New Feature : Deep Sky Image Annotation

[Tfer]

Robin, thank you.

SharpCap is invaluable, and with this addition, it is the best EAA software on the market, bar none.

[Jean-Francois]

Hello,

I generate several object catalogs for the image annotation (Miles and Be stars).
Yesterday, I used VizieR database for generation of the HD star catalog for SharpCap annotation.
It works fine, the catalog has 272150 stars (~14 MB).

For the tests, I used the last version of ASCOM Sky Simulator (v2.0.0.beta15).
Here the result ... Simulated for a telescope with 430 mm focal and a "290" guiding camera.

Star_catalog_annotation.jpg (130.21 KiB) Viewed 5405 times

But ... we can see that the most of the HD stars are not centered in the annotations.
The plate solve is done with ASTAP (last version 2022.02.19 with the H18 catalog).
I guess that the simple reason is the epoch mismatch between the G17 star catalog of Sky_Simulator and my HD catalog.
I read that the G17 epoch is J2022. In VizieR, I have the HD stars in J2000 (or B1950).

So the question is ... does somebody know how to export in VizieR the coordinates in J2022 ?
If not in VizieR, maybe with a different software.

Regards,
Jean-Francois

[stbkaiser]

Hi
Due to a broken leg, I am completely off line. (for any live astronomy for a while, sigh)
I am using this time to read up and learn as much as possible on the features of Sharpcap and various image processing software.
I am trying to figure out if I can play with the Image Annotation function and other features with Stored images.
I have looked around but cannot find how to do this on stored images.
Is this possible and how would I do this.
Thanks

[Jean-Francois]

Hello,

SharpCap can read a directory with images.
But, it does not use the telescope coordinates from the image header.
For that, I guess you can used a planetarium program connected with the ASCOM Telescope Simulator (and SharpCap too).
With the planetarium program, you can do a GOTO to the object of the image.
Then you can perform a plate solve and activate the Image Annotation on this image.

Jean-Francois

[Menno555]

@stbkaiser
If yo have images stored as FITS, you can use the Folder Monitor Camera.
When you open that, on the right side panel under Camera Controls you can open a folder with stored images.
When opened, go in the upper bar to Tools and in there do a Plate Solve (solve only).
SharpCap is now waiting for a capture to plate solve. To do that, press the big Play button on the right side and SharpCap will start a plate solve en you can Stop the play.
Now SharpCap knows where/what that capture is and you now can do the Deep Sky Image Annotation.
Have fun and hope your leg heals well

Menno

[admin]

@Jean-Francois,

your co-ordinates in the catalog file should be J2000 - SharpCap works largely in J2000 internally, but converts to/from JNOW when needed for communication with a GOTO mount. Plate solving and catalogs are definitely all J2000.

cheers,

Robin

[Jean-Francois]

Hello,

I search on the ASTAP website and I found some answers ... and more questions.

ASTAP: http://www.hnsky.org/astap.htm uses new catalog H18 and H17. The G18 and G17 seems to be obsolete.
A planetarium software is from the same programmer ... http://www.hnsky.org/software.htm and here I can read that the G17 and G18 are without proper star motion and seems to be calculated for epoch 2022.
But I have no idea if the star positions (motion calculated for 2022) are convert back in J2000 epoch.
The ASCOM Sky Simulator program is from the same programmer and uses the "G" catalogs (I try a "H", but it was not working).

I need to wait for a clear sky for testing my HD catalog (generated by VizieR database).

Regards,
Jean-Francois

[procyon12]

Hi Jean-Francois,

A little test: Have a look at my post #49 here (viewtopic.php?p=27451#p27451).

The artificial image there comes from CDC, I attach it. The star in the mid is UCAC4-559-049250 = HIP51187 = HD90511. And the star's coordinates in the code section there are J2000. So, if you load the image with the Deep Sky Cam, with your HD catalog, after solving (I use ANSVR with J2000 epoch for solution coordinates), SC should annotate HD905511 (centered).

And - you don't need clear sky

Cheers, Christian

[admin]

Hi,

I have Astap 2022.01.13 and (for some reason) the V17 database installed. This gives J2000 results (the annotations for stars are centered on the star or within a pixel or two of it).

For instance, the default Orion nebula image that the deep sky test camera uses will solve and annotate HIP 26268 in the correct position.

If Astap is giving different co-ordinates depending on the database then I will have to ask Han to put something in the output to indicate the epoch of the results.

cheers,

Robin

[Jean-Francois]

Hello Christian and Robin,

Thanks for the comments.

I try with the JPG image, but no plate solve in SharpCap. I try direct in ASTAP, but the same .. no solve.
I modify a little bit the image with Paint Shop Pro and retest ... no solve.
I try to generate a similar image from the Prism planetarium ... but the same no plate solve.

I try with Sky_Simulator on the same star ... and it works ! ... but the same, the HD090511 star is not centred in the annotation.

OK ... I will have a look on the coordinate generated by VizieR database.

Regards,
Jean-Francois

Note ... the sky is clear now and I put 2 telescopes outside for cooling down.