On Fri, 14 Jan 2011 06:58:09 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

So, I suggest a cell phone or chart plotter app that displays what one
should see when looking in a particular direction. At night, it would
show lights in their correct positions when the display is held up in
that direction. Such info is already on the charts. Putting in
background shore lights might be problematic but in simplest form it
could be left out.

Lights on shore are very problematic. They aren't usually charted and
are frequently brighter than the aids to navigation that you are
looking for. I have a very clear memory of going into a strange
harbor one night and frantically tring to identify a green light that
was plainly visible in the general direction of the channel. After
about a minute of trying to find it on the chart, the light suddenly
turned orange for a few seconds, and then turned to red.

Oooops.