Transcript Document

SkyTools 3 Power Tips
Tips for using SkyTools 3
Basics
•
•
•
•
•
Right-click on everything!
Use context whenever possible (example: logs)
Keep the planner windowed (not full screen) and use it as a popup on top of
the charts
Night vs. Date – a night begins/ends at noon
Keyboard shortcuts:
– Enter “shortcuts” into help Search
– Press “k” on a chart
– Look at Popup menus
•
•
Online guides: skyhound.com  Services & Support  SkyTools 3 User
Guides
Yahoogroup: tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/skytools
Night Vision Mode
•
Intended to be used with red screen cover
SkyTools Preferences
•
•
•
•
•
See current version
Register or send Feedback
Control how the program behaves
Change how much data is installed
Globally control how designations are used
Configuring Designations
•
•
•
•
•
Designations tab of the SkyTools Preferences dialog
Used globally except for chart labels, which have their own control
Controlled separately by object class (galaxy, open cluster, etc.)
Enable/Disable designations
Change order in hierarchy
Nightly Planner
•
Reading the NightBar
– Red dashed line is altitude of selected object
•
Sort on Optimum Time
•
Observing Lists are organized into Groups, like file folders
•
Notes/Ratings are also organized into Groups
•
Operations that work on more than one object at a time are via the multiple
operations (red check mark) column
•
Multiple operations example: Thumbnail Viewer
•
Column can be customized for each list and column schemes can be saved
•
The Stoplight column tells us the quality of the observation opportunity
– Green means at or near best visibility; go ahead and observe it
– Yellow means maybe wait for a better night
– Red means wait for another night
•
Right-click on the NightBar to make an overhead sky or naked eye chart for
the time corresponding to the point where you clicked.
Charting Power Tips
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use the right Chart for the task at hand
Open charts directly from the context: observing list, event, ephemeris, log,
object info, etc.
Interactive Atlas – best for general use – when you want full control
Latest Sun image displayed in chart background
Tip: plot objects from list on an Overhead Sky chart
NE chart – for exploring the naked eye sky
Simulation/Finder chart – for finding and identifying objects
Use the Sky Report to check current conditions (model inputs)
Chart View Controls
•
•
•
•
•
Some charts have more than one View
There are separate View Controls for each View
Only permanently saved if Save button used
Labels: by class, selectable label density
Special view controls for simulation/finder chart views (insets, fov, etc.)
Chart Preferences
•
Three Basic Chart Styles (based on how stars are drawn)
– Classic Atlas
– Model PSF (photo realistic)
– Bitmap (from a selection of scalable star images)
•
Define a Chart Scheme
– Save then apply to another chart
Configuring Printed Charts
•
•
Chart Preference schemes are separate from on-screen charts
Don’t forget to Save Current Settings as Default before you exit
Supplemental Databases
•
•
Used when an object has a temporary nature, such as a comet, or is
missing from the main database
Supplemental objects work just like any other object in database
– Can create Log entries
– Can associate data such as notes, rating, and images
– If exported with a list the object data is automatically exported to
•
•
•
•
Managed via the Supplemental Data tab on the Data Manager
Download/Import Data button used to get comet / minor planet data
Enable supplemental objects on charts via View Controls
How to tell whether an object is in the Supplemental Database
– Via the Object Requestor
– Via the Object Info window
Associated Data
•
Three types of data can be associated with objects
– Notes/Ratings
– Images
– Web links
•
•
Each type of data is organized into Groups
Associated data can be exported along with an observing list
Sharing Data
•
Export an observing list + associated data
–
–
–
–
•
Notes/ratings
Images
Web links
Log Entries
Send your best observing lists to me!
Synchronizing data between
different computers
•
•
The SkyTools license allows use on more than one computer
Use Sync to transfer data without the worry of overwriting anything
Managing Observing Lists
•
•
Use the Data Manager Tool
Organized by Observing List Groups
– Move lists from one group to another
•
•
Copy/Move objects from one list to another
Use the Observing Lists tab of the Object Information window to see what
lists an object appears in
Tweaking DSS Images
•
•
Some download sources are better aligned than others
Select the best image color for your target
– Red for HII regions
– Blue for reflection nebulae and galaxies
•
•
Adjust rotation, scale, and center to get better alignment
Use the plottable image group to organize your DSS images on the charts
Visual Observing with
SkyTools 3
Tips for using SkyTools 3 to help you
get the most out of visual observing
Configuring SkyTools
•
Estimating your sky brightness – very important!
–
–
–
–
•
Defined at Zenith on a dark night
Use the Bortle Scale
Or use a Naked-eye chart
Or use a Sky Quality Meter
Creating an obstructed horizon
– Draw on an Overhead Sky Chart in the field
– Read from a File
– Use a connected telescope
Deep Sky Observing
•
Using finder charts in the field
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
The Context Method; at right orientation, scale, limiting magnitude
Adjusting the size of the views
Disabling Views
Moving Views
Forcing the target to be visible
Printing multiple finder charts
Useful Object Info tools
–
–
–
–
–
NightBar
YearBar
Apparent Data
Synopsis
Visual Difficulty
The Sun, Moon & Planets
•
•
Use the Sun, Moon, and Planets observing list
Events – Special vs. Current
–
–
–
–
–
•
•
•
•
•
Appulse/transits/occultation events
Eclipses
Jupiter satellite and Great Red Spot (GRS) events
Satellite elongation events
Open charts directly from events!
Observing distant planet satellites
Displaying satellite trails on charts
Using the best resolution eyepiece selection
Using the "b" key on the Atlas to zoom to the planet
Synopses on the Object Information Window
Comets
•
•
SkyTools is the only software that can reliably tell you if a comet is visible to
you
The Current comets observing list is always up to date with data culled from
recent observation reports
– Magnitude
– Coma diameter
– Degree of Condensation (DC)
•
•
Using the Optimum Ephemeris for comets
Comet Synopses on the Object Information Window
Asteroids (Minor Planets)
•
Two databases
– Primary/reference (first 10,000 numbered)
– Supplemental (must download latest elements)
•
•
The Current Minor Planets list
Downloading minor planet orbital elements
– Via the Supplemental Data tab on the Data Manager
•
DPS for minor planets (Pro) -- practice
Double Stars
•
Special Double-star planning columns
–
–
–
–
The Primary pair is the pair most likely to be observed (usu. The AB pair)
Splittability (how easy it is to split the main pair)
Optimum Splittability
Splittability status (stoplight column)
• Green if the current splittability is at or near optimum
• Yellow is somewhat inferior to optimum
• Red if you should wait for a better night
•
Charts
– Can zoom in to 1”
– Using the best resolution eyepiece selection
– Plotting long-period binary star orbits
•
•
•
Reading the Object Info
Long-Period binary ephemerides
Using the Database Power Search for double stars
Nova and Supernovae
•
The Current Nova/Supernovae List
– Updated every few days
Real Time Observing
•
•
•
•
•
•
All calculations for the current time
Targeting with DSCs (or Pushto mounts)
Targeting via GOTO mounts
Use Optimum Sort to put the best current objects at the top
Charts open in Real Time update mode
Configuring Real Time Refresh Rates
The Context Viewer
•
•
•
•
•
A popup simulation window for the Interactive Atlas
Also displays the selected FOV on the Atlas
Lock to Atlas (always locked to the Atlas target, or center)
Lock to Telescope (always locked to the current position of the scope)
Simulation toggle
– Simulate view for current conditions
– Or simulate view for optimum conditions
•
All toggle – display all non-stellar objects whether visible or not
Logging Observations
•
How to set up defaults
– The New Log Defaults Dialog
– Also used for creating multiple log entries
•
How to use context to quickly create log entries
– From the planner/real time
– From a chart
•
•
•
•
How to set up presets for eyepieces and conditions
Using the log search function
Creating Night Logs
Miscellaneous Logs
The Mount Alignment Tool
•
•
•
Available from the Real Time tool only
Opened via the Telescope Control menu
Two Methods of Alignment
– Via a chart of the pole location
– Via the drift meothod
SkyTools 3 Tools for Digital
Imaging
Tools for Optimizing Imaging Sessions
Introduction
• SkyTools uses a scientific model of your camera, optics,
location, atmospheric conditions, light pollution and
target object
• The model estimates the final Signal to Noise Ratio
(SNR) for the image or image stack
• The goal is to maximize SNR by making the best
informed choices (where and when to observe, what
order to use filters in, etc).
Setting Up a Camera
•
•
•
•
•
•
Traditional CCD camera
Digital Camera
Video/Webcam
Filters and Lenses
Focal extenders/reducers
Eyepiece Projection
Important Model Inputs
• Sky brightness
– An observing location parameter
• Estimated at zenith on a dark night
• Can use Bortle scale, faintest naked-eye star
• Ultimate measure is directly from your images
• Astronomical seeing
– Affects resolution and SNR
• Temperature and Relative Humidity
– Used to estimate atmospheric extinction
Color Filters
•
Broadband filters only
– Narrow-band filters not presently supported because single emission lines are
not modeled
•
Convolution of:
–
–
–
–
–
Target object surface brightness at U, B, V
Typical sky surface brightness at U, B, V
Optical transmission at U, B, V
Filter transmission
Detector sensitivity vs. wavelength
Estimating Sky Brightness
from an Image
1.
Start with an image obtained under a dark sky
Record:
•
Target
•
Time
•
Filter
2.
Measure the dark subtracted sky signal in ADU
3.
Set the Exposure Calculator exactly match the image circumstances
4.
Set sub-exposure time = total exposure time
5.
Read estimated sky value in ADU and compare to measured value
6.
Adjust sky brightness on Observing Sites dialog until the two numbers are close
The Exposure Calculator
•
Really an Imaging Laboratory
– Experiment! Try different things to see and watch the effect on the final SNR
•
Stacking and recommended sub exposure times
– The optimum sub exposure time depends on the camera, telescope, object, and
observing conditions. This optimum obtains the highest SNR in the final stacked
image.
– It is important to get the sky brightness (light pollution) right!
– In some cases the final SNR may be insensitive to sub exposure time. The
program may suggest very short exposures. Use the calculator to explore what
impact different sub exposures times has and come to your own conclusions.
– Set Allowable Sub-exposure times
•
Effective Resolution
– Estimated resolution including the effects of seeing
•
Current Weather Conditions
– Astronomical seeing
– Air temperature
– Relative humidity
Questions Answered
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is the optimum sub-exposure time for my current conditions?
What is the estimated Signal to Noise Ratio I will obtain for a given
exposure?
What is the estimated total exposure time needed to reach a specific Signal
to Noise Ratio?
How much effect is the moon going to have tonight?
Should I travel to a dark site?
In what order should I expose when using multiple filters?
How long can I image a planet before rotational smear blurs the composite
image?
What is my field of view?
How many pixels will my target cover?
How many pixels apart with a pair of stars be?
Digital Imaging at the
Telescope
Using SkyTools to get the most out of the various
types of digital imaging
Planning Deep Sky Imaging
Sessions
•
Reading the NightBar
– Red line is altitude
– Blue line is relative imaging quality (Q) Q=100 best possible from this site
•
•
•
Quality Letter Grades (A, B, C, D, F) – filter to A or B only
Use Optimum Sort
Using the Exposure Calculator
–
–
–
–
–
Select one or more Q block(s)
Drag yellow lines on NightBar to manually select exposure
Manually select sub exposure time
Manually setting target surface brightness
Calculate exposure for a desired SNR
Planning Solar, Lunar, and
Planetary Imaging Sessions
•
Reading the NightBar
– Red line is altitude
– Blue line is relative imaging quality (Q) Q=100 best possible from this site
– Solid orange line is relative effective resolution quality
•
•
•
SNR is still useful but also we want to maximize resolution
Filter on “A – excellent only”
Using the Exposure Calculator
– No seeing selection (short exposures assumed)
– Period of time without rotational smear (for total observation period)
Planning Double star Imaging
Sessions
•
Reading the NightBar
– Red line is altitude
– Blue line is relative imaging quality (Q) Q=100 best possible from this site
– Solid orange line is relative effective resolution quality
•
SNR is still useful but also we want to maximize resolution
•
Filter on “A – excellent only”
•
Resolution Parameter (RP): A value of 1.0 indicates a pair that is barely
resolved under the current conditions. A value less than one indicates that
the pair is unresolved. Values greater than one indicate increasingly wellsplit pairs.
•
Image size column: separation of component stars in pixels
•
Using the Exposure Calculator
– No seeing selection (short exposures assumed)
– Period of time without rotational smear (for total observation period)
Real Time Imaging
•
•
•
All calculations for the current time
Use Optimum Sort to put the best current objects at the top
Filter on “A – excellent”
The Context Viewer
•
•
•
A popup simulation window for the Interactive Atlas
Also displays the selected FOV on the Atlas
Lock to Telescope (always locked to the current position of the scope)
– Drag FOV on Atlas to reposition telescope
– Rotate FOV with mouse (from corner)
•
•
•
•
Simulation toggle
Simulate view for current conditions
Or simulate view for optimum conditions
All toggle – display all non-stellar objects whether visible or not