Why do I have low-resolution clouds?

EarthDesk's cloud service has changed. Low-resolution clouds, updated every six hours, are now the default.

To enjoy high-resolution clouds, updated every three hours, you will need to purchase a cloud access key.

NOTE: The Windows version is currently being updated to support high-resolution cloud access. You will be notified by e-mail when this service is available, unless you have requested otherwise.

How often do the clouds update?

If you purchase a high-resolution cloud key, you will receive a new image every three hours.

If you are using the free low-resolution clouds, you will receive a new image every six hours.

Why aren't the clouds showing up?

If you are using v3, make sure you have at least v3.7. If you are using v4, make sure you have at least v4.6. Earlier versions will no longer download clouds, as there have been changes to the cloud server system.

Make sure you are connected to the internet. Check that the Cloud Opacity slider in the Display Tab is set well above 0% and that the clouds are turned on in the General Tab of the System Preferences Pane.

It is possible that EarthDesk is unable to reach www.xericdesign.com to download the list of cloud servers, or that the satellite station that produces the images is down. Please try again later.

As a last resort, please quit EarthDesk, then delete the "com.xericdesign.earthdesk.cloudservers.plist" file in ~/Library/Application Support/EarthDesk/Servers and relaunch EarthDesk.

Why do the clouds look strange?

Sometimes there can be an error in transmission of cloud data from the satellite to the receiving station on Earth. You can try forcing a cloud update by clicking the "Force Cloud Update" button in the Advanced Tab. The software will try an alternate cloud server, but it will likely be the same. The problem will almost always clear up on the next pass of the satellite.

Why is EarthDesk contacting other sites?

To download cloud images. More details of the cloud service can be found here.

Why is EarthDesk contacting xericdesign.com?

EarthDesk needs to download a list of servers that host the cloud images. The list is not distributed with EarthDesk because it stays more current if it is simply updated on our site.

If you have a cloud license, EarthDesk will contact our server to obtain a token, which allows it to download a high-res cloud image.

EarthDesk is working, but it's showing daylight in the wrong place. Why?

The most likely problem is that the Home Location is not set correctly. Open the EarthDesk Preferences window and click on the "Atlas and Home Location" tab. In the city list on the left side, find the city you are in and drag it to the Home Location box at the top. Note that you must click and drag on the actual text and not in the blank space between the city and country names.

Why is EarthDesk showing two different colors of night?

What you are seeing is the area where there is moonlight and the area where the moon is not visible. The intensity of the moonlight will change with the phase of the moon and is most prominent in highly reflective areas, such as the sands of North Africa.