Contents - Index

Light Frames

This page sets up the actual light frames that will be acquired during the imaging session.  For a multi-target session (Professional edition only), you can specify a unique set of exposure conditions, including guide exposure, for each target independently.  For the standard edition, there is one target and one set of exposures.  The Utility Window can help you optimize your light frame acquisition.

Contents
Light Frame Acquisition (Reference)
Target Selection
Exposures
Utility Window




Target Selection
This box selects the target whose light exposures you wish to edit.  The drop down will be populated with all the target names that are present in the Target List.  Select the one whose light frames you wish to edit.  After editing the light frames (see below), you have two choices:
  • Update: Hitting this button will apply the light frame selections to that specific target.
  • Apply to All: Hitting this button will apply the light frame selections to all of the targets on the list.
    You should save the Target List as you make changes to each target's light frames.


    Exposures
    Here is where you set the specifics of your exposure plan.  There are 8 series of exposures possible for each target but you are not limited to 8.  By using multiple identical target entries, it is possible to select a virtually unlimited number of exposure prescriptions.

    For each series, the checkbox at the left of each series enables or disables that series.  When disabled, the series information is grayed out.  The remainder of the series information is:
  • Focus: When checked, the chosen active focusing method will be applied at the start of each series.
  • Number: This is the number of exposures that will be taken in this series before moving on to the next series.
  • Filter: This is the filter that will be used for this series.  Filter naming and selection will be according to the names and capabilities of your camera control program.
  • Binning: This is the degree of binning that will be used for this series.  Binning will be according to that reported by your camera control program and your specific camera.
  • Image Exposure Time: This is the length of time your imaging camera will be exposed in seconds.
  • Guide Exposure Time: This is the length of time for your guide exposure.  Allowable range is 0 to 50 sec. in 0.1 sec steps.  If 0 is entered, that series will not be guided.  If Auto Guide Exposure is enabled, the guide exposure setting will be disabled (grayed out) as a reminder.
  • Description: Here you can enter a specific description for the exposure.  If no description is entered, the file name for the exposure will be automatically generated as follows: <Filter><E/W>_<Target>_<sequence number>.fit.  <Filter> is the name of the filter for the series.  <E/W> indicates which side of the meridian, East or West, the image was taken.  <Target> is the target name, as defined in the target pulldown.  The sequence number is a 5-digit number that identifies one exposure from another.  If you enter a description, the file name will be <Description>_<Target>_<sequence number>.fit, where <Description> is the description entered.  Since the description will ultimately be part of the data file names, it must not include the Windows "forbidden characters", '*/:<>?|'.  Such characters will be stripped from the target name if present.  There are certain formatting conventions that must be followed for the coordinates.  

    Below each item in Series 1 is the button, which replicates the series 1 settings into all of the other series for easy editing.
  • Guide Exposure Delay Factor: If this value is non-zero, a delay equal to the guide exposure for the specified filter times the number entered is applied before the actual exposure initiates.  With AGRS enabled, this can usually be left at 0.
  • Number of Light Sets: This is the number of times each series will be repeated for each target.  For example, assume series 1 has 3 red-filtered (R) exposures, series 2 has 2 green-filtered (G) exposures and series 3 has 5 blue-filtered (B) exposures. If this number were set at 3, the selected target would be exposed in this sequence: RRRGGBBBBBRRGGBBBBBRRGGBBBBB.  With this capability, you can be sure to get at least some data with each filter, when conditions may not bode will for a totally clear evening.
  • Readout Mode: Selects the readout mode used for light frames.  See Readout Modes.  This selection is available only with Maxim version 5.


    Utility Window



    The utility window has helpful reference data to allow you to optimize your session.  When a target is selected, its Ephemerides is shown in the top portion of the window.  The transit time, along with meridian limit time for whatever east and west meridian limits you used for the Targets page Utility Window are repeated as well.  Next, the run time is shown for that specific target.  Lastly Astronomical twilight times are shown.  By changing the number of frames on the light page, you can optimize your run to center on the meridian.  When you hit the Update button, the revised run time is shown.  You can do this for each target.