Documentation

Welcome to Messier76! Here's how to get started: 1. Create an account and sign in to your dashboard. 2. Click "Add Field" to create your first field by drawing its boundary on the map. 3. Once created, Messier76 automatically fetches Sentinel-2 satellite data for your field. 4. View vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, SAVI, and more) to monitor crop health. 5. Set up alerts to get notified about changes in your field conditions.

Fields are the core of Messier76. Each field represents an agricultural area you want to monitor. To add a field, navigate to Fields > Add Field. Draw your field boundary on the map by clicking to place points. Close the polygon by clicking the first point. You can assign crop types, divide fields into zones, record soil tests, and track financial data for each field. Use the field detail page to view satellite data, weather forecasts, and recommendations.

Messier76 uses data from ESA's Sentinel-2 satellites, part of the EU Copernicus program. Sentinel-2 provides imagery at 10-meter resolution, updated approximately every 5 days. The data is free and open, ensuring reliable and continuous monitoring of your fields. Images are automatically filtered for cloud cover. You can view true-color satellite photos, NDVI heatmaps, and false-color composites directly on the field detail page.

Messier76 calculates 7 vegetation indices from Sentinel-2 data: - NDVI: Overall vegetation health (most commonly used) - EVI: Enhanced vegetation index, better for dense crops - SAVI: Soil-adjusted, good for sparse vegetation - GNDVI: Green NDVI, indicates chlorophyll concentration - NDWI: Water content detection - NDMI: Moisture stress monitoring - BSI: Bare soil index for exposed areas Values range from -1 to 1. Higher values generally indicate healthier vegetation. Use the Quick Reference guide on each field page for interpretation.

Messier76 monitors your fields and generates alerts for important changes: - Vegetation health warnings when NDVI drops significantly - Water stress alerts based on NDWI readings - Weather alerts for frost risk, extreme heat, and severe conditions - Disease risk notifications based on temperature and humidity Configure your notification preferences in Settings > Notifications. You can enable email alerts, NDVI change alerts, weather alerts, and weekly summary reports.

Use the Compare feature to analyze multiple fields side by side. Compare vegetation indices, area, crop types, and health status across all your fields. The Finance section lets you track income and expenses per field, with category breakdowns and profitability analysis. Use the Calendar to track crop growth stages and schedule field activities. The Tasks feature helps you manage spray, irrigation, scouting, and harvest activities.

API access is available on the Enterprise plan. The REST API allows you to integrate Messier76 data with your existing farm management systems. API documentation with endpoints, authentication, and code examples will be available soon. Contact our sales team for early access and custom integration support.