Ver Issue 1 2 Stellarium everything you wanted

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Ver. Issue 1. 2 Stellarium everything you wanted to know. . but were afraid

Ver. Issue 1. 2 Stellarium everything you wanted to know. . but were afraid to ask http: //www. stellarium. org/ This presentation is available on website : - http: //questions 4 steveb. co. uk/Movies_and_presentations/

What is Stellarium ? • Open Source night sky star ‘mapping’ – • ‘a

What is Stellarium ? • Open Source night sky star ‘mapping’ – • ‘a true simulation of the night sky’ GUI is ‘Mac like’, as PC users will discover ! – Windows 32 bit (2000 / NT / XP / Vista / 7 / 8) (ver 0. 8. 2 will work on Win 98 se !) – – – Windows 64 bit (Vista / 7 / 8) Mac OS X 10. 3. x (or above) Linux (source) &. exe (for Ubuntu) (many distro’s include it as ‘standard’) • Smart phone versions exist, not Open Source

i. Phone & i. Pad versions • ‘Stellarium Mobile’ = £ 1. 99 https:

i. Phone & i. Pad versions • ‘Stellarium Mobile’ = £ 1. 99 https: //itunes. apple. com/us/app/stellarium-mobile/id 643165438? mt=8 • For alternatives, see : http: //appadvice. com/appguides/show/astronomy-apps Note that free apps often contain ‘embedded’ advertising (some limit this to start-up) One of the worst is “Go. Sky. Watch Planetarium” (annoying advertisements ‘pop up’ in bright colours during use & ruin your night vision)

Android smart phones • ‘Stellarium Mobile Sky Map’ = £ 1. 69 https: //play.

Android smart phones • ‘Stellarium Mobile Sky Map’ = £ 1. 69 https: //play. google. com/store/apps/details? id=com. noctuasoftware. stellarium&hl=en_GB The (free) Open Source version is being ‘worked on’ : http: //www. stellarium. org/wiki/index. php/Android_port • Some (free) alternatives include : – ‘The Night Sky Lite’ – (Google) ‘Sky Map’

(PC) Graphics card drivers • Uses ‘Open. GL (2. 1)’ for max. compatibility –

(PC) Graphics card drivers • Uses ‘Open. GL (2. 1)’ for max. compatibility – Open. GL is slow compared to Direct X (but only likely to be a problem on older kit or those using ‘motherboard built in graphics’ or 10 yr. old laptops : -) • You should get > 15 fps, even on old kit – if < 1 fps you have a driver problem ! (i. e. you are using the ‘default’ Microsoft video driver) • If it’s slow, reduce your screen resolution : -)

Setting a custom resolution • Stellarium uses Windows screen res. (to change, Right Click

Setting a custom resolution • Stellarium uses Windows screen res. (to change, Right Click desktop for Properties, Settings tab. . ) • To set a specific screen resolution : Start - Programs - Stellarium - config. ini Click file to select & open it in Notepad Modify the ‘screen_w’ & ‘screen_h’ values Then save the file and (re)start Stellarium

The ‘Projection’ setting • Changes how Stellarium draws the sky Default is the ‘Perspective’

The ‘Projection’ setting • Changes how Stellarium draws the sky Default is the ‘Perspective’ view Horizon is a straight line, max. FOV (field of view) 150º (similar to how your eyes see the sky) • Others (in order of max FOV) are : – – FOV 180º, ‘Fisheye’ & ‘Orthographic’ FOV 233º, ‘Cylinder’ & ‘Mercator’ FOV 235º, ‘Stereographic’ FOV 360º, ‘Equal area’ & ‘Hammer-Aitoff’

Constallation Artwork • Specific to a ‘Sky Culture’ – default is ‘Western’ • If

Constallation Artwork • Specific to a ‘Sky Culture’ – default is ‘Western’ • If you don’t like any of them (I don’t) … …why not create your own ? – Actually, it’s not quite that easy … … look in /skycultures folder for examples – Better = download existing alternatives eg. Hevelius Constellation Art from : http: //www. wilmslowastro. com/software. htm (artwork source is from engravings at : http: //hubblesource. stsci. edu/sources/illustrations/constellations/)

Landscape settings • Controls how Stellarium draws the ground – ‘Show ground’ (default =

Landscape settings • Controls how Stellarium draws the ground – ‘Show ground’ (default = on) • When off, you can ‘see through the earth’ : -) – ‘Show fog’ (default = on) • Haze/fog = horizion ‘glow’ / ‘light pollution’ (there is a separate setting for sky ‘light pollution’) – ‘Use associated planet and position’ • Means a new Landscape also changes the observers location – ‘Use this landscape as default’ • Use curerent chosen Landscape at next start You can load download pre-made alternatives or create your own personal ‘landscape’

Adding a new Landscape (the easy way) 1. Download the landscape. zip you want

Adding a new Landscape (the easy way) 1. Download the landscape. zip you want eg. from : http: //www. stellarium. org/wiki/index. php/Landscapes 2. F 4 for "Sky and viewing options" (or click icon) 3. In ‘Landscape’ tab, click “Add/remove landscapes” 4. In ‘Add/remove landscapes’ window, click “Install a new landscape from a ZIP archive” & ‘browse’ to where you saved the. zip in step 1. Some you might like = Mars, Moon, Avebury, Stonehenge, & ‘Field’ (simple grass field - good for horizon check)

Create your own landscape Adding a new Landscape (the hard way) NB a guide

Create your own landscape Adding a new Landscape (the hard way) NB a guide to Stellaritum control files can be found at: http: //www. porpoisehead. net/mysw/stellarium_user_guide_html-0. 9. 1 -1/

Your own landscape • Landscape size MUST an exact power of 2 – limitation

Your own landscape • Landscape size MUST an exact power of 2 – limitation imposed by (some) Open. GL drivers i. e. 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096 etc. (guereins is 8 x 256=2048 wide) – The higher the resolution, the slower it ‘renders’ but the better it looks = so max 4096 w (x 2048 h) is suggested • You can save as a single ‘normal’ panorama – ‘type = spherical’ ? ! (eg ‘mars’, 2048 x 1024) • Or as a single ‘spherical projection’ – ‘type = fisheye’ (eg trees @ 512 x 512) • Or ‘chop it up’, into be 4, 8 or 16 tiles (+ a ground tile) – ‘type = old_style’ (eg ‘guereins’, 8 @ 256 x 256 + ground 512 x 512)

Landscape image making • You need a complete 360º width view – Image all

Landscape image making • You need a complete 360º width view – Image all everything around then take some ‘ground’ / ‘grass’ shots for ‘fill in’ use • Some cameras have a ‘panorama’ mode – Resolution is ‘adequate’, but most don’t do 360 so you may need 2 (or even 3) overlapping shots and will still have to ‘stitch’ to get the complete 360 view

Landscape ‘how to’ - overview Step 1) Take your photo’s at the observing location

Landscape ‘how to’ - overview Step 1) Take your photo’s at the observing location eg. your backyard / Cookham Dean Step 2) ‘Stitch’ to make a 360º ‘panorama’ photo max 4096 pixels wide (x 2046 heigh) Step 3) Make the sky ‘transparent’ (& save as PNG) + fill in extra ground as needed (& check the scale) Step 4) Optional = chop into 8 or 16 ‘panels’ … default, side 1 = North (set ‘decor_angle_rotatez’ to adjust) alternative = make a ‘spherical projection’ (type=fisheye) Step 5) Generate Stellarium display parameters

How to - step 1, photo’s 1. Set your tripod at your normal observing

How to - step 1, photo’s 1. Set your tripod at your normal observing location • The tripod the height is important if you want accuracy 2. Set minimium zoom (eg on 18 -55 lens, set 18) • If using a 50 mm lens, rotate camera to portrait mode 3. Take your photo’s You need complete 360º, overlap ea. about 30% You need from the near ground to the empty sky • If necessary, take 2 (or more) at each posn. – it’s not a bad idea to take a few extra ground for ‘fill in’ Top tips: 1) landscape photo’s are best taken on a clear day It’s easier to cut out ‘all blue’ (or all grey : -) ) sky than mixed clouds & sky 2) take a compass and mark ‘North’ (it’s a lot hard to find later : -) )

How to - step 2, panorama 1. ‘Stitch’ your images to make a panorama

How to - step 2, panorama 1. ‘Stitch’ your images to make a panorama Eg. use free Microsoft ICE (‘Image Composite Editor’) http: //research. microsoft. com/en-us/um/redmond/groups/ivm/ICE/ An Open. Source alternative, but harder to use, is HUGIN http: //hugin. sourceforge. net/ 2. ‘Save As’ in a ‘reasonable’ resolution The panorama ‘width’ is 360 degrees (eg. 4096 pixels) The ‘height’ is 180 degrees BUT unless you took 180 degrees of photo’s, you will have ‘fill in’ extra ground (& sky**) later Note. ** you won’t need ‘empty sky’ (it’s just for sizing) however if you don’t add it, you will need to adjust the ‘decor_alt_angle’ parameter

How to - step 3, cut out sky ‘Transparent’ the sky using free** Open.

How to - step 3, cut out sky ‘Transparent’ the sky using free** Open. Source software ‘The Gimp’ http: //www. gimp. org/ 1. Open the panorama & note it’s width & horizon posn. 2. Create a new ‘full sized’ image If the width is 4096 pixels, then you need a height of 2048 In the ‘advanced’ tab, set PNG background color = transparent 3. Copy panorama & paste ‘as new layer’ into the new Make sure to align it so the horizon is in the ‘middle’ 4. Cut out the sky to expose ‘checkerboard’ background Use ‘select by color’ (DON’T set ‘feather edge’) 5. Export in ‘. png’ format to preserve the transparent sky ** non-free alternatives are Photoshop / Paint. Shop Pro

How to - fill in the ground • To avoid having to work out

How to - fill in the ground • To avoid having to work out the ‘offset’ parameter settings, I suggest you ‘fill in’ the ground – I used GIMP to copy / clone existing ground – Don’t forget to export as PNG ! If the width is 4096 pixels, then the height is 2048 pixels The horizon is ‘in the middle’ @ pixel position 1024 The ‘lower’ 1024 pixels (down from the horizon) = ground The ‘upper’ 1024 pixels = (mainly) transparent sky

How to - step 4, convert • ‘Fisheye’ or Tiles is better than panorama

How to - step 4, convert • ‘Fisheye’ or Tiles is better than panorama – To make spherical (fisheye) use GIMP 1. Open the landscape and ‘distort’ it to ‘square’ In Image menu, Scale Image, set new ht = same as wdith and ‘unlink’ the two (so it actualy distorts) 2. Convert to ‘fisheye’ In Filters –> Distorts –> Polar Coordinates use ‘offset angle’ to get your NORTH (up) correct ! – For tiles, ‘chop’ the panorama into 4, 8 or 16 (Plus one ‘extra’ part for the ‘near’ ground) Use an existing landscape. ini as a ‘template’ for your own (see ‘trees’ for fisheye, ‘moon’ for a single panorama)

How to - step 5, settings 1. Create a folder in C: /Program Files/Stellarium/landscapes/

How to - step 5, settings 1. Create a folder in C: /Program Files/Stellarium/landscapes/ Eg. C: /Program Files/Stellarium/landscapes/ockwells 2. Place the panorama image(s) in this folder Use simple name (no caps or spaces) eg ockwells. png 3. Create a ‘landscape. ini’ file Start with a copy of existing & adjust the values … eg. Ockwell’s Park, Lat: 51. 489539, Long: -0. 7460284, Altitude: 31 m [location] (Ockwell’s Park), planet = Earth latitude = +51 d 29’ 22”, longitude = -0 d 44’ 46”, altitude = 31 (Cookham Dean Common is Lat: 51. 551299, Long: -0. 758932, Alt: est. 50 m) If you get it wrong, Stellarium can lock-up ! A guide to Stellaritum control files can be found at : http: //www. porpoisehead. net/mysw/stellarium_user_guide_html-0. 9. 1 -1/

Changing your ‘viewpoint’ • It’s as easy to visit Mars as Ockwell’s Park –

Changing your ‘viewpoint’ • It’s as easy to visit Mars as Ockwell’s Park – F 4 to open "Sky and viewing options" window – In the ‘Landscape’ tab, click ‘Mars’ & in Options box, note ‘Use associated planet and position’ • If it’s (already) set, then you are now on Mars ! – If not, set ‘Use associated. . ’ & click ‘Mars’ again • Your ‘viewpoint’ will then change to Mars ! (to confirm, use F 3 & search for Earth)

Adding new Comets, Asteroids & planets

Adding new Comets, Asteroids & planets

Adding Comet ISON etc. • Easy way = ‘import’ from Minor Planet Center (MPC)

Adding Comet ISON etc. • Easy way = ‘import’ from Minor Planet Center (MPC) • F 2 or click ‘Configuration’ icon – In ‘Plugins’ tab, select ‘Solar System Editor’ • In ‘options’, click ‘Configure’ (if greyed out, set ‘Load at start up’ & restart) • In ‘Solar System’ tab, view the list of existing ‘objects’ – To add, click ‘Import orbital elements in MPC format’ • In ‘Import data’ / ‘Lists’ tab, set ‘Select the Type’ as ‘Comets’ • Set ‘Select the source’ to ‘Download a list. . from the Internet’ – In ‘Select a source from the list’ scroll to ‘MPC’s list of observable comets’ – Then click ‘Get orbital elements’ • In ‘Objects found’ list, scroll to “C/2012 S 1 (ISON)” & select [‘x’] it – Then click ‘Add objects” & restart Stellarium • Note. The Comet data is added to : C: Documents and Settingsseti 3100Application DataStellariumdatassystem. ini

Restart Stellarium

Restart Stellarium

Adding Comets (the hard way) • Edit the ‘working’. ini file at : C:

Adding Comets (the hard way) • Edit the ‘working’. ini file at : C: Documents and Settings{your a/c}Application DataStellariumdatassystem. ini (the ‘default’ can be found in C: Program FilesStellariumdatassystem. ini) – Edit using Notepad etc. NOT Wordpad / MS Word ! & be careful = this file defines the Earth & all the planets ! • Many asteroids etc are already defined, eg. [mcnaught] : [mcnaught] Unique short name, lower case name = C/2006 P 1 (Mc. Naught) Text displayed to user parent = Sun it’s parent (i. e. what it orbits) radius = 1000 in miles, determines relative ‘size’ displayed (Comets default to 5)

oblateness = 0. 0 halo = true Means draw with a ‘fuzzy edge’ i.

oblateness = 0. 0 halo = true Means draw with a ‘fuzzy edge’ i. e. ‘atmospheric’ effect color = 1. 0, 1. 0 white (r, g, b) tex_halo = star 16 x 16. png The image file to use when adding atmospheric effect Note: if halo = false , set ‘tex_halo = NULL’ tex_map = nomap. png Image to show when ‘zooming in’ on the object (default, ‘nomap’, is a ‘fuzzy ball’ = there is no provision for comet ‘tails’) coord_func = comet_orbit Algorithum used to calculate position in the sky Whilst ‘halo’ etc. can make the comet ‘fuzzy’, there is no support for comet ‘tails’

orbit_Time. At. Pericenter = 2454112. 7968 orbit_Pericenter. Distance = 0. 170729 orbit_Eccentricity = 1.

orbit_Time. At. Pericenter = 2454112. 7968 orbit_Pericenter. Distance = 0. 170729 orbit_Eccentricity = 1. 000021 orbit_Arg. Of. Pericenter = 155. 9756 orbit_Ascending. Node = 267. 4148 orbit_Inclination = 77. 8348 lighting = false ‘false’’ means don’t show ‘phases’ (so Moon = true) albedo = 1 orbit_visualization_period = 365. 25 landscape = {name of folder containing the landscape image} In order to ‘visit’ a planet/moon/asteroid/comet you must have a landscape to ‘stand on’

How to ‘stand on a Comet’ • All you need is some ‘landscape’ to

How to ‘stand on a Comet’ • All you need is some ‘landscape’ to stand on – You can create a landscape (. png) ‘as normal’ or just copy the /moon landscape : -) • & set ‘planet’ = your Comet, eg C/2012 S 1 (ISON) – add the ‘landscape =’ to the comets entry in the working ssystem. ini found in: C: Documents and Settings{your a/c}Application DataStellariumdata • Use F 4 to open "Sky and viewing options" – In the ‘Landscape’ tab, click your just added landscape – In ‘options’, set ‘Use associated. . ’ • Then click on the just added landscape again : -) – You are now ‘standing on a comet’ !

Telescope Control

Telescope Control

Enable the built-in control 1. In config. ini, enable ‘light travel time compensation’ 1.

Enable the built-in control 1. In config. ini, enable ‘light travel time compensation’ 1. If you don’t Jupiters Moons won’t be exactly ‘centered’ 2. Launch Stellarium … 3. F 2 or click icon for ‘Configuration Window’ 4. In Plugins tab, Telescope Control, Configure If ‘Configure’ is greyed out, set ‘Load at Startup’ & Restart Stellarium (the ‘select it again’ trick doesn’t work for Telescope Control) 5. In ‘Telescopes’ tab, click ‘Add’ • • Leave default (Stellarium, direct … serial port) In Properties, scroll down for ‘Device Settings’ • Select your mount from the pull-down list eg mine is ‘Meade Autostar compatible’

Mounts supported • Stellarium direct, via a serial port, supports : – Celestron Nex.

Mounts supported • Stellarium direct, via a serial port, supports : – Celestron Nex. Star (compatible) Sky-Watcher Syn. Scan ‘V 3+’ and ‘AZ GOTO’ mount (includes EQ 6, HEQ 5 -Pro ? ) – Meade Autostar compatible (= ETX and DS, Autostar 1 #495 and (my) #497/old controller) ETX-70 with #494 Autostar 1 (extra features) Meade LX 200 (compatible) Wildcard Innovations Argo Navis (in Meade mode) Losmandy G 11 • Mount must ‘polar align’ before Stellarium control Stellarium can control as many mounts as you have serial ports Well, up to 9. . Ctrl n = mount ‘n’ Go. To (& track) selected target on screen

Controlling other telescopes • Use the ‘Stellarium scope’ plug-in to drive ASCOM / EQMOD

Controlling other telescopes • Use the ‘Stellarium scope’ plug-in to drive ASCOM / EQMOD compatible mounts, see : http: //www. welshdragoncomputing. ca/index. php? option=com_content &view=category&layout=blog&id=31&Itemid=39 • Note: when using Stellariumscope + ASCOM – Ctrl 1 = Go. To center of Stellarium screen display – Ctrl 2 = Go. To and ‘sync’ (track) ‘target’ shown on screen – Ctrl 3 = abort move Latest Stellarium. Scope (2013 -08 -09) & ASCOM known to work with Stellarium 0. 11. 1 -0. 11. 4 and 0. 12. 0 -0. 12. 2 (as of Oct. 2013, Stellarium ver. 0. 12. 3 = ‘untested’)

Using ASCOM with Stellarium 1. Install ‘Stellarium scope’ locally from : - http: //www.

Using ASCOM with Stellarium 1. Install ‘Stellarium scope’ locally from : - http: //www. welshdragoncomputing. ca (Stellarium v 12. x is intended to work w/o this step) 2. If your PC is Windows XP, then : • You must have Windows XP Service Pack 3 installed • You must have MS. NET Framework 3. 5 SP 1 http: //www. microsoft. com/en-us/download/details. aspx? id=22 3. Install the latest ASCOM Platform 6 = ‘sp 3’ http: //www. ascom-standards. org/ • Download & install the drivers for your mount http: //www. ascom-standards. org/Downloads/Scope. Drivers. htm 4. Restart your P. C. & launch Stellarium scope • Select the driver for you scope and tick ‘connect’ 5. Launch Stellarium … & select ‘local driver’

Controlling the HEQ 5 / EQ 6 etc. • Use Stellarium. Scope + ASCOM

Controlling the HEQ 5 / EQ 6 etc. • Use Stellarium. Scope + ASCOM + EQMOD, see : http: //www. iceinspace. com. au/63 -581 -0 -0 -1 -0. html – The ‘known working’ HEQ 5/EQ 6 version set is : • • Stellarium version 0. 10. 5 Stellarium. Scope version 20100614 (2010. 6. 14. 47) ASCOM Platform 5 with the 5. 5. 1 update EQMOD version v 121 d (2010 -05 -30) Note - the following is not unusual with Open. Source s/w : -) “This version of Stellarium scope is designed to work with Stellarium version 0. 10. 6 and later. Your version appears to be: 0. 11. 0. ”

Serial link mount drive • Your PC ‘COM 1’ ports will default to :

Serial link mount drive • Your PC ‘COM 1’ ports will default to : 9600 baud, 8 data, 1 stop, No parity, No flow control = which is exactly what Meade Autostar handset requires ! • To change the COM settings : – Launch ‘Device Manager’ – Expand ‘Ports’, adjust ‘Communications Port (COM 1)’ • If, instead, you are using a USB<>Serial adaptor, – in Device Manager, open the USB adapter settings

Remote (wireless) Control 1. Use Stellarium in ‘direct’ serial port mode • Serial link

Remote (wireless) Control 1. Use Stellarium in ‘direct’ serial port mode • Serial link is transmitted via : a) Bluetooth (USB<>Bluetooth adaptor) b) Wi. Fi (using ‘serial port divert’ s/w) • At the mount use adapter/PC to connect to serial again 2. Use Stellarium in ‘remote’ (network) mode • • The remote PC must be running ‘client’ software At the mount, fit Ethernet / Wi. Fi <>serial module 3. Use some (free) ‘remote control’ software, eg: http: //www. teamviewer. com/en/index. aspx

1 a. Bluetooth mount connection • Best for i. Pad & Android – tablets

1 a. Bluetooth mount connection • Best for i. Pad & Android – tablets & smart phones – & laptops with built-in Bluetooth (non-bluetooth PC’s can use a USB Bluetooth dongle) • At the mount, Bluetooth to serial adapter – These are available ‘off the shelf’ • Most are battery powered • Must support ‘bluetooth serial port profiles (spp)’ • Typical <£ 10 on e. Bay (or >£ 30 from Amazon etc)

A typical £ 10 stand-alone bluetooth<>serial adapter Reset Bluetooth module Power (usb 5 v

A typical £ 10 stand-alone bluetooth<>serial adapter Reset Bluetooth module Power (usb 5 v or 2 wire skt 6 v) Mode = master / off / slave

1 b. Serial via Wi. Fi • In theory**, the simplist to ‘get working’

1 b. Serial via Wi. Fi • In theory**, the simplist to ‘get working’ – If it runs ‘local’, it (should) run remote • Remote mount driver can be simple device – Eg Raspberry Pi SBC (Single Board Computer) **dozens of apps. ‘claim’ to provide ‘Serial <> Wi. Fi <> Serial’ functionality, however I only found one actually worked : - http: //sourceforge. net/projects/com 0 com/

What’s wrong with Open Source ? • Many ‘claim’ to be ‘Windows compatible’ =

What’s wrong with Open Source ? • Many ‘claim’ to be ‘Windows compatible’ = but the only download available is ‘source’ (eg ‘Ser. Serv’) Serv • Windows. exe ‘afterthought’ & often ‘command line’ = so it just ‘falls over silently’ when something (anything) goes wrong (some create a ‘log’ file = most don’t) • No installer ? then assume it’s not going to work : -) but don’t count on it. . eg TCPCOM 32. msi installs OK but then fails at ‘launch’ every time with an ‘Error opening socket’ message • Documentation ? = typically, none = eg IPCom runs OK but ‘Unable to open COM 1’ (why? ) • ‘Dependencies of the unknown kind’ … eg ‘combytcp’ combytcp = throws MS. net ‘exception’ on main (& can ‘continue’ ok) but always aborts with ‘failed to initialise’ on the remote PC ?

What’s wrong with commercial s/w ? • Salesmen are not Software Engineers – Product

What’s wrong with commercial s/w ? • Salesmen are not Software Engineers – Product comes with ‘exagerated’ claims • If not outright lies, it reflects sales limited understanding of s/w • ‘Free’ s/w is time and/or feature ‘limited’ – The limitations are typically not advertised • and it’s often impossible to tell a bug from a limitation – Reviewers frequently DON’T ACTUALLY USE the s/w • They base their articles on the vendors own advertisments EXAMPLE: You will find ‘HW VSP’ (free) ‘advertsied’ as a ‘serial 2 serial WIFi link’ It’s not = it’s a virtual COM port driver for HW’s Wi. Fi hardware (it can’t actually direct WIFI to a physical port = if it could, you might not need to pay for any of HW’s hardwear : -) )

2. Wi. Fi to mount ‘Server’ • Best for ASCOM / EQMOD users –

2. Wi. Fi to mount ‘Server’ • Best for ASCOM / EQMOD users – Eg non-Bluetooth laptop, or for extended range • Stellarium Wi. Fi to remote ‘Stellarium scope’ – The remote PC then links to the mount using a standard serial cable This is much more complex than ‘Serial via Wi. Fi’ and I never managed to get it working • Non-stelarium alternative for Macs, i. Pads etc. – Use the commercial ‘Sky. Safari’ (non-free ed. ) + the mount uses the ‘Sky. Fi’ adapter, $160

Mount ‘Server’ s/w • Stellarium scope (ASCOM EQMOD mounts) http: //www. welshdragoncomputing. ca/index. php?

Mount ‘Server’ s/w • Stellarium scope (ASCOM EQMOD mounts) http: //www. welshdragoncomputing. ca/index. php? option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog &id=31&Itemid=39 I gave up after reading the description … • Use old Stellarium generic ‘client/server’ eg: C: >Telescope. Server. Lx 200 10002 COM 1: Simpler, but didn’t work for me at all, you may have better luck, see: http: //www. stellarium. org/wiki/index. php/Download #Telescope_Servers

3. Remote control s/w (‘vnc’) • Best for ‘observatory’ users – You ‘remote control’

3. Remote control s/w (‘vnc’) • Best for ‘observatory’ users – You ‘remote control’ the PC at the mount eg. http: //sourceforge. net/projects/tigervnc/files/ http: //www. teamviewer. com/en/index. aspx • Not limited to controlling Stellarium – The remote PC is totally controlled by local PC • You can control a camera, activate auto-guiding etc. – Same as ‘Remote Desktop’ / ‘Remote help’ • Supports higher data rates than Internet connection (actually, controling Stellarium isn’t practical. . )

Tiger VNC • Claims to be ‘video game speed’ – Actual speed with Stellarium

Tiger VNC • Claims to be ‘video game speed’ – Actual speed with Stellarium = totally unusable The only way to regain control, after using VNC to launch Stellarium on the remote PC, was to force power-off ! – The ‘problem’ seems to be that Open. GL screen updates are ‘poorly implemented’ • Even when ‘nothing’ is happening, Stellarium redraws at 30 -40 fps (and VNC copies at 1 fps) VNC works just fine with other apps. (just don’t try to run Stellarium : -) )

Team. Viewer • • TV is SLOW, but usable, on 600 x 800 display

Team. Viewer • • TV is SLOW, but usable, on 600 x 800 display (and 256 colours) On the ‘target’ PC, install Team. Viwer Host On ‘controller’ install TV full (‘all in one’) – TV is designed to control remote PC’s via the Internet ! – To activate the local LAN mode: 1. In the menu click on ‘Extras’ and then on ‘Options’ 2. On the General tab activate ‘Accept incoming LAN connections’ To cut down on text changes, in Stellarium, Config, Main, ‘Selected object info …’ set ‘Short’ (& Save Settings)

Mac. as the mount controller ? • Not easy / not possible (& why

Mac. as the mount controller ? • Not easy / not possible (& why bother ? ) – ‘Stellarium scope’ is Windows only. . • Mac. remote Telescope Server ‘Stell. LXTSRB’ see http: //www. iceinspace. com. au/forum/archive/index. php/t-42365. html – It only ever supported Meade ETX-80 & LX-90 – The ‘source’ page no longer exists (http: //www. tonybarry. net/tonybarry/Software. html) – Neither Google nor Yahoo search can find the. zip file • Mac. Serial 2 serial via Wi. Fi s/w may exist NB. To drive a serial cable from the Mac. : Buy any generic USB to Serial (eg Maplins) & use the ‘PL 2303 Driver for Mac. ’ from Prolific. com

Practical Telescope Control

Practical Telescope Control

How to make it work in the field • Main PC is set up

How to make it work in the field • Main PC is set up as ‘Ad-hoc’ Wi. Fi ‘Router’ = Win. XP, so uses ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) • The remote PC connects to Wi. Fi ‘as normal’ • Main PC runs Stellarium in ‘local mode’ + with serial via Wi. Fi connection to remote PC • VNC on main PC controls s/w on remote PC – DSLR Shutter = uses parallel port to take phot’s – Canon s/w = uses USB to fetch photo’s

Setting up Wi. Fi in the field • Use your (main) PC as a

Setting up Wi. Fi in the field • Use your (main) PC as a Wi. Fi ‘Router’ – on Windows XP (& Vista & Windows 7? ) • Use ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) + ‘Ad-Hoc’ Wi. Fi • Your PC is now a ‘Router’ (but only with WEP**) – on Windows 7 (& Windows Server 2008) • Use ‘Virtual Wi. Fi’ (which is much easier to setup) • Only WPA** is available • Your remote PC connects ‘as normal’ – assuming Windows Firewall lets it … • (use ‘ping’ to check each PC can see the other) ** WPA is more secure, but some smart phones only do WEP

Serial <> Wi. Fi (using ‘com 0 com’) • On the Stellarium (‘client’) PC

Serial <> Wi. Fi (using ‘com 0 com’) • On the Stellarium (‘client’) PC : – Run (com 0 com) ‘setup. exe’ to create CNCA 0<>CNCB 0 – In CNCA 0 set ‘use Ports class’ & ‘emulate baud rate’ • in Virtual pair 0, COMn should now be linked to CNCB 0 – Copy the hub 4 com files into the ‘root’ of c: – com 2 tcp-rfc 2217. bat connects CNCB 0 to mount PC IP • C: >com 2 tcp-rfc 2217 \. CNCB 0 192. 168. 1. nnn 7000 – Select COMn in Stellarium Telescope Control • On the mount (‘server’) PC : – Copy the hub 4 com files into the ‘root’ of c: – link TCP/IP port 7000 to the COM 1 serial link cable • C: >com 2 tcp-rfc 2217 COM 1 7000

In com 0 com, setting ‘use Ports class’ automatically changed virtual port ‘CNCA 0’

In com 0 com, setting ‘use Ports class’ automatically changed virtual port ‘CNCA 0’ to ‘real’ port ‘COM 10’. [ Stellarium is then set to Port COM 10 & com 2 tcp-rfc 2217 then links CNCB 0 to mount PC TCP/IP address ]

Telescope Control Demo

Telescope Control Demo

Steve’s Top Tips 1. Finding an Open. Source app. to do the job. .

Steve’s Top Tips 1. Finding an Open. Source app. to do the job. . will cost you more in lost time than paying for one 2. If 10 Open Source apps claim to do the job. . 9 out of 10 won’t / can’t … and you will try the 10 th last 3. Very few Open. Soure apps come with un-installers. . the ones that do still won’t restore your system 4. Uninstalling will have unwanted ‘side-effects’. . uninstalling a virtual COM port will disable the real one. . uninstalling your Firewall will activate the Windows one 5. So THE INSTANCE you get it all working … … make ‘System Restore Point’ on every PC !!!

Stellarium ‘goto’ for your Dobson • You outfit your Dob. with ‘position sensors’ –

Stellarium ‘goto’ for your Dobson • You outfit your Dob. with ‘position sensors’ – Eg. ‘potentiometer’ + measuring controller (there’s nothing better than the Raspberry Pi for this : -) ) • Manual movement is ‘fed back’ to Stellarium & Stellarium shows the ‘target’ on screen (i. e. shows what the Dob is ‘pointing at’) • Yes, it’s actualy been done = see demo at : http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=f. RAF 6 Ln. Hk 1 A

Extra’s Raspberry Pi as a telescope ‘controller’

Extra’s Raspberry Pi as a telescope ‘controller’

Stellarium with Raspberry Pi • For Stellarium Telescope Control via com 0 com –

Stellarium with Raspberry Pi • For Stellarium Telescope Control via com 0 com – ‘sudo apt-get install socat’ (=Wi. Fi 2 serial port for the Pi) • For Nexstar controllers (Celestron) – Compile ‘Telescope Control Server’ driver for the Pi see https: //github. com/fcsonline/node-telescope-server • Autostar support is ‘TBA’ …. . • For physical serial cable (Pi to the mount controller) – see http: //elinux. org/RPi_Serial_Connection • (wire the MAX 3232 to 3. 3 v supply from pads on cap. side) WARNING - raw serial +/-12 v WILL kill your Pi ! Note: the Raspberry Pi needs +5. 2 v @ 1 A (a typical sealed 6 v Lead Acid battery is 4. 5 Ahr i. e 4. 5 hr)

Sky. Safari with Raspberry Pi = a Stellarium alternative for i. Phone/i. Pad &

Sky. Safari with Raspberry Pi = a Stellarium alternative for i. Phone/i. Pad & Android http: //astroland. funxiun. com/ remote-control-your-goto-telescope-mount-using-a-raspberry-pi-and-skysafari/ • You need the (paid for) Plus or Pro version : -( – this supports Go. To control using the ‘Sky. Fi’ adapter = a ‘‘Wi. Fi to Serial cable’ adapter @ $160 • To avoid paying $$$ for ‘Sky. Fi’, use the Pi ! – get the “serial to (& from) network” app. or ‘socat’ app sudo apt-get install ser 2 net / sudo apt-get install socat • for ser 2 net, set TCP/IP port (eg 4000) in. /etc/ser 2 net. conf 4000: raw: 0: /dev/tty. USB 0: 9600 NONE 1 STOPBIT 8 DATABITS • to set same in socat, launch it with params socat tcp-l: 1234, reuseaddr, fork /dev/tty. AMA 0, raw, b 9600, echo=0, ocrnl=1 NOTE: set your Firewall to ‘allow’ the chosen Port !

Kstars with Raspberry Pi = a Stellarium alternative for GNULinux http: //edu. kde. org/kstars/

Kstars with Raspberry Pi = a Stellarium alternative for GNULinux http: //edu. kde. org/kstars/ • Also available for Windows • Uses the ‘INDI’ driver set for remote Go. To – so you need a ‘controller’ at the mount e. g. a Raspberry Pi : -)

PHD / lin_guider auto-guiding • A 5 mp camera is available for the Pi

PHD / lin_guider auto-guiding • A 5 mp camera is available for the Pi – this means ‘auto-guiding’ could be added ! (has been done usin a USB web-cam but is very, very slow) • A ‘No. IR’ camera (w/o IR filter) is ‘coming soon’ http: //www. raspberrypi. org/archives/tag/pi-noir – aim is same price ($25) as the ‘standard’ camera – this means astro-photography by Pi ! (for more see: http: //www. brahmand. me/astropi/)

But all that’s for another day ! This presentation is available as a. PPT

But all that’s for another day ! This presentation is available as a. PPT on my website : - http: //questions 4 steveb. co. uk/ Movies_and_presentations/