====== Focus Tool ======
With this tool you can check the focus or start an autofocus run. It can be used with [[focuser|motorized focuser]] or manual focuser.
If the [[preferences#auto-focus|autofocus mode]] is set to **Planet** all the reference to HFD are replaced by Sharpness but the tool work the same.
====Show star profile====
{{ :en:documentation:tool_starprofile1.png?240|}}
When you double click on a star, it's profile and information about it's sharpness are show here.
The top part of the tool show three tabs with graphical representation.
The curve in the **Profile** tab is a cross-section of the star image intensity. \\
The narrower it is the better and sharper is the star image.\\
Take a specific attention to the top of the curve. A flat top indicate a saturation, a rounded top is indication of bad focus or oversampling.\\
A curve that enlarge too much on the foot can be an indication of optical issue, light cloud in the sky, or frost on the lens.
{{ :en:documentation:tool_starprofile2.png?150|}}
The **2D** tab is an extreme zoom on the star image colorized to enhance the view. \\
The area in green has a level higher than half maximum, it represent a 2D view of the FWHM.\\
The area in yellow has a level higher than 9% above the background.\\
The area in red is the foot of the profile curve with a level between 3% and 9% above the background.\\
Look for the roundness of the image with each color area as narrow as possible.
{{ :en:documentation:tool_starprofile3.png?150|}}
The **Trend** tab show the history of the previous measurement.\\
This is the main help for the manual focus tool, adjust the focuser position to reach the minima of the red curve and the maxima of the green.
The HFD is in red and the intensity in green.\\
Double click on the graphic to clear and start a new graph.\\
Move the mouse cursor on the curve to show the exact value in the [[status bar]].
Each of this graphic can be opened in a separate window with a click on the button {{:en:documentation:pin.png?nolink|}} on the bottom right. This allow make the graph larger and to monitor both at the same time, even when the Focus tool is not show.
====Measurement values====
{{ :en:documentation:tool_starprofile4.png?240|}}
Below are the measurement value for the current star image.
The **HFD** (Half Flux Diameter) unit is pixels. The **history** of the previous three measurement is show on the right.
The **FWHM** (Full Width at Half Maximum) units are pixels and arc-seconds.
The star peak **intensity** should not be saturated. And the **Signal/Noise ratio** must be high enough.
====Manual focus====
{{ :en:documentation:tool_starprofile5.png?240|}}
When focusing on a star, make first a [[preview]] exposure and double click on a non saturated star you want to use for focusing.
Click **Manual focus aid** to start a [[preview]] loop on the selected star area, configurable by setting the [[preferences#focus|focus window size]].
Optimum focus is reached when the Sharpness or HFD / FWHM are at minimum value, and the intensity is at the maximum value.
====Auto-focus====
Click **Autofocus** to start the auto-focus procedure on the selected star. You must have configured the [[preferences#auto-focus|auto-focus]] in advance and if applicable run the [[focuser#v_curve_learning|V curve learning]] tool and saved the result.\\
This button do not execute the action that are specific to autofocusing from a sequence, it will not stop autoguiding, and not slew to a nearby bright focus star.
When the autofocus is running it show a plot of the HFD or Sharpness versus the focuser position. The aspect of the plot depend on the selected focusing method. For dynamic focus the pink curve is the resulting hyperbola fit.
^ Vcurve ^ Dynamic / Planet ^ Iterative ^
|{{:en:documentation:autofocusgraph2.png|}}|{{:en:documentation:autofocusgraph3.png|}}|{{:en:documentation:autofocusgraph4.png|}}|
If you move the mouse over the graph it display the values of the focuser position and HFD.
You can click the button {{:en:documentation:pin.png?nolink|}} to open the graph in a separate window and not close the graph when the auto-focus is completed to let you more time for examination. Click the button again to close the graph.
{{:en:documentation:autofocus_graph.png?300|}}
You can review this graph later using the button **View last autofocus**.
====Spectrum profile====
When you use a spectrograph to image a spectrum it can be useful to quickly show the profile.
Select if you want to show the average or maximum values in the selected area.
{{:en:documentation:spectra2.png?200|}}
Click the **Spectral profile** button, then mark the spectra area by pressing the Shift key and the mouse left button.\\
{{:en:documentation:spectra.png?600|}}
The profile can be opened in a separate window with a click on the button {{:en:documentation:pin.png?nolink|}} on the bottom right.\\
The scale is show in ADU and pixel because this is totally uncalibrated.