Linux AND Astro-Imaging

[Peter Baitz]

Hi all,

Since most discussions on imaging involve Windows-based applications, I try to do my best to throw in a Linux alternative.

I currently use Fedora Core 6 (alternatively Red Hat Enterprise Linux v4) as my Linux operating system, and "qAstrocam" as my image-capturing software. Since I use a Philips webcam, the ToUcam Pro and ToUcam Pro III (SPC900NC) I make sure the Linux "PWC" driver is installed - not just the stock software but the latest image downloaded from Saillard.org, especially because I need to insure my LX (long exposure) modification to the SPC900NC is supported. For processing the images, I use AstroStack (which works with Blackdown.org Java) for stacking and pre-processing, then final processing with Gimp v2 for Linux which comes with most Linux distributions.

Another choice for those who don't want to delve into Linux per say, but would be interesting in a straight forward solution to Astro-Imaging, is
'AstroLinux' seen at http://www.obs-psr.com/astrolinux/ (formerly called Lin4Astro for which there is a Lin4Astro Yahoo group to support it). This is a boot from CD solution which gives you all the pieces you need for imaging.

If you need a planetarium software, specifically one that most easily will support your telescope (such as a Celestron NexStar) use of Kstars 1.2.5 from http://edu.kde.org/kstars/ will be more than adequate. Another one is Xephem from clearskyinstitute.com. Two other such solutions for Linux are Celestia which allows you to virtually tour the universe, and Stellarium which is basically a visual observing aid to the sky as seen from the ground. (For links to those sites see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KStars .)

Hope this helps.

Peter

PS. You can find links to the above software on my website:
http://www.freewebtown.com/baitzobservatory/

[slowpoke4333]

Hi Peter,

As a Linux user, I appreciate this post! Unfortunately, I use a Meade DSI Pro which doesn't work with any Linux based software. If I could use my DSI Pro with Kstars, I would be a *very* happy customer.

Regarding GIMP, I've gotten very frustrated recently with the fact that it only handles 8 bit images, so I lose a lot of dynamic range in my astrophotography when using it for image handling. I've found that it's only useful for final tweaks, but it could be useful for a lot more if it handled 16 bit images.

Slowpoke

Originally Posted by Peter Baitz

Hi all,

Since most discussions on imaging involve Windows-based applications, I try to do my best to throw in a Linux alternative.

I currently use Fedora Core 6 (alternatively Red Hat Enterprise Linux v4) as my Linux operating system, and "qAstrocam" as my image-capturing software. Since I use a Philips webcam, the ToUcam Pro and ToUcam Pro III (SPC900NC) I make sure the Linux "PWC" driver is installed - not just the stock software but the latest image downloaded from Saillard.org, especially because I need to insure my LX (long exposure) modification to the SPC900NC is supported. For processing the images, I use AstroStack (which works with Blackdown.org Java) for stacking and pre-processing, then final processing with Gimp v2 for Linux which comes with most Linux distributions.

Another choice for those who don't want to delve into Linux per say, but would be interesting in a straight forward solution to Astro-Imaging, is
'AstroLinux' seen at http://www.obs-psr.com/astrolinux/ (formerly called Lin4Astro for which there is a Lin4Astro Yahoo group to support it). This is a boot from CD solution which gives you all the pieces you need for imaging.

If you need a planetarium software, specifically one that most easily will support your telescope (such as a Celestron NexStar) use of Kstars 1.2.5 from http://edu.kde.org/kstars/ will be more than adequate. Another one is Xephem from clearskyinstitute.com. Two other such solutions for Linux are Celestia which allows you to virtually tour the universe, and Stellarium which is basically a visual observing aid to the sky as seen from the ground. (For links to those sites see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KStars .)

Hope this helps.

Peter

PS. You can find links to the above software on my website:
http://www.freewebtown.com/baitzobservatory/

[John R. Duchek]

One of the especially fun parts of Xephem is the fact that the author Elwood Downey has allowed the high precision calculation engine to be available as a module in Python. This makes it a fairly simple exercise in programming to load catalogs, do various calculations on almost anything. The calculating engine for Xephem is well thought out, accurate and very extensive. In less than 100 lines of python, I have it load the comet or asteroid catalog, list them, and when one is selected display it RA, DEC for any date. Works really nice with my GOTO scope. I am a registered Xephem user and really like the program!
John

[John R. Duchek]

There is a version of GIMP that split off from the main branch that does 16 bit images. I have never used it, but it is called cinepaint, I think. I don't know how well developed it is, but it might be worth a try.

http://www.cinepaint.org/

John