Remote observatories lose internet; vacations happen. Offline Mode lets the rig keep imaging autonomously from its local cache – and keeps the books straight while disconnected.
The Target Cache #
Every successful cloud fetch is cached on the NINA machine. When the cloud is unreachable – or Offline Mode is switched on deliberately – the plugin schedules from the cache instead, with a banner showing the cache’s age. Even the Options target browser works offline.
Progress Counting Offline #
With Offline Mode on, each captured light is counted against the local cache – so the next night’s schedule sees the reduced remaining work and multi-night accuracy is preserved without the cloud. When connectivity returns, normal cloud sync resumes.
When to Use It #
- Deliberately – flying somewhere while the observatory runs? Prime the cache (one online schedule build), enable Offline Mode, and the rig is self-sufficient.
- Automatically – even without the toggle, a failed cloud fetch falls back to the cache on its own; the toggle just removes the online attempt entirely.
Tip: Make any last project changes in the desktop app BEFORE going offline – the cache snapshot is what the rig will follow until it reconnects.