fzastro is an integrated astrophotography system that combines object catalogs, atmospheric analysis, target selection, and imaging geometry into a single operational environment. It enables object search, evaluates sky conditions with full parameter breakdown, ranks targets based on visibility and constraints, and computes exact framing using real equipment configurations. Each observation is stored as a structured record, linking acquisition parameters, environmental conditions, annotated fields, and final results. The platform connects planning, execution, and documentation into one consistent system, allowing observations to be tracked, analyzed, and compared with full context.

I built this tool to remove the friction from astrophotography planning and turn it into a single, coherent process.

Instead of jumping between catalogs, weather services, sky charts, and manual calculations, everything is unified into one system where objects,

conditions, and imaging geometry are evaluated together—consistently and in real time.

At its core, the system respects the cosmic distance ladder—the fundamental framework used in astronomy to determine distances across the universe.

There is also an API end point if you want.

• Target info (replace pgc3096119 with your object M3, M51 etc.)
  https://astro.fzastro.com/api/lookup?q=pgc3096119
• Weather info (enter your lat and lon.)
  https://astro.fzastro.com/api/see?lat=50.2459&lon=8.4923
• Target List (Best targets for today)
  https://astro.fzastro.com/api/targets
  
  

Universal Object Lookup

• Messier, NGC, IC, Caldwell, Sharpless, clusters, stars, galaxies, planets, moons, comets, and spacecraft — all searchable from a single box.
• Names and magnitudes — distances, velocities, fluxes, orbital parameters, closest approaches, ephemerides.
• One image per target for quick visual context.
• Camera framing with your setup — sensor, rotation, and focal length — computes FOV and fit for each target.

Weather Intelligence

• 14-day, hour-by-hour forecast restricted to true astronomical darkness.
• Conditions graded into a 0–100 Imaging Score — clouds, moonlight, humidity, wind, and pressure condensed into a single metric.
• Powered by Astronomical Timing for your exact position (set manually or by map), ensuring forecasts align with your true night sky.

Target Finder

• Tonight’s best deep-sky objects ranked by visibility, altitude, airmass, and angular size.
• Grades calculated using the same Astronomical Timing as the forecasts — factoring in sky darkness, moonlight, and observing windows at your chosen location.

Solar System Map

• Live, high-precision visualization of the Solar System using NASA JPL ephemerides.
• Shows real-time planetary positions and accurate elliptical orbits.
• All distances are computed relative to Earth for true observational context.
• Interactive view — zoom and pan to explore the current configuration.