----- Original Message -----
From: "James Ellis" <ejge24@...>
To: <guide-user@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2002 1:47 AM
Subject: [guide-user] scope xtrol


> Bernard
>
> I think what you are aiming for is to have the scope 'cursor' animate
across
> the screen to display where the scope is pointed at the present time. This
> would involve the scope sending back to Guide (or Scope.exe sending to
> Guide) continuous updates of it's RA/DEC or Alt/Az coords.
>
> While it would be interesting to see which path in the sky a scope takes
to
> point to a certain object, I can't see any more advantage of having an
> animated cursor (other than the coolness effect), or maybe it's just my
> befuddled mind on a slow Sunday morning.

Hi James,

The reason I think this is useful (and the reason it's in "SkyMap") is to
allow you to optionally have the star chart automatically "follow" the
telescope's aim point as it moves across the sky. This is extremely useful
if, to take one simple example, you're just "sweeping" across the sky with
your telescope, you come across an interesting object, and you want to know
what it is. Having a telescope "cursor" on the star chart which always
represents the current position of the scope makes this identification
process very straightforward.

As you rightly say, this involves the computer asking the telescope "where
are you pointing?" every so often, and updating the telescope cursor
accordingly.

Regards,

Chris
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Marriott, SkyMap Software, UK
e-mail: chris@... Web site: http://www.skymap.com
Astronomy software written by astronomers, for astronomers