My view

Your window on the sky

A window or a balcony shows only a slice of the sky. Tap the sides you can see from home — or describe your window exactly — and StarsMenu will show what passes through it and when: on the Tonight page, the calendar and the sky map.

Step 1

What do you look through?

The simplest way: tap the sides of the horizon you can see from home. Two windows, south and west? Tap S and W.

Open the window if you can: glass blurs everything you look at with binoculars or a telescope.

A balcony usually has the slab of the balcony above it — that is what hides the high sky.

A yard, a roof or a field. Tell us how high trees and buildings rise around you.

Step 2

Which sides can you see?

Tap a side to switch it on or off. Each one covers 45° of the horizon, north at the top.

Lowest sky you can see: Trees and roofs across the street. An outstretched fist is about 10°. Highest sky you can see

Step 2

Which way does it face?

The direction you look when you stand facing straight out.

Check it with the Sun — the most reliable way

Pick a moment when the Sun was straight in front of you as you looked out — or simply now, if it is. We work out where the Sun was, and that is your direction.

Use the phone's compass

Hold the phone flat and point its top edge straight out. Phone compasses are often 5–15° off, especially near metal and concrete.

Step 3

Size and where you stand

Width of the opening mFrom side wall to side wall (or the neighbour's partition). Your eyes from the opening mCloser means wider. 0.3 m is face at the frame. Top edge above your eyes m Nothing above (top floor, open roof) Window sill below your eyes mOnly matters if you sit low and the sill is above your eyes (enter a negative number). Balcony sides Horizon: trees and roofs around you reach Floor (0 = ground)

Not standing in the middle?

Your eyes are to the right of the centre by mNegative means to the left (as you look out).

Step 4 · optional

What is in the way?

A building across the street hides the low sky. Give its height and its distance from your wall.

Trees in front

They reach up to ° above the horizon Evergreen (leaves all year)

Bare trees in winter hide less: we show what you see “through branches”. An outstretched fist is about 10° high.