SharpCap Updates to Solar and Lunar Mosaic Tools are available in the latest SharpCap 4.1 Beta release. SharpCap is an easy-to-use and powerful astronomy camera capture tool. It can be used with dedicated astronomy cameras, webcams and USB frame grabbers. A wide range of features makes SharpCap suitable for many types of astro-imaging including Planetary, Lunar, Solar, Deep Sky and EAA (Electronically Assisted Astronomy).
As the publisher notes about the SharpCap Updates to Solar and Lunar Mosaic Tools in the beta version, “These tools are reaching the stage where they are reliable enough to be generally useful. If anyone would like to try them out, then please feel free to do so – you do not need a SharpCap Pro license to use these tools while SharpCap 4.1 is still in beta.”
SharpCap 4.1 contains the following new and improved features:
– A new Moon Mosaic planning tool (see sequencer menu – requires GOTO mount).
– Autofocus Improvements
– Python Scripting updated to Python 3.x
– Improvements to Feature Tracking
– Handle disconnected cameras that then reconnect (most camera types)
– Handle disconnected ASCOM hardware that is reconnectable or that works after a retry
– Add ASCOM switch support
– Add configurable settle times for mount and focuser
– Add on-camera filter wheel support for Atik and Moravian cameras
– Basler camera support updated to support Pylon 7.2.1 (or newer)
– Keyboard shortcuts for zoom-to-fit (CTRL+0) and zoom to 100% (CTRL+1)
– Flip image (after dark/flat) option to allow reorientation without needing new calibration files
– Option to recenter live stacking periodically (using plate solving) once the drift reaches a threshold level
– Pause and resume guiding automatically when SharpCap commands an ASCOM mount slew
– Add non-linear gradient background removal
– Option to mask over-exposed pixels to black (solar disk masking)
– Add horizontal zoom option to main histogram for close inspection around black level
– Improvements to GOTO Target/Co-ordinates tool including plate solving refinement and live stacking save/stop/restart
– Add Exposure/Gain shift control to quickly change exposure and gain while keeping image brightness constant (supports most cameras)
– Added a ‘Connect all hardware’ button to the toolbar
– More flexible image stretch in live stacking
– Additional color noise reduction option in live stacking
– Hot and cold pixel removal option as an alternative to using dark frames
– Improvements to display stretch, including toggle on/off and a continuous stretch adjustment mode
The SharpCap Updates to Solar and Lunar Mosaic plus other latest beta release information and downloads can be found here.
The Sun is more active than it’s been in years and if that’s not enough, we have the Annular Solar Eclipse on October 14, 2023 and the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024! If you’d like to learn more about the technology behind solar observing, solar imaging and more, you can check out our free publication, “The Definitive Guide to Viewing and Imaging the Sun”. You don’t have to sign up or provide any information, simply click here and enjoy reading!
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