Integration with TheSky6 Professional Edition

CCDSoft version 5 becomes even more powerful when used in conjunction with TheSky6 Professional Edition. Here are many of the integrated features.

• The FITS header is automatically saved with the following parameters:

• • Telescope’s current right ascension and declination.

  • Telescope’s current altitude and azimuth.

  • Object Name.

  • Longitude.

  • Latitude.

  • Julian Day.

• Acquired images are automatically saved with object name as part of the file name (for example, 0000001.HorseHeadNebula.FIT)

• AutoAstrometry/Add World Coordinate System performs automated astrometry and automatically adds the World Coordinate System to the FIT header.

• The telescope's motorized focuser can be adjusted using CCDSoft.

• During a slide show, images acquired by CCDSoft (for example, images that have the right ascension and declination or object name in the header) have the corresponding object “found” in TheSky6 Professional Edition!  If TheSky6 Professional Edition’s Object Information dialog box shows the Multimedia tab, a thumbnail image of the object is shown for quick and easy comparison (handy for supernova searches).

• TheSky6 Professional Edition is launched automatically when CCDSoft needs services provided by TheSky6 Professional Edition (for example, AutoAstrometry/Add WCS).

• Slew your telescope directly from a CCDSoft image once “AutoAstrometry/Add World Coordinate System” has been performed.  Excellent for centering.  Merely right click the desired object in your image and click the “Slew To" command.  Centering objects has never been easier.

• Differing declinations are automatically accounted for when calibrating and during Autoguiding.

• Once “AutoAstrometry/Add WCS” is performed, click Tools | Star Chart to have TheSky6 Professional Edition automatically generate the exact star chart (that is, a star chart that has the same date, time, location, rotation, right ascension, declination and scale) and display this star chart in CCDSoft. Great for minor planet research and discovery work.

CCDSoft's Sky Chart Feature

CCDSoft's Sky Chart command can display star charts (generated by TheSky6 Professional Edition).

Crab Nebula From the Digitized Sky Survey...  

and the matching Virtual Sky from TheSky6 Professional Edition (displayed as an image in CCDSoft) ...

Direct Guide™ - No Autoguider Cables Required!

Autoguiding your telescope has traditionally required the use of autoguider cables. Autoguider cables are connected to the CCD camera's autoguider output ports, and to the telescope mount's autoguider input ports. When the CCD camera is configured to perform autoguiding, tracking corrections are supplied to the telescope through the CCD camera via autoguider cables.  Whew!

Autoguider cables are prone to failure, make "open loop" corrections, and simply add another layer of complexity to the already complex process of autoguiding.

Now there's Direct Guide

If you own the Paramount ME Robotic Telescope System, then autoguider cables are not required to perform precision autoguiding.

How is this possible?

CCDSoft's can be configured to send autoguider corrections to the Paramount ME through TheSky6 Professional Edition with Direct Guide.

As with traditional autoguiding, CCDSoft determines the exact correction required to maintain precision tracking based on the centroid of a star. Here's the main advantage of Direct Guide. Rather than sending this correction as an open-loop electronic pulse out the camera's relay port and then through the autoguider cable to the telescope's autoguider input, CCDSoft simply commands TheSky6 Professional Edition to "nudge" (or micro-slew) the Paramount ME the required amount.

Sending autoguider corrections directly to the telescope, rather than through the CCD camera's autoguider relay port results in very precision autoguiding, and eliminates the possibility of autoguider cable snag, cable failure and an host of other potential autoguider relay cable issues.

You'll autoguide with confidence using Direct Guide!