AcquireStar Tab
The AcquireStar Tab shows the exposure and desired magnitude range that will used for selecting a star from the stars catalog.
The bottom portion of the window is used up the process that AcquirStar will use in selecting and slewing the telescope to the stars found in the star catalog.
|
Target star selection from the star catalog are specified for each filter.
Brightest magnitude to be selected from the catalog
Dimmest magnitude to be selected from the catalog
Exposure to be used to plate solve current telescope position
Click in the cell to change a value and press Return or leave the cell to save the changes.
The minimum telescope slew altitude allowed.
The minimum number of stars will be selected from the star catalog that meet the user defined parameters, default = 3.
A simulated starfield can be generated for testing and learning the many FocusMax features
PinPoint or PinPoint/AllSkymust be selected as the plate solve method (requires PinPoint Full not LE)
Simulator system must be selected on the main FocusMax System window
Camera must be selected and connected
Telescope must be connected and tracking - telescope may be a real or setup as Simulator
|
Enable to set the telescope to perform a return slew after acquiring the target star and performing the autofocus routine.
Enable to allow the telescope to perform all slews blind without using astrometric plate solving to determine telescope position.
Disable this option if your telescope ia able to slew and bring the target star close to the center of the CCD image.
AcquireStar will begin the target star selection process at the zenith and expand in 2x2 degree increments until a suitable stars are found.
AcquireStar will allow target star from being selected on the other side of the meridian. Enable this feature if you are using a mount that does not flip, such as an equatorial fork mount.
Allow the telescope to sync to current position following a successful astrometric plate solution of the current telescope position.
Allow PinPoint to search adjacent catalog positions in an attempt to plate solve the current telescope position.
The maximum telescope position error (arc-minutes) following a telescope slew that that the user will accept before AcquireStar will attempt to fine tune the telescope position by taking another image and plate solving, default = 1 arc-min.
Example:
Setting Max Error = 0.0833 arc-min (5 arc-sec)
With the authors 16 f/4.5, 70” FL telescope (1.05 “/pixel), Paramount ME and a fresh TPoint model, the final return slew position is within a few arc-seconds after one, sometimes two 2 pointing updates
The number of plate solve attempts to achieve required telescope pointing, default = 3
PinPoint to plate solve the telescope pointing
PinPoint/AllSky requires an internet connection to send information to Astrometry.net plate solving service.
TheSKyX Image Link to plate solve the telescope pointing. The user may enable utilize All Sky Image Link in TheSkyX if the appropriate catalogs have been installed
Do not select a target star magnitude that will saturate the camera sensor for any given filter.
The user can specify the number of stars (default = 3) to select from the star catalog before the telescope slew is initiated. If the autofocus run fails, then the second star in the list is used, followed by the 3rd, etc..
