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  • Astronomy SW: Don't Make Me Buy Wintel!

    From Davoud@star@sky.net to comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 16:50:22
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    I want to install an SBIG CCD camera on my telescope. I am unable to
    find any OS X software that will operate the scope *and* the camera and
    perform image processing.

    I am aware of the capabilities of Starry Night, TheSky, and Voyager. I
    am looking to run MaxIm DL/CCD, which permits control of the camera and
    the 'scope and does advanced image processing as well. This software is
    only partially functional under Virtual PC; apparently there is a communications issue that prevents the camera and 'scope control
    utilities from working right, but I do not know the details. Extensive
    searches haven't turned up any solutions.

    Lurkers know that I use six Macs and I don't do Windoze, but there is a
    Windoze laptop in my future if I don't find a Mac-based solution. Spare
    me!

    Davoud

    --
    usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
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  • From jim@jim@magrathea.plus.com (Jim) to comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 22:44:28
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Davoud <star@sky.net> wrote:

    I am aware of the capabilities of Starry Night, TheSky, and Voyager. I
    am looking to run MaxIm DL/CCD, which permits control of the camera and
    the 'scope and does advanced image processing as well. This software is
    only partially functional under Virtual PC; apparently there is a communications issue that prevents the camera and 'scope control
    utilities from working right, but I do not know the details. Extensive searches haven't turned up any solutions.

    XEphem. It's an X11 app but a very, very good one. It *will* control the
    'scope but whether or not you'll be able to make it do that on a Mac may
    be - interesting. It would require a serial port to do this, hence the potential problem.

    Jim
    --
    jim@magrathea.plus.com AIM/iChat:JCAndrew2 GreyArea@mac.com
    "We deal in the moral equivalent of black holes, where the normal
    laws of right and wrong break down; beyond those metaphysical
    event horizons there exist ... special circumstances" - Use Of Weapons
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  • From Phil Stripling@phil_stripling@cieux.zzn.com to comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 15:09:37
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Davoud <star@sky.net> writes:

    I want to install an SBIG CCD camera on my telescope. I am unable to
    find any OS X software that will operate the scope *and* the camera and perform image processing.

    I don't do astronomy stuff, but I'd be mildly surprised if there weren't something that fit your needs in the Linux/Unix branch of Mac OSdom.

    It may not have the Mac GUI, but _anything_ is better than Wintel. :-)

    --
    Philip Stripling | email to the replyto address is presumed Legal Assistance on the Web | spam and read later. email to philip@ http://www.PhilipStripling.com/ | my domain is read daily.
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  • From Davoud@star@sky.net to comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 18:26:36
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Davoud:
    I want to install an SBIG CCD camera on my telescope. I am unable to
    find any OS X software that will operate the scope *and* the camera and perform image processing.

    <h.sainct@laposte.net>:
    Why exactly do you want to perform both from the same software
    Because that's the way it's done.

    Why not
    Voyager for running the scope and any other (PhotoStickies?? that would
    show and process?)
    An astronomical CCD camera is not a webcam. It requires specific
    control software and special image processing.

    In my understanding the mac has always been an integrator of various softwares; all these "all-in-one" appeared on PCs and all have a weakest element...
    Maybe. But I have seen Maxim DL/CCD and it is a superb piece of
    software that apparently has no equivalent on the Mac.

    I suggest you select the best scope pilot according to *your* criteria,
    the best image viewer/processor
    OK. So give me the name the astro CCD camera controller/image processor
    that runs under OS X.

    Davoud

    --
    usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
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  • From Davoud@star@sky.net to comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 19:30:14
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Phil Stripling:
    I don't do astronomy stuff, but I'd be mildly surprised if there weren't something that fit your needs in the Linux/Unix branch of Mac OSdom.

    It may not have the Mac GUI, but _anything_ is better than Wintel. :-)

    I'm with you -- truly I am. But it seems that for my stated purpose
    there is nothing _but_ Wintel, so by definition, nothing better than
    Wintel.

    Davoud

    --
    usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
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  • From Phil Stripling@phil_stripling@cieux.zzn.com to comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 17:05:55
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Davoud <star@sky.net> writes:

    I'm with you -- truly I am. But it seems that for my stated purpose
    there is nothing _but_ Wintel, so by definition, nothing better than
    Wintel.

    Have you checked these newsgroups?
    alt.astronomy
    alt.sci.astro.*
    sci.astro.*

    --
    Philip Stripling | email to the replyto address is presumed Legal Assistance on the Web | spam and read later. email to philip@ http://www.PhilipStripling.com/ | my domain is read daily.
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  • From Milton Aupperle@milton@SAPMMUSTDIEoutcastsoft.com.invalid to comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system on Thursday, July 10, 2003 00:13:24
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    In article <090720031650225887%star@sky.net>, Davoud <star@sky.net>
    wrote:

    I want to install an SBIG CCD camera on my telescope. I am unable to
    find any OS X software that will operate the scope *and* the camera and perform image processing.

    I am aware of the capabilities of Starry Night, TheSky, and Voyager. I
    am looking to run MaxIm DL/CCD, which permits control of the camera and
    the 'scope and does advanced image processing as well. This software is
    only partially functional under Virtual PC; apparently there is a communications issue that prevents the camera and 'scope control
    utilities from working right, but I do not know the details. Extensive searches haven't turned up any solutions.

    Lurkers know that I use six Macs and I don't do Windoze, but there is a Windoze laptop in my future if I don't find a Mac-based solution. Spare
    me!

    Davoud

    There should also be an OSX Applicaiton to control the StarLight
    Express USB cameras in the Fall.

    SBig announced that they now support OSX for there USB CCD cameras.
    They also supply an App (CCDOps Lite) to control their cameras too -
    which will handle the basics of camera contorl and capture.


    As to Scope Control - it will depend on whose software you use and what
    Scopes they support. I know that "MPj Equinox" (http://www.microprojects.ca/MPjEquinoxPage.html) will allow you to
    control the scope by voice command.

    As to image processing, as logn as you instal X11 you can use all the
    usual Unix based tools.

    Also check out the The AstroMac List at

    http://www.topica.com/lists/hubble_boy

    too.

    HTH..

    Milton Aupperle
    www.outcastsoft.com
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