| Telescope
Control from 3rd-party Planetarium Software SkyGuide-Win allows the observer to control their telescope from planetarium (and other!) software packages. In our opinion the most natural way to navigate the celestial sphere is through the point/click/GoTo approach available with SkyGuide-Win coupled with planetarium software. The SkyGuide-Win interface to planetarium software is called the "host" interface. There are two forms of host interface: |
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| 1. | LocalHost:
the host software (typically planetarium software) runs on the same
PC as SkyGuide-Win. The host software and SkyGuide-Win interface through
standard Microsoft Windows communications methods. |
|
| 2. | RemoteHost:
the host software runs on the same, or different, PC as SkyGuide-Win
and the interface is via serial communications (RS232). If the planetarium
software is running on the same PC as SkyGuide-Win, 3 communications
ports are necessary: 1 for SkyGuide-Win -to- SkyWalker and 2 for linking
SkyGuide-Win to the host software. Several vendors
provide multi-port communications cards for PCs (both laptops and
desktop). |
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| Supported
planetarium software packages: Any package that can interface to and control the Meade LX200 telescope should work fine. The following packages have been tested with SkyGuide-Win: |
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| • | For
LocalHost interface: |
|
| - | THE_SKY
version 5.00.001 (or later) from Software
Bisque |
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| • | For
RemoteHost interface: |
|
| - | Earth Centered
Universe (ECU) version 2.0B and 3.0B from Nova
Astronomics |
|
| - | THE_SKY version
4 and 5 from Software Bisque |
|
| - | SkyMap Pro version
5 from www.skymap.com |
|
| - | Guide version 7
from Project Pluto |
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| The
following features are available using planetarium software: |
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| • | Point
and Click GoTo: click on an object of interest, select GoTo and the
telescope will accurately slew to the object. |
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| • | Continuous
display of telescope position: displayed on the planetarium software
screen with cross hairs or field markers (box or circle of chosen
field size). |
|
| • | Simulated
hand paddle: you can move the telescope N/S/E/W from the planetarium
software and watch the position move on the display. The rate at which
hand paddle motion occurs can be set. |
|
| • | Celestial
alignment: alignment and alignment "calibration" are available
using the planetarium software's "Synch" command. Alignment
is facilitated because alignment object(s) can be chosen from the
entire planetarium software's object database. |
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| • | Focus
control: requires electric focuser attached to SkyWalker. |
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| • | Reticle
control: brightness and "blink" modes are controllable. |
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| • | Status
of GoTo: displays GoTo distance remaining. |
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| Note:
The capabilities of various planetarium software packages differ.
Not all packages support all of the above features. |
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