Astronomy Companion App

An advanced astronomy companion app empowering telescope enthusiasts with comprehensive sky observation and exploration tools.

Features

🔭 Telescope & Observation Tools

• Collimation Guide: Step-by-step visual guide for telescope collimation with the Apertura AD8 Dobsonian
• Telescope Tips: Comprehensive maintenance and usage tips for optimal telescope performance
• Observation Logging: Track and manage your celestial observations with notes and dates
• My Observations: Personal observation history with detailed records

🌌 Celestial Object Database

• Comprehensive Catalog: Extensive database of planets, galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, and more
• Multiple Image Sources: High-quality images from various astronomical sources
• Detailed Information: In-depth descriptions and viewing tips for each object
• Filtering & Search: Find objects by type, visibility month, and hemisphere

🚀 NASA Integration

• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD): Daily featured astronomical images and explanations
• Real-time Data: Fresh content updated daily from NASA's official API
• Cached Performance: Smart caching system for optimal loading times

📚 Learning Resources

• Monthly Sky Guides: Detailed guides for what to observe each month
• Educational Content: Learn about different types of celestial objects
• YouTube Integration: Embedded educational videos and tutorials

Technology Stack

Frontend

• React 18 with TypeScript
• Vite for fast development and building
• Tailwind CSS for responsive styling
• Shadcn/ui component library
• Wouter for client-side routing
• TanStack Query for data fetching and caching
• React Hook Form with Zod validation

Backend

• Node.js with Express
• TypeScript for type safety
• PostgreSQL database with Drizzle ORM
• NASA API integration
• Python scripts for advanced data processing

Key Libraries

• Drizzle ORM for database operations
• Zod for schema validation
• Lucide React for icons
• Date-fns for date handling
• Framer Motion for animations

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 20+
• PostgreSQL database
• Python 3.11+ (for NASA API scripts)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/astronomy-companion-app.git
cd astronomy-companion-app

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Set up environment variables:

cp .env .env
# Edit .env with your database connection string

4. Set up the database:

npm run db:push

5. Start the development server:

npm run dev

The app will be available at http://localhost:5000

Deployment

This project is deployed on Vercel with serverless functions.

See DEPLOYMENT.md for complete deployment instructions.

Environment Variables Required for Production

• DATABASE_URL - PostgreSQL connection string
• NODE_ENV - Set to "production"
• PORT - Automatically set by most platforms (defaults to 5000)

Database Schema

The app uses PostgreSQL with the following main tables:

• users - User accounts and authentication
• celestial_objects - Comprehensive celestial object catalog
• observations - User observation logs
• monthly_guides - Monthly sky observation guides
• telescope_tips - Maintenance and usage tips
• apod_cache - Cached NASA APOD data

API Endpoints

Celestial Objects

• GET /api/celestial-objects - Get all celestial objects
• GET /api/celestial-objects/:id - Get specific object
• POST /api/celestial-objects - Create new object
• GET /api/celestial-object-types - Get available object types

Observations

• GET /api/observations - Get user observations
• POST /api/observations - Create new observation
• PATCH /api/observations/:id - Update observation
• DELETE /api/observations/:id - Delete observation

NASA Integration

• GET /api/apod - Get Astronomy Picture of the Day
• GET /api/apod?date=YYYY-MM-DD - Get APOD for specific date

Guides & Tips

• GET /api/monthly-guide - Get current month's guide
• GET /api/telescope-tips - Get all telescope tips

Project Structure

astronomy-app/
├── client/                 # Frontend React application
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── components/     # Reusable UI components
│   │   ├── pages/          # Application pages
│   │   ├── lib/            # Utility functions
│   │   ├── hooks/          # Custom React hooks
│   │   └── types/          # TypeScript declarations
├── server/                 # Backend Express application
│   ├── services/           # Business logic and external APIs
│   ├── scripts/            # Database utilities
│   └── routes.ts           # API route definitions
├── shared/                 # Shared types and schemas
│   └── schema.ts           # Database schema definitions
└── package.json

Key Features Implementation

Image Handling

The app includes TypeScript declarations for image imports:

// client/src/types/images.d.ts
declare module "*.png" {
  const src: string;
  export default src;
}

Database Operations

All database operations go through a storage interface for consistency:

// server/storage.ts
export interface IStorage {
  getCelestialObject(id: number): Promise<CelestialObject | undefined>;
  createObservation(observation: InsertObservation): Promise<Observation>;
  // ... other methods
}

Type Safety

The entire application is built with TypeScript, sharing types between frontend and backend:

// shared/schema.ts
export type CelestialObject = typeof celestialObjects.$inferSelect;
export type InsertObservation = z.infer<typeof insertObservationSchema>;

Development

Available Scripts

• npm run dev - Start development server
• npm run build - Build for production
• npm run db:push - Push schema changes to database
• npm run db:studio - Open Drizzle Studio for database management

Environment Setup

The app is configured to run on Replit with automatic workflows and port management. For local development, ensure PostgreSQL is running and properly configured.

Contributing

This project follows modern React and Node.js best practices:

• TypeScript for type safety
• ESLint and Prettier for code quality
• Modular component architecture
• RESTful API design
• Responsive design principles

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.