planning heuristic (altitude at midnight on the 15th of each month) and will drive the “Suggested” filter accurately.
  • How do I reset settings? Delete `~/Library/Application Support/AstroCatalogueViewer/config.json`.