DSS for Mac OSX

[Martthebass]

Unfortunately I am a Mac User, PC at work, Mac at home.  This hasn't been a problem until I decided on this foray into astro-imaging.  I'm using a ASIair pro for the capture side which is great but I'm falling back on my MBP (which I'd upgraded with a SSD) for the stacking and processing side.  Sadly I seem to have fallen at the first hurdle as I didn't realise that DSS wasn't on OSX and I'm really clueless about boot partitions/emulators and the like to get PC stuff running on the MBP.  So....can someone recommend me something similar (and simple) that will do the same job?  I watched a tutorial on Nebulosity which seemed somewhat complicated but it might have just not been a good tutorial.....TIA

[Martin Meredith]

Can't help with specifics as I am not really an astro-imager (though I do develop Mac software for EAA) but you might find this is a useful thread:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/605891-astrophotography-on-the-mac/

Martin

 

[MarkAR]

I was in the same boat, nearly all the best freebies are PC. So do I run windows on a Mac, no chance.

Played around with SIRIL, ASTAP and LYNKEOS, all native for Mac and couldn't get on with them. Currently on a trial period of Pixinsight, probably seems like the most expensive but if you factor in it's an all in one pre and post processing piece of software, it's stable, loads of tutorials around, targeted at AP and it is brilliant. No need for any other processing apps.

For image capture and automation KStars/Ekos is free and works well.

[Ouroboros]

I think using a Mac for astronomy is much easier than when I started a few years ago. I’m now completely Mac based.  I am also a  supporter of KStars/EKOS for Mac, which is free. 

I also now use PixInsight for Mac which apart from being a great post-processing package, also includes alignment and stacking. 

For a few years  I ran Windows as a virtual operating system on my MacBook.  I used the Parallels software for Mac to do that.  It works well. In fact it was (and still is) the most stable Windows PC I’ve ever had.  But for me, with my relatively challenged IT skills, it was quite a challenge to set up. The advantage to me then was that DSS is free, as was the mount control software, and I already had my own copy of photoshop for post processing. 

The alternative of course is to buy a cheapish Windows laptop purely for Astronomy. 

[Tangoringo]

I can only echo the above comments. I initially baulked at the price of Pixinsight but its worth every penny if you are wanting to AP seriously IMHO.

[JamesF]

There are mutterings between the DSS developers about moving away from the Windows-based UI code to something more cross-platform such as Qt.  That would make it quite feasible to port to MacOS.  I reckon it might take quite a while though.  I'd not hold my breath

James

[happy-kat]

On a Mac have a look at SIRIL for stacking images

StarTools comes in mac flavour as well

Edited May 20, 2020 by happy-kat

[Martthebass]

Many thanks for the replies.  Now that night has finished until August here in the depths of Yorkshire I'll have some time to try and get to grips with some of the advice. 

[uhb1966]

I'm still using vmware and windows 7 for guiding, shooting and stacking , but it's a pain - as stated before.

If APT wasn't such a great software, i'd have moved off windows by now.

For post-processing, i use startools and Gimp 2.10 on the mac.

Edited May 27, 2020 by uhb1966

[Kluson]

I want to try some photography and have downloaded Siril. I saw a tutorial on you tube which made it look pretty straight forward. I will never allow anything windows near my Mac 🙂 . My Mac will remain pure and virtuous  🙂.

[ejp1684]

I use Parallels on my iMac and run DSS and other Win software without any trouble.

Eric.

[bottletopburly]

Run scripts in Siril is literally a few clicks of the mouse .

[ejp1684]

14 hours ago, bottletopburly said:

Run scripts in Siril is literally a few clicks of the mouse .

I agree. Below is my first attempt with all processing done using Siril (on Mac), taken with Star Adventurer and ancient Canon 400D unmodified, and old 35-135mm lens.

 It's actually a screen shot as I couldn't get Siril to export a TIFF file in colour, seemed to want to stick to grey scale.

Eric.

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by ejp1684