To create light curves, I'd like to be able to have the scope bounce around between several objects during the course of a full night. I am testing out telescope/camera automation software packages, and by far, my favorite for this type of scripting is CCD Commander. Others are either too expensive, or are bloated with features that do not interest me.
So I got everything working with CCD Commander, and was ready to purchase it, but it kept pointing the scope 10' or so away from the target. In the script, I noticed that it is automatically precessing coordinates from J2000 to JNow. My mount (a 10Micron GM2000), interprets those JNow coordinates fed to it from CCD Commander as J2000. Just stop precessing the coordinates to JNow; pretty simple problem to solve, no?
My queries to the software author and the Yahoo group have not been answered. I wondered if anybody reading this forum uses CCD Commander, and as had to address this issue. Please don't answer by recommending other software packages. Thanks.
Tom
Hi Tom,
I have been using CCDC for years. Look in your Move to RA and Dec command. In the upper third of the box directly to the right of the RA and DEC coordinates there are two choices JNow and J2000. Select J2000. That should do it.
One other thought is to make sure your time is set correctly...
Regards,
Russ
Hi Tom.
I am also using CCDC since several years doing just what you are wanting to achive. I observe about 40 different stars a night, several in snapshot mode (only a few images in different filters) and about 10 in time series mode, jumping from one to the next. I use a DDM85 direct drive mount which does not have gears like your 10Micron. The mount has done 100000ths of slews.
I have already submitted 1.6 million observations to the AAVSO and do on average 320 nights of observations.
So if you have specific questions which have not yet been answered you can contact me.
I do not remember having seen your posts on the CCDC yahoo group. Matt the developer is not always onlne due to his daytime job.
Russ has probably answered your question already.
Josch