SharpCap Plate Solving and Planetarium Software
Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 10:40 pm
Last night I was reading the SharpCap documentation with the express purpose of learning more about the integrated plate solving via AstroTortilla/ASPS. Unfortunately I do not have a Go-To Mount but I do have quality Setting Circles. With a bit of luck I can get my target within the FOV of my ASI120, it all depends on how meticulously I calibrate the Setting Circles and then slew to the exact hour-angle and declination of the target with the help of some software that I wrote. I am pleased when I am in the frame but other times I am significantly out-of-frame. Either way I still depend on plate solving (via nova.astrometry.net) to get the DSO centered since the DSO is almost always invisible with short exposures.
So what I am getting at is this: if I were to install planetarium software like C2A or KStars on my Windows laptop, can I get SharpCap to send a message to the planetarium software to draw a box at the coordinates where the plate-solver says the scope is pointed? From there I can make adjustments to the slow motion controls, and then press the button in SharpCap to do another plate solve. This would be enormously helpful to me.
Thank you!
So what I am getting at is this: if I were to install planetarium software like C2A or KStars on my Windows laptop, can I get SharpCap to send a message to the planetarium software to draw a box at the coordinates where the plate-solver says the scope is pointed? From there I can make adjustments to the slow motion controls, and then press the button in SharpCap to do another plate solve. This would be enormously helpful to me.
Thank you!