Any Focusing Software?

[zakkhogan]

Hi all

im using Sharpcap wilth my cpc800 + ASI120mm but the images i getting back arnt spectacular  and i think it focusing,

i focus the best i can but as i say the end result is pretty poor, I know sharpcap has 'Focus Score' but i dont really understand it and i also done think it works on the moon

so i wondered if there was any dedicated focusing software to assist with the job?

thanks

Craig 

[K3ny0n]

You might find you have got your focus spot on, when you are taking image's of the moon you get a lot of atmosphere interfering and this is best noticed when visually observing the moon. It looks as though it is contantly wobbling.

Have you got the pictures you took?

Rob.

[zakkhogan]

Hi Rob, thanks for the reply

visibility wasnt great last night and i was fairly close to the house, but i have attached the images below,

im greatfull for you input

craig 

[SnakeyJ]

Hi Craig - Images and focus looks pretty good to me and may be seeing limited.   I use a bahtinov mask to set the camera up on a bright star, then pan over to the moon or other planet/target.    The focus point can be slightly different if using filters, even those supposed to be parfocal especially on faster scopes.    When using my parfocal Baader LRGB filters, I set the bahtinov up with the green filter and position the star off center (rule of thirds).     Firecapture also offers FHW focus help, though to be honest I find the bahtinov simpler and quicker when the seeing is not excellent!

For lunar its well worth having a go with IR-PASS filters (like Astronomik Pro Planet 742) as the longer wavelengths are less affected by poor seeing, even visual deep red filters can help considerably - but you also want to keep the frame rate up as high as possible.

There is focus software that can help, Focusmax is free and most of the pro imaging software has some functionality built in - though think these are really designed to control electric (stepper/dc motor) focusers via ascom.    I imagine that most of the decent electric focusers will come with their own software or compilations.     However, I know that Hitecastro do two products, Focusmaster for stepper focusers and HitecDCFocus for DC motors - both of these come bundled with ascom drivers and Focusmax software.    I've no direct experience of any of these having built my own arduino controlled stepper focuser, but so far this is only for standalone 'press button' operation.

Personally, any kind of electic focus is a massive advantage, removing the vibration caused by even the gentlest manual adjustment!

[zakkhogan]

sorry to ask a silly question but is there a differnece between an IR-PASS and a IR-CUT filter?

[Gina]

One passes IR and little else and the other blocks IR and longer wavelengths, passing the visual spectrum.

[perfrej]

FocusMax focuses on stars, not the moon, but then again, the difference in focus between the two is virtually nothing. I would focus on a star with FocusMax and then point the thing at the dredful grayish thing ruining my astro photography sessions

(actually I wouldn't, because I do not shoot the moon at all  )

/per

[dmahon]

Focusmax is free - but it doesn't work standalone. You may have to spend £500 for Maxim if you don't already have it.

[Gina]

Yikes!   I knew Maxim was expensive but...

[perfrej]

Sorry, but any step you take in the direction of automation is going to send you to MaximDL. It's crud in many ways but it has a most extensive automation API, which of course is the reason for automation software makers' selection of it as the interface to the hardware.

/per