ACP Target Selector Application
This utility application for ACP 5 allows you to easily
specify a list of desired targets and have ACP image them as they each
reach the best position in the sky over the
course of multiple nights, until the specified amount of imaging time
is reached
on the target.
The
advantage of automatically selecting the best placed target is that you
can simply add new targets from your TODO list to the candidate targets
list and the application will take exposures of that target once it
becomes the best target available, until the desired number of runs
have been performed.
The targets from which it will select are defined in the
"targets.txt" file which should
be placed in the same directory as the target selector application.
When run, the application will create a log file "ACPSelector.log" in
the default
ACP logs directory.
The format of the targets file is quite simple - it is a list of
targets with all the qualifying ACP directives, separated by a line
containing just:
**** remaining={count}
where {count} is the remaining number of times you wish that target
plan to be executed by the scheduler.
Each time that target is selected for running, the remaining count
is decremented in the targets.txt file automatically.
All targets in the targets.txt file must have explicit RA/DEC coords,
you cannot use
the ACP deepsky catalog lookup function.
The target line must be the last line before the **** separator line.
An example targets.txt file entry looks like this:
#Filter Clear,Red,Green,Blue
#Binning 1,2,2,2
#Count 20,10,10,10
#Interval 60,60,60,60
NGC2403 07:37:34.07 65° 35' 12.0"
**** remaining=9
Here we can see the target is NGC2403 at the coords specified.
The lines above it will be entered into a plan file and passed to ACP.
You can specify any valid directives above it - they will simply be
passed
straight through to the ACP plan file untouched. This enables you to
use the full power of ACP's plans, but with an automated selection
process.
In this example, ACP will take 20 subs through the clear filter and 10
subs through
each of the RGB filters.
This target has 9 remains runs required.
A complete example targets file is included in this .zip file:
I generally make the plan details for each target last for about an
hour of exposure time, short enough that the application can
effectively schedule them, but long enough to cut down on the
scheduling overhead.
If autofocus is required, make the time per
target just slightly longer than the desired autofocus interval, since
the application can only initiate an autofocus upon starting a new
imaging run.
ACPSelector links in to the sky safety property in ACP, so it will pause imaging while the skys are unsafe, restarting once they become safe again.
The user can also enter the maximum sun elevation at which to start/stop imaging. A value of -18 degrees is the standard value for astronomical twilight, -9 is nautical twilight. This setting ensures that imaging is only performed during darkness.
Config options:
- Max sun elevation to start imaging (nighttime detection)
- Autofocus interval
- Elevation and azimuth limits
Version history:
v1.0 - Initial release.
v1.1 - Ensure targets are no longer selected when remaining count reaches zero.
v1.2 - User config of sun elevation to start imaging.
v1.3 - Add missing autofocus support.
ACPSelector v1.3
If you download this to give it a go, please post feedback on
the ACP
forum, or email me directly at: winfij_AT_gmail_DOT_com
One final note - if you have any errors, please note the exact error
messages
and let me know!
Regards,
John