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first batch of changes! 0.2beta

25/7/2025

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1. Aurora Forecast Dashboard

Personalized Forecast Score: The main "Spot The Aurora Forecast" score is now adjusted based on your device's geographical latitude, providing a more accurate prediction for your specific location within New Zealand. A small text blurb indicates this adjustment.
New Aurora Activity Alert Message: A prominent banner message now appears when it's near sunset and aurora activity is high, prompting you to look for a display. This alert intelligently considers moon illumination.
Expanded Live Cameras: You can now select and view live camera feeds from various locations across New Zealand, in addition to Queenstown. Each view clearly displays its source.
Enhanced Camera Settings Guidance: The "Suggested Camera Settings" section now offers more detailed and platform-specific advice for photographing the aurora with both Android and Apple phones, as well as DSLR/Mirrorless cameras.
Improved Moon/Sun Event Display: Moon and Sun rise/set times on the forecast trend chart are now more accurately calculated and displayed, showing the next upcoming event.
Toggleable Celestial Annotations: The "Spot The Aurora Forecast Trend" chart now includes optional annotations for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset times, which can be toggled on/off.
Interplanetary Shock Events Moved: Information on "Interplanetary Shock Events" (IPS), which can trigger intense auroras, has been moved from the "Solar Activity Dashboard" to a dedicated section on the "Aurora Forecast Dashboard."

2. Solar Activity Dashboard

New Activity Status Summary: A new "Current Status" overview section at the top provides a quick, consolidated status of solar activity (e.g., "Quiet," "Moderate," "High," "Very High").
Direct Solar Flare Notifications: You can now receive direct notifications for powerful solar flares (M5+ and X1+ class) and significant solar proton events (S1 and S3+ class).
Detailed "Last Updated" Timestamps: Each data section (X-ray Flux, Proton Flux, Solar Flares, Solar Imagery) now explicitly displays a "Last updated" timestamp, giving you clear information on data freshness.
Streamlined Solar Imagery Options: The selection of solar images has been refined, focusing on key SUVI images and essential SDO images for clearer data presentation.
Direct CME Visualization from Flares: From the "Solar Flares" list, you can now click a new "View in CME Visualization" button to automatically switch to the 3D model and view the associated Coronal Mass Ejection.
Improved CCOR1 Video Section: The CCOR1 coronagraph video now has a more specific header and a dedicated info button.

3. CME Visualization

Enhanced Orbit Visuals: Planetary and lunar orbits in the 3D visualization now appear as solid, thin "tubes" rather than simple lines, making them more distinct and visually appealing.
Simplified Interaction Mode: The "Select Mode" for clicking individual CME particles has been removed. The 3D view is now permanently in "Move Mode" (for camera control), ensuring consistent and intuitive navigation. You can still access CME details via the CME List Panel.
Improved Side Panel Positioning: The left (Controls) and right (CME List) side panels now correctly position themselves below the header bar on mobile and smaller screens.

4. App Settings

Easier Access to Help & Tutorial: A new "Help & Support" section provides quick access to restart the introductory tutorial or send an email for support.
App Version Display: The app's current version number is now prominently displayed in the footer of the Settings modal.
Notification Customization Update: The ability to customize specific notification categories (e.g., specific aurora scores, flare classes) has been temporarily removed from the settings. A "Custom Alerts Coming Soon!" message is displayed in its place, while core notifications (which are always on if permission is granted) remain active.

5. General User Experience & Visuals

Header Navigation Polish: Minor visual adjustments have been made to the header navigation buttons for improved aesthetics.
New Animated Icons: The main navigation icons for "Solar Activity," "CME Visualization," and "Aurora Forecast," as well as the solar flare alert icon, have received visual upgrades with subtle animations for a more dynamic and engaging look.
Improved Media Viewer: Videos in the media viewer now correctly support native playback controls (play/pause, scrubbing), while still allowing zoom and pan.
Tutorial Navigation: The introductory tutorial now allows you to navigate backward between steps.

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sPOT tHE aURORA cHANGE lOG

V0.3-beta - minor bug fixes

first batch of changes! 0.2beta

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