en:features
CCDciel features
Supported devices
- Any ASCOM, Alpaca or INDI camera, filter wheel, focuser, rotator, telescope mount, dome, switch, weather station, observing condition device, safety monitor
- ASCOM driver can be a classic local driver or a remote Alpaca device
- ASCOM Alpaca devices can be used on Linux and macOS
- Device connection can be a mix of local and remote devices using different protocols
- NO native support for any device
Program features
- Easy to use configurable interface
- Translated in your language
- Separate settings for preview and capture
- Can start a quick capture without the need to parameter a full sequence
- Quick and easy polar alignment procedure
- Collimation aid
- Parameters for saved files include options for the capture folder name and the file name
- Improve the preview image display with predefined histogram truncation and gamma
- Predefined zoom level or free zoom with the mouse wheel
- Add bull eye to the preview image
- Show saturation on the preview image
- Image magnifier at mouse position
- Debayer the preview for color sensors
- Can stack preview images with single star alignment and dark subtraction
- Show a reference image on screen to help to manually recenter a frame
- Can set a bad pixel map to remove hot pixel in auto-focus and plate-solving preview images
- Select subframe with the mouse
- Camera temperature control
- Select camera readout mode depending on the frame use.
- Automatic sky flat
- Automatic panel flat
- Choose from 4 different auto-focus method the one that best work with your equipment
- Can auto-focus with field stars or by slewing to a bright star
- Support for filter offset and exposure factor
- Focuser temperature compensation
- Options for periodic refocusing during capture
- Automatic meridian flip with many options
- Connection to multiple switch devices
- Show selected star profile with HFD and FWHM
- Image inspector show stars HFD, sensor tilt and field curvature
- Simple photometry measurement
- Message log with severity filter
- Video control and recording with supported INDI camera, including DSLR LiveView
- Powerful scripting function using Python or Pascal language
- Custom image type with activation by script
- Run automated action if the conditions are not safe.
Plate solving
- Automatic precision Goto using plate-solving
- Precision Goto can Sync the mount or use a local offset
- Can use a separate finder camera if the main camera is not suitable
- Automatically recenter a target that drift during a sequence.
- Slew to any point of solved image
- Rotator calibration and rotation from plate-solving
- Plot DSO in solved images
- Arrow show North direction, or mark the position of the Pole if in the image frame.
- Show solved image in planetarium
- Show solved image frame in planetarium
Auto-guiding
- Use of internal guider or connection to external software
- Automatically manage the guiding start/stop/pause during the different operations
- Options for automatic auto-guider dithering
- Backlash compensation
- Specific options for spectrograph
- Show guiding graph and statistics
- Recovery from auto-guiding problem
Automated sequences
- Automated sequences with many sequential targets
- Sequence contain a list of target and can indicate a start/stop time and repetition options
- Target is defined by a name, coordinates, rotator angle, start/end time
- Target coordinates can be set from the planetarium
- Import mosaic from the planetarium.
- Import Cartes du Ciel observing list.
- A moving target can have it's coordinates updated from the planetarium at the time of the observation
- Target option include plate-solving Goto, auto-focus position, skip or wait if the observing condition are not reach
- Use horizon profile for objects rise/set time
- Every target use a predefined plan to not have to type everything again
- Plan are multi-steps, with number and type of frame, exposure time, gain, binning, filter, auto-focus and dither options
- A target can also be a script or an automated sky flat at dusk or dawn
- Restart an interrupted sequence at the last check point
- Pause the sequence if the observing condition are not optimal
- Get the program status in a web browser
- Receive notifications by email
Interface with other software
- Interface with four different local plate-solving software (Astrometry.net, Astap, Platesolve2, Elbrus)
- Interface with two auto-guiding software (Phd2, Linguider)
- Interface with two planetarium software (Cartes du Ciel, Hnsky)
- Interface with any SAMP application (Aladin, Topcat, …)
- Interface with processing software (Siril)
en/features.txt · Last modified: 2025/04/22 18:49 by pch