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[UX Issue]* Why Are Stars Fainter Than 13.0mag Missing in SkySafari 6 Pro On Android? (Answer: Fix Coming In Next Update)

1)
In SkySafari 6 pro, stars fainter than 13.0mag are no longer included, except variable stars, which go down past 15mag. On June 16, everything was ok, so it happened at sometime between now and then. I'm not sure if I had the latest version of SS6 on June 16. The Screenshots show M37, the faintest non variable star is at 12.3m, although stars down to 15m should be visible at that zoom.
2.)
After de- and reinstallation, the stars are still missing. Moreover, all my observations are gone, although they are visible on LiveSky. This happens every time I deinstall SS6.

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31 comments

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    Keiron Smith Official comment

    DevOps reference: https://starrynight.unfuddle.com/a#/projects/7965/tickets/by_number/902

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    Chris

    You might include your version of Android and SS6. I turned off my GAIA database and I'm seeing far too few stars as well. I'm seeing one star that's mag 15 in your image that you don't have selected. See the image attached. So not sure what's going on here. When I opened M37 in SS Pro on an iPad, a LOT more stars are shown, even without the extra database. I'm using 6.8.5.0 on Android 11 and 6.8.5.2 on my iPad with iOS 14.6.

     

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    Christoph Greschitz

    Yes, I have that star too, but it's a variable star. I found a 16mag star in M42 as well, so apparently "special" stars are not affected while "normal" stars are.
    Version of SS6 is 6.8.4.1 on Android 9.

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    Christoph Greschitz

    That 13mag limit might have been too optimistic, a 12.1 GAIA G mag Star right next to PGC2218541 is missing as well.

     

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    Chris

    Keiron Smith Ros Hartigan

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    Ros Hartigan

    Thanks for the heads up.  We will investigate.

     

     

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    Don Gazdik

    Seeing the same issue

    I'm missing the GAIA stars that are brighter than 15th magnitude.(all the GAIA stars that are not part of the add-on set)

    Android 11
    Sky Safari 6.8.4.1

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    Keiron Smith

    Hi All, 

    Can you confirm that this issue is related to the GAIA IAP?  Has your GAIA IAP been cancelled and refunded by Google Play?

    Thanks!

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    Christoph Greschitz

    I never bought or tried to buy the GAIA extension database.

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    Chris

    I think this is actually more of a problem when GAIA is turned off. Appears to be android only. Can you replicate?

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    Don Gazdik

    Hi Keiron

    I don't think it's related as I bought the GAIA IAP after I saw this issue thinking all the GAIA stars had been moved to the IAP.

    I see this on two different Android devices, one a Pixel 4 a on Android 11 running SSP 6.8.4.1, another on an Asus Zenfone 5v on Android 8 running SSP 6.8.4.1 where I have not installed the GAIA IAP.

    I think I can also narrow down the time frame as to some time after July 2nd but before the 7th as  I think I would have noticed the problem when I was observing carbon stars on the 2nd and saw the problem the night of the 7th

    Thanks!

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    Santiago Barroso

    I was also missing magnitude 12.x stars on June 12 near whale galaxy. Days later I installed Gaia and still missing. I did a check in the area of 12Com and HD107793 with my scope and diferent softwares. (Now the Gaia purchase is canceled till the bug is solved)

    Curiously, Stellarium desktop free app also miss those stars, but not Cartes du Ciel with Gaia DR2. Alas, I prefer SS6pro for field (and general) use.

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    Keiron Smith
    In recent months the SkySafari 6 code base has been refactored in order to optimize the app for installation, and other efficiencies related to present and future Android OS updates.  A part of that refactoring has included changing the process used to deliver data.  Obviously, something in the latest SS6 Android update has created the current issues everyone is experiencing, and we apologize for that.  We will have it resolved with a fix released as soon as possible.
     
    Thank you for your patience at this time.
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    Chris

    Keiron Smith Should this have been fixed in the 7/15 update? I'm still not seeing any stars below mag 12.x basically anywhere with GAIA catalog turned off.  I'm using Android 11 with SS6 Pro 6.8.6.0

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    Keiron Smith

    Chris, not yet.  It should be available via public beta any day now.

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    Keiron Smith

    Don, 

    Please install the latest version.  

    Thanks!

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    Chris

    I don't think this is fixed. Here are images using SS6 Pro, first image Android 11, SS 6.8.6.1, second image, same object and field of view ring on an iPad with 14.6 and SS 6.8.5.2. Both have GAIA extension for stars turned off and same settings for stars down to mag 16.1.

     

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    Santiago Barroso

    Android, today's update SS6pro 6.8.6.1, with Gaia extension. 

    What I notice taking a random area close to the milky way (but not in) is that the numer of stars between 12.x and 15 seem statistically low. Just increasing the magnitude by 0.1 steps shows that the number of new stars after each click (or slide movement)  is smaller within that range than outside it. In my iPad that is not happening, it works well.

    Also, my iPad SS6PRO 6.8.5.2 shows stars near HD 107793 (in Mel 111) around mag 12.x that are totally absent in Android.

    Another Android issue: selection of "magnitude limit" in SETTINGS (stars and DS) is very limited. The drop off menu in the chart allows full range (depending on extension) . Changing it there will define the upper limit in "settings".  This is not connected (AFAIK) to the "never show fainter than".

     

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    Don Gazdik

    I updated both of my devices, but the app now appears to be crashing on both of them.  I was briefly able to use it on the Pixel 4a, but from what I tried, the issue did not appear to be fixed.  I have tried rebooting and clearing cache on the app, hesitant to reinstall as it's a large download that has given me issues before on my "less than optimal" home internet connection.

    Edit: I ended up reinstalling on both devices.  The app works again but the faint stars issue still exists.  The newer install mechanism worked well even on my suboptimal internet connection.

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    Chris

    Seeing no responses from SimCur, I wanted to make sure they are seeing this and can reproduce. Keiron Smith Ros Hartigan

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    Keiron Smith

    Chris, 

    Yes, working on it as we type.

    Thanks for your patience.

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    A S

    Hi Keiron, ist there a way tp participate "It should be available via public beta ...."?
    Regards Achim

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    Santiago Barroso

    In Google Play, SS6Pro page, you will find the link to get Beta versions automatically. It's just one click.

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    A S

    Hello, I also made a comparision Android (no stars 13..15m) vs pPhone version

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    Keiron Smith

    Thank you, Achim!  

    We are working on this.

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    John E.

    SS6+ ver. 6.8.6.3 running on LG K92 5G phone Android 10.

    FYI:
    Just downloaded the new version 6.8.6.3, No change as far as the dimmer then magnitude 13 stars, which are still missing.

    *** Please disregard this post, I now realize that since I'm using SkySafari Plus I do not have access to GAIA. This would explain why I'm not seeing those 13 magnitude stars and fainter. ***

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    A S

    YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHHH the GAIA-Stars 13..15m are back in 6.8.6.3 :-) :-)

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    A S

    works on Android 7 and 11

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    Christoph Greschitz

    Same here, thanks @Keiron and simCur

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    Don Gazdik

    Confirming this is fixed for SS6 Pro on Android 11.

    Just in time for new moon weekend :) Thanks!

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