OVERVIEW
CCDAutoPilot provides essential tools and automates the key functions of the image acquisition process without the need to learn complex scripting or specialized languages. Its easy to use windows interface allows you to easily focus, track and expose your deep sky targets for maximum results. CCDAutoPilot will help you get the most of your imaging system and help you produce better images.
Introducing CCDAutoPilot 5
Rewritten to offer new features and functions, CCDAutoPilot 5 expands its signature qualities of ease-of-use, power and flexibility to allow you to get the most productivity and quality data from your imaging equipment. Whether for science or aesthetic imaging, CCDAutoPilot gives you the tools you need to optimize your imaging system and then obtain data and calibration frames throughout the evening with full automation. CCDAutoPilot interfaces with most major programs for controlling cameras, guiders, mounts, focusers, rotators and domes as well as accepting inputs from systems such as cloud sensors and other control systems.
Easy to install and setup
Starting with you defining your equipment and software, CCDAutoPilot leads you through the initialization process that tells CCDAutoPilot about your equipment. After the Initialization process, your system is able to point to a target anywhere in the sky, on either side of the meridian, at any angle of rotation and your guiding will be calculated accordingly by CCDAutoPilot for exceptional guiding performance.
Concurrent session editing
By using a relational database, a session can be modified while it is running! This allows you to get started as soon as possible and fine-tune the session while underway. You can even change the number of exposures for a given series while that series is in process during the session.
Flexible, powerful target management
A relational database is used for target locations, data and calibration frame definition. By separating the evening’s session into phases, you specify your target’s data acquisition phase and use the remaining available times and phases for calibration frames. Target coordinates can be obtained or imported from a number of sources or easily entered manually. Also new are data and calibration templates that further simplify data acquisition. Also new is goal-oriented imaging, where you decide how many frames you wish to obtain for a given target and you specify the quality. CCDAutoPilot will assess the data during the session and report which and how many frames met your acceptance criteria.
Multiple targets and mosaics
CCDAutoPilot 5 Professional adds new multi-target and mosaic capabilities perfect for an unlimited number of targets for astrophotography and survey work. With its powerful importers, you can easily create target lists from a wide variety of applications. Complex Mosaics are achieved with one click, providing anyone the ability to take wonderful wide field images with very narrow field equipment.
Automatic measurement tools
CCDAutoPilot 5 includes automated tools to measure your camera’s gain and read noise, your sky glow and color combine ratio (G2V ratio). and now, Automatic Filter Focus Offsets*, all at the click of a button. Extinction-corrected combine ratios* are calculated for you automatically. You can characterize your camera system’s performance to determine your minimum sub-exposure, number of darks and operating temperature.
* Professional Edition only
Find out more
Click on the demonstration above to learn more about the ease of use and power of CCDAutoPilot 5. Also, review the complete on-line Help file.