Planetarium

APT is able to communicate with growing number of planetarium applications. Currently supported are Cartes du Ciel (CdC), Computer Aided Astronomy (C2A), SkytechX, Hallo Northern SKY (HNSKY) and Stellarium. See the Planetarium settings tab section for information on how to make connection to the applications.

The integration is in two ways. APT is able export information to planetarium in order to see an object in larger context. This allows seeing what other objects are nearby and helps to define image framing by optimal way. It is also possible to import data from planetarium - useful if you want to save a framed target for future use, to help near solving, to make GoTo++ (GoTo with image confirmation) or regular GoTo when the planetarium is not connected to the mount. The import features can be very useful when scope without direct support in Stellarium is connected, using APT as ASCOM bridge/proxy for Stellarium.

Note: You have to start the planetarium application in order APT to be able to connect it it.

Export can be made:

In PointCraft when there is a solved image. Use Show button to see the Field-Of-View (FOV) from the current image in planetarium.
In DeepSky, Stars, Custom, ToDo tabs of Object Browser. Use Show button to see the saved object in planetarium using the FOV size defined by Object Calculator.
In Object Calculator in Tools tab. Use Shift+Click on the Recalc button (or Alt+W shortcut). APT collects the current telescope coordinates (if connected), the rotator position (if connected) and the current FOV defined by the Object Browser to see in planetarium where the telescope is pointed. If there is no telescope or rotator connection it will still show the FOV size.

Import can be made:

In PointCraft use Shift+Click on Objects to load the current FOV coordinates from the planetarium in Approx Ra/Dec. Useful to use the planetarium to set the approximate coordinates for near Solving.
In PointCraft use Shift+Click on Objects to load the current FOV coordinates from the planetarium in GoTo++ Ra/Dec. Useful to use the planetarium for framing and then to get the coordinates for GoTo++.
In Gear tab use Shift+Click on Objects to load the current FOV coordinates from the planetarium in GoTo Ra/Dec. Useful to use the planetarium for framing and then to get the coordinates for regular GoTo.
In Custom tab of Object Browser. When an object is added or edited, use the button Catch RA/Dec/Angle to populate the RA, Dec and Angle (if supported by the planetarium)

Here is a solved image of M78. The data for the detected FOV is sent to the planetariums below.

This is how Show button interacts with Cartes du Ciel. See the configuration notes. You can use CdC to create a mosaics frames and then import them for usage in the Object Browser. For more information for to create the frames see - http://aptforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1958

This is how Show button interacts with Computer Aided Astronomy (C2A).

This is how Show button interacts with Skytech X. See the configuration notes.

This is how Show button interacts with Hallo Northern SKY (HNSKY). See the configuration notes. Han Kleijn, the author of HNSKY have recorded two very interesting clips demonstrating some interesting features including creation of mosaic and storing the frames in APT

Clip 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1GW1neM3zk&feature=youtu.be

Clip 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj6QUQX1sPc&feature=youtu.be

This is how Show button interacts with Stellarium. See the configuration notes. The coordinates import features can be very useful when scope without direct support in Stellarium is connected, using APT as ASCOM bridge/proxy for Stellarium.