New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

All the latest news about new features and improvements to SharpCap
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:52 pm
Location: Vale of the White Horse, UK
Contact:

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#21

Post by admin »

Hi folks,

A significant update to Deep Sky Image Annotation in this week's version of SharpCap - in addition to showing the deep sky objects on the camera image, there is now a results window that gives you a list of the objects (both in view and nearby) and the ability to both customize and use the results.
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (135.17 KiB) Viewed 5349 times
Starting with the basics, you get a list of the deep sky objects that are in the camera's field of view (note that this means that the center of the object is in the field of view for extended objects). The list shows the ID, Names, type and magnitude of the objects, but you can click on any object in the list to select it and see more details.

Once you select an object, it will highlight in yellow instead of red on the image overlay (and will appear if it was being hidden by neighbouring objects). The details panel shows you

* ID and Names : click on any of the links here to set the 'Target Name' in the toolbar, which will then be used in file names when capturing.
* RA and Dec co-ordinates of the object
* Magnitude, if one is listed in the catalog
* Type
* Radius (in arc minutes - I will make the UI show that for the next update)
* Position - relative to the camera image, including X and Y pixel co-ordinates of the center of the object
* The offset in co-ordinates required to center the target. This should be helpful for non-goto mounts.

Finally, if you have a goto mount connected, there is a 'Center in View' button which will move the mount to put the selected target in the middle of the camera view.

Note that the 'Center in View' button and the 'To Center' co-ordinate offset figures both require a SharpCap Pro license.

Next, there is also a list of the deep sky objects that are 'nearby'...
Capture2.JPG
Capture2.JPG (53.55 KiB) Viewed 5349 times
Nearby means within one field of view of the camera in any direction - imagine a rectangle divided into a three by three grid - the center box of nine is the current view of the camera and objects in that area are 'In View'. Objects in any of the other 8 boxes are 'Nearby'.

In this view, you will see that there are no blue links to click to set the target name (since that only applies to things that are in view of the camera). Also, the 'Position' is reported in a different way - telling you how far out of view and in what direction the object is, relative to the current view.

You can still use the 'To Center' values or the 'Center in View' button to bring the object into view.

There are also now some settings to control the annotation:
Capture3.JPG
Capture3.JPG (45 KiB) Viewed 5349 times
The settings allow the font size to be changed and the types of objects being shown (and which catalogs are being used) to be customized. Note that the settings are not remembered yet if you close and re-open SharpCap.

Finally, note that there are some new buttons at the bottom of this area:

* Plate Solve Nearby : This will run a quick plate solve looking within 15 degrees distance of the current position. Available either with a GOTO mount connected or without a GOTO mount after an initial full sky plate solve has determined the current position.

* Plate Solve Whole Sky : This runs a slower plate solving process, looking for the correct position in the whole sky. Not available when a GOTO mount is in use (as the mount co-ordinates should be within 15 degrees in the first place, so this should not be needed). Use this for the first plate solve without a GOTO mount and also if you move a long way from the previous solve location.

* Save Image with Annotations : Saves the image as seen on the screen (including display stretch, etc) with the annotations drawn over the image. Note that the fonts may appear smaller in the saved image, depending on the size of the image and the zoom level set within SharpCap.

Phew! lots to try out - feedback welcome :)

cheers,

Robin
GaryS
Posts: 175
Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:18 pm
Location: Boston, USA/Jackson Hole, USA

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#22

Post by GaryS »

Awesome Robin……thank you!
User avatar
vichman
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:05 am

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#23

Post by vichman »

Hi Robin,
absolutely great!

@Christian: About OccultWatcher or a plug-in for it to create a CSV file.
Are you in contact with Hristo, or shall I drop him an email?

CS
Stefan
procyon12
Posts: 253
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 11:32 am

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#24

Post by procyon12 »

Hi,

Firstly, many thanks, Robin, very great work again :!:

I could make only some simulations and found that it works very well and all wishes are fulfilled. I attach a picture with my user star (see #13).
There was only one issue: an exception with "Save Image With Annotations". It occurs under W7 and W10, I attach the W10 log.

Regarding the user catalog, Robin, you wrote in #11:
I have code that can read co-ordinates in HH MM SS/dd mm ss forma, so decimal co-ordinates are not requried
Can you say something about this?

@Stefan: If the csv requirements are finally clear I'll contact Hristo.

Cheers, Christian
Attachments
ArgumentException at System.Drawing.Bitmap(string filename)_#40338.error.zip
(24.75 KiB) Downloaded 113 times
Clipboard02a.jpg
Clipboard02a.jpg (180.44 KiB) Viewed 5336 times
Cey42
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2020 3:47 am

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#25

Post by Cey42 »

Wow, this is just the feature I wanted. Thank you! I was going to add some feature requests but you did most of them with the latest update today.

My feature request: In the Settings pane, can you add the ability to decide which info is shown in the annotation? So checkboxes for Name,Type and Magnitude. Most of the time all I want to see is the ID. This would help declutter the image when there are lots of objects in it.

Thanks and keep up the great work!
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:52 pm
Location: Vale of the White Horse, UK
Contact:

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#26

Post by admin »

@Cey42

nice idea - I will make a note of that.

@Christian

I have code that will read co-ordinates in the following formats

05 35 17.3 -05 23 28
05 32 49.8 -05 25 21
RA 5h 35m 17s | Dec -5° 23′ 28″
5h 35m 17s -5° 23′ 28″
5h35m17.39s/Dec-5°23'28.24"
RA= 5h 35.4m, Dec= -05° 27´
RA: 05h 35m 24.0s Dec: -05°27'00"
5h RA, -5° DEC
RA 05h 35.4m |Dec. -05° 27″
RA 05h 35.4m, dec. –05º 27’
{RA=05:35:16,Dec=-05:23:28}
5.58805 -5.391
(05:35:20.556, -05:18:32.593)
(83.84, -5.309)

(basically I went online and found every different format I could for the RA/Dec of M42 and made sure the code could cope with them all).

I am happy to do code to read one custom CSV format to help fit in with the existing software ecosystem around this feature, and I'm open to suggestions about what the details of that format should be.

cheers,

Robin
procyon12
Posts: 253
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 11:32 am

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#27

Post by procyon12 »

Hi,

Thank you, Robin.

Did you notice the issue I described in #24 regarding "Save Image With Annotations"?

To understand the new annotation capabilities better I made some further tests. The image Clipboard01.jpg shows a real occultation QHY174GPS image as seen in SC, but here loaded into one of SC's simulation cameras.
Clipboard01.jpg
Clipboard01.jpg (266.4 KiB) Viewed 5286 times

Before starting SC, the user catalog must be fed with the coordinates of the star that is to be covered by the asteroid.
Clipboard02.png
Clipboard02.png (22.73 KiB) Viewed 5286 times

After some investigation I found that our community tool "OccultWatcher" can provide RA/DEC to the clipboard (with one mouse click only); the example here has no relation to the above:
Clipboard11.png
Clipboard11.png (16.05 KiB) Viewed 5286 times

The next step in real occultation life would be platesolve (I use ANSVR):
Clipboard03_2.jpg
Clipboard03_2.jpg (121.51 KiB) Viewed 5286 times

And then press SC's button "Deep Sky Image Annotation" and the target star is nicely annotated:
Clipboard04.jpg
Clipboard04.jpg (263.81 KiB) Viewed 5286 times

So I think there is no need for an extra OccultWatcher add-on. SC should read the coordinates as shown in Clipboard11.png, (this is currently not yet the case and requires converting).

Cheers, Christian
roelb
Posts: 214
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:36 pm

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#28

Post by roelb »

No Object list displayed in the new interface.
Windows 11
Roel
Celestron Nexstar Evolution 8 - Celestron Nexstar 6 SE - StarSense
ZWO ASI533MC-Pro -- ZWO ASI533MM-Pro
roelb
Posts: 214
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 11:36 pm

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#29

Post by roelb »

When I select an object in the list, the objects annotations in the image are shifting up/right.
Windows 11.
Roel
Celestron Nexstar Evolution 8 - Celestron Nexstar 6 SE - StarSense
ZWO ASI533MC-Pro -- ZWO ASI533MM-Pro
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:52 pm
Location: Vale of the White Horse, UK
Contact:

Re: New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

#30

Post by admin »

Hi,

@Christian,

I am not seeing an error when saving with annotations (also not seeing any uploaded error reports that tie in with this) - can you send me a log please or the error report zip file for me to check.

An 'add target from clipboard' button will be what is needed for OccultWatcher integration then I think. I will try to make it relatively smart so it can accept current CSV format, name + co-ords, etc.

@roelb

What setup are you using? The annotations can move if your mount is connected in SharpCap but not tracking (even if you are using a simulated mount for testing).

cheers,

Robin
Post Reply