5 Star Pattern

MaxIm can be setup to generate a simulator 5 artificial star pattern which can be used to learn basic FocusMax functions

1.Open "Simulator 1" or "Simulator 2"  system file on the main FocusMax System window by pressing the small square button next to the System field

2.Open FocusMax Preferences (Menu / Open / Preferences)

Select MaxIm DL under Camera control

Set camera Number assignment, generally, Camera #1 is the main imaging camera and camera #2 is the second (guiding) camera

Select Simulator Focuser's for both Systems

Press colored Connect buttons to connect to the camera(s) and focuser(s). A blue line will appear if the hardware is connection was successfully established.

There is no need to set the telescope simulator with this option.

3.Configure MaxIm camera simulator

In MaxIm, set the Camera model = Simulator

Noise = On

Guide errors = Both

FWHM = 5

Press advanced button

Set the array size 768 x 511

Normalize ADU units to 0.1 sec (guider also)

Pixel Width 10 & Height 10

Uncheck Color and Full frame operation

Connect to the camera

4.Running FocusMax in Simulator Mode

FocusMax should find the brightest star in the 5 'star' image when the Find button is pressed

Run the FirstLight Wizard to generate a set of Vcurves

Press the Focus button focus the system using simulator camera and focuser

Press Select button to use the cursor to select a star to use for autofocus