This section shows the status and gives control over the guiding process. See Dithering and Guiding section for detailed information about the supported guiding applications / devices and the configuration of the connection.
Connect / Disconnect
Starts / Stops the guiding. If there is no active connection to the guiding application / device, Start button will make a connection first. Shift+Click on Settings button also makes connection.
Shows in in real-time detailed information - the RA/Dec corrections (for the applications that provide this information) in pixels and arc-seconds. "T" shows the RMS (root-mean-square error) again in in pixels and arc-seconds.
Shows the guiding graph in real-time. For applications like PHD1 and Lin_Guider the graph will be one combined line for both directions. A re-sizable version of this graph is available in Graphs Aid.
Opens the Guide Settings dialog box. APT can communicate with various guiding applications and devices. See Dithering and Guiding section.
The text on the button varies:
Settings
No dithering and Auto-Cancel enabled
Settings [C]
Dithering disabled, Auto-Cancel enabled
Settings [D]
Dithering enabled, Auto-Cancel disabled
Settings [D+C]
Both Dithering and Auto-Cancel enabled
Dithering is making small mount movements between the imaging exposures. This technique combined with at least 10 exposures and "sigma-clip", pixel rejection (or equivalent) staking method gives very good control over the noise, dark / hot pixels, satellite and airplane tracks.
Auto-Cancel is an APT feature that allows stopping a running exposure if the distance to the guiding star becomes bigger than a defined limit, in order to save imaging time or to save the already gathered data. For example - there is no need to wait 10 minutes if guiding ruined the exposure in the first minute.
Use Shift+Click on Settings button to close/reopen connection to the guiding application or device.
