Telescope/Camera - Control Software Module




   This software module handles the integrated control for the telescope and camera. Integration is done both in between various instruments (telescope, camera, focuser, sensors, etc) also with core engine of UniMap software for plate-solving, image tagging as well as making use of the whole range of the program databases (catalogs, surveys, instruments definition). This module yet needs intensive testing with as many as possible types of instruments.



Main features developed or under development are:
  • Record a sequence of images or a video feed
  • It can work with multiple digital/video cameras at the same time.
  • Automated star finding/detection(plate solving) on still images
  • Control your telescope position(or center) with a simple click in the image
  • Slew to any object from the internal database with stars or deep sky objects common names, any of mostly used catalos(SAO, NGC, IC) or any of the over 34 star catalogs and suverys
  • Monitor at all times, image quality, environmental conditions changes or how shar your focus is.
  • Object tracking - using either real-time video feed or sequential digital camera snapshots
  • Guide your telescope from either a video feed or based on still digital images
  • Interactive alignment methods
  • Auto-adjust your focus at best

Supported hardware:
  • Telescopes: Any Ascom compliant. Alternatively, the full specification for Meade and Celestron telescopes/mounts has been implemented. Tested so far only with Meade Lx90/200
  • Cameras: Most video and digital cameras should be supported to some degree of control but only Canon EOS has been fully implemented as per factory specification.

Cross-Platform Notes: At the moment most of the functionality here won't work on other platforms then Windows. For Linux/Mac OSX only telescope control for Meade and Celestron will work, also only JMI focuser and only few standard video/web cameras might work. Hopefully in a near future I will get the time to make a proper port.

Instruments Screen - current version - tracking a laser pointer on the wall with webcam

Integrated telescope and camera control - Instruments Screen



Instruments Screen & icons - previous version - tracking a star with a digital camera

Integrated telescope and camera control - Instruments Screen with thumbnails guiding with digital image

Instruments Screen & thumbnails

Integrated telescope and camera control - Instruments Screen with thumbnails

Telescope and configuration screens



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