advance selected object to next az/alt crossing

[axd1967]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I'd like to know when a selected object crosses a meridian/azimuth OR altitude so that I can plan a photo session on that direction or altitude.

Describe the solution you'd like
Similar to the Solar altitude for twilight finder, provide a feature that allows me to jump to a preset az OR alt

Describe alternatives you've considered
Manually advance time via the Archaeolines plugin (which provides me a first idea of where an object will cross an az/alt).

Additional context

[github-actions]

This is a good task for the community to participate in the contribution into Stellarium. Who wants to help us?

[github-actions]

Hello @axd1967!

Thank you for suggesting this feature.

[alex-w]

Why don't use shortcuts for Specific Time section?

[axd1967]

because

1. there is no option "selected object at current azimuth at (next/previous) time". (not: at next/previous twilight/evening/morning) ; better is an option to advance time to object's next crossing of display's centerline (which is visualised by the altitude line)
2. there is no option to advance time to "selected object at current altitude at (next/previous) time"

[alex-w]

So, you didn't check the feature...

[gzotti]

(1) is related to the qibla problem ("When does the sun point towards Mecca"). I have solved it on some other tools, but so far I don't know any other use to justify its implementation in Stellarium. It may go into ArchaeoLines, though.
(2) waits for you to set your favourite hotkey. We don't want to preconfigure 30 buttons or hotkeys for most users who never would press them.

[axd1967]

I need it to know when sun, moon, planet,or star is at a specific altitude above some other feature, such as a tower.

can we please stop the bickering? several of the issues that have been rejected initially, finally ended up being implemented.

I cannot put developer effort in a team that is constantly attacking me and constantly closing valuable inputs, sorry.

[axd1967]

Note also that the twilight finder does not allow positive altitudes, which is questionable. please don't explain to me that there is no twilight when the Sun is above the horizon.

again, there is NO REASON (especially no mathematical one) to limit this value to negative values. it is up to the user to decide if a positive twilight finder makes sense.

this has been discussed several times for other features: think twice before imposing useless limits; don't restrict users that want to explore unusual values, as long as there is no mathematical limit.

[axd1967]

So, you didn't check the feature...

@alex-w I can use "at altitude" but I want "at azimuth" instead (which is not "at transit")

in other words: what is the time when a given object crosses a given azimuth?

[10110111]

twice before imposing useless limits; don't restrict users that want to explore unusual values, as long as there is no mathematical limit

There is a semantic limit. And I expect that if we let this control attain positive values, at some point we'll get an issue that "next twilight goes to a day time" due to the the user having made a mistake in sign long ago and now wondering what's going on.

[gzotti]

I cannot put developer effort in a team that is constantly attacking me and constantly closing valuable inputs, sorry.

Sorry for bickering from my side now. We almost never see developer effort from your side. You issue your wishes, and we like them or, unfortunately more often, we don't. I said I might implement (1) into ArchaeoLines, so I did not close this issue. And no, it never occurred to any developer that twilight is when the sun is above the horizon, which is why there are limits governed by astronomical definitions. The usual application for this function is nightfall (or daybreak), but users may have preferences on what they want to see -- Mercury or some comet.

And as mentioned before, there is a profuse collection of tools available, waiting for you to set your hotkeys.

Yes, I am also just seeing something does not fully work as intended. Let's put our precious time into such issues.