As reported in earlier posts, Nicola has been working hard to port AstroDMx Capture for Linux over to Windows as she has already done for the soon to be released macOS version of the software. She has been concentrating on the implementation of USB tethered DSLR camera models that are supported by the manufacturer for tethering, in addition to a number of USB astronomy cameras.
Capturing the Orion Nebula with a USB tethered Canon EOS 4000D DSLR, a Skymax 127 Maksutov and AstroDMx Capture for Windows.
Screenshot of AstroDMx Capture capturing data on the Orion Nebula with the tethered Canon EOS 4000D.
It will be noticed that the display has been zoomed to 54% of its maximum to facilitate focusing on the stars of the Trapezium. The camera is actually capturing a much wider field of view over the whole sensor.
30 x 20s exposures were captured at ISO 3200, with matching dark-frames. The images were stacked in Autostakkert 3.0 with dark-frame correction. The resulting image was post-processed in the Gimp 2.10 and Neat Image.
The Orion Nebula
Capturing Venus with a ZWO ASI178MC 14-bit CMOS camera and a Skymax 127 Maksutov and AstroDMx Capture for Windows.
A ZWO ASI178MC 14-bit camera fitted with a x2.5 Barlow was placed at the Cassegrain focus of a Skymax 127 Maksutov, mounted on a Celestron AVX, GOTO mount.
AstroDMx Capture for Windows was used to capture a 15,000 frame SER file of Venus. Autostakkert 3.0 was used to stack the best 1,500 frames. The resulting image was post-processed in the Gimp 2.10.
Screenshot of AstroDMx Capture capturing data on Venus with a ZWO ASI178MC
The seeing was poor. A region of interest of 640 x 480 was used to capture the Venus data.
Venus
Capturing the Trapezium of the Orion Nebula with the ZWO ASI178MC 14-bit camera, a Skymax 127 Maksutov and AstroDMx Capture for Windows.
50 x 18s exposures were captured with matching dark-frames. The images were stacked in Autostakkert 3.0 with dark-frame correction. The resulting image was post-processed in the Gimp 2.10.
Screenshot of AstroDMx Capture for Windows capturing data on the Trapezium with a ZWO ASI178MC
The Trapezium stars and surrounding nebulosity
AstroDMx Capture for Windows allows a tethered, supported DSLR camera to be fully controlled and used as a proper astronomy camera. The Canon 4000D as with most modern DSLRs, is a 14-bit camera, but other supported cameras may be 12-bit cameras.
Nicola is making significant progress. There is still a way to go, but she is getting there.
