Setup
The Setup 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.
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It is important to verify that you have the latest TheSkyX Image Link file is installed on your computer.
Open TheSkyX / Menu / Tools / Image Link
Click on All Sky tab to verify that you have the latest file installed (as shown below). If it is not up to date, then press the link to sign in to the Software Bisque site and download 1.7 gigabyte file.
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Once installed you have the option to use 'Image Link All Sky for scripted operations Image Link' - see above screen shot
Enable 'Use Set the Image scale for your system or enable 'Blind' or 'Search a range of image scales'
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.
This setting will set the number of degrees that is used to start the search of a suitable target star from the star catalog.
If the initial search does not identify the required number of stars, then the filed is incremented 2 degrees and the search will continue.
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.
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
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
