Contents - Index

Planning



CCDAutoPilot allows developing a target list that will encapsulate all data-gathering activities for one or more targets, depending on your CCDAutoPilot version.  No connection to hardware is required.  You can use the full power of TheSky6 without a telescope connection to develop your exposure paramters as defined on the Targets and Light Frames pages.

Planning mode is initiated selecting a suitable Telescope Control Program (ASCOM or TheSky6), checking the Plan Only checkbox and hitting the Connect button.  Any other selections for Camera Control, Focuser Control, etc. will be ignored when in Planning Mode.  Upon connection, the CCDAutoPilot title bar will indicate planning mode.

Once connected you can import target lists from CCDNavigator or any of the other data structures supported by CCDAutoPilot.  You can also manually enter and edit target data.  There are some differences in capabilities of the two telescope control programs:


ASCOM Telescope Control: When ASCOM is selected as the Telescope Control program and Plan Only is checked, the ASCOM telescope simulator is automatically loaded.  By entering your site data in the telescope simulator setup, you will get accurate sun ephemeris data on the Targets page.  There is no connection made to your "real" ASCOM telescope driver.  Your target entry and edit is limited to manually entered target coordinates and imported data structures.

TheSky6 Telescope Control: When TheSky6 is selected as your Telescope Control program and Plan Only is checked, CCDAutoPilot is able to attach to TheSky6 to take advantage of its power for defining targets.  There is no connection to a telescope at any point in Planning Mode.  You can take advantage of all the features in Target Entry and Edit as well as FOVI targetting.


Once you have your targe plan defined, you can save the target list.  The saved target list will have all of the light frame and target data in it you have defined above.  You can then use that target list for the evening's activities.  You can transmit the target list to your remote observatory and load it for a remote session.  If you want to use an ASCOM driver for telescope control, you can still do that, even after having used TheSky6 for planning!