Contents - Index

Target Entry and Edit

These controls and the edit window are used to enter target info and edit as needed.  At least one target entry is required for acquiring light frames.



Target Functions Buttons

Add brings up a blank target entry window for the user to add the necessary information.  Target coordinates must be entered in J2000 equinox.

Edit brings up the target entry window with the related data for the user to edit as desired.  Target coordinates must be entered in J2000 equinox.

Delete will delete a selected target line.  The target line to be deleted is selected by clicking on it to highlight it.

Clear All will remove all entries from the target list.  At least one target must be added back before running a session that includes light frames.

Mosaic When this button is hit, any mosaic that is set up in TheSky is automatically imported into the target list.  In order to successfully import the mosaic, a mosaic must be set up properly in TheSky and is must be visible.  Once imported, the Edit function can be used to change the names as desired.  If you are doing guided imaging, then you can move the FOV indicator as needed to locate a guide star and replace each Mosaic entry in the target list with an adjusted FOV Center, via the Get button.

Reset Times adjusts the target start times to occur immediately after the preceding one.  Use this feature if you want maximum target acquisition efficiency.  If you wish imaging for a given target to start at a specific time, for example around the meridian, then adjust the target start time via the Edit function and do not hit the Reset Times button after doing this.

Up/Down adjusts the position of the selected target in the target list.  Select a target and hit the Up button to move it to the top of the list and the Down button to move it lower in the list.


By right clicking on a target, you can bring up a context menu for quick access to most of the target editing controls.  The functions are identical to those described above.  There is an additional menu item available when connected to TheSky.  When a target is highlighted, right-clicking and selecting Center TheSky will move TheSky's view to the desired target and rotate the FOV indicator to the specified position angle.

You can also sort the targets by clicking on the header of the target list.  For example, you can sort in order of ascending right ascension by clicking on the RA title box.

You can control whether a specific target is imaged by clicking on the check box in front of the target name.

Adding a Target

As targets are added, they will be added with the Light Frame settings as defined on the Light Frame page.  These can be subsequently edited on the Light Frames page either individually or all together.  
  • As described above, you can add a mosaic by the Mosaic button described above.  There are many other ways of adding a target to the list.
  • Use the Add button to manually enter the information for a given target.  The RA coordinates must be in the <hh mm ss.s> format and the Dec coordinate must be in the <+dd mm ss> format (leading plus sign required if positive declination.  There should be no characters other than spaces between the fields.
  • Use the Get button.  This requires TheSky6.  Hitting the Get button with no entry will enter the coordinates of the FOV Indicator, Ra, Dec and PA, into the target column.  If you enter an object description, M42 for example, the target coordinates for M42 will be added but with a position angle of 0.0.  If you wish to properly frame M42 for a guide star, you should position the FOVI so that the guide star is in the guider FOVI, hit Get with no entry and then rename the target to M42 via the Edit function.
  • Use the From FIT button.  This method opens up a file dialog to allow navigation to a specific .fit file.  If the standard information is in the .fit file's header and the proper unbinned plate scale is entered on the Settings page, the .fit file will be plate solved and the appropriate information will be entered in the Target list.  The target name will be the file name but this can be easily edited with the Edit function.

    The above steps completely define the target to be acquired.  There is no need to go to the targets in advance for guide star positioning or guider calibration.  If you have properly initialized your equipment, as defined on the Settings page, and select Precision Slew to Target in the Options box, the target will be precisely centered and the guide star will be in the guider FOV.