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INDUSTRYNEWSCARINA SOFTWAREVoyager Version 4.5 Now AvailableFor more than fifteen years, CarinaSoftware has been offering full-featured planetariumsoftware programs and the newest versionof its Voyager software program, Voyager4.5, builds on this experience with one of themost robust software programs available todayfor amateur and professional astronomers.The new enhancements are many. Theseinclude a new look and feel with a multitudeof new graphic updates including windowsand dialog boxes which now contain nativecontrols that better match the Aqua interfaceof Mac OS X and the Aero theme for WindowsVista. Its planet, moon, ring, and shadowdrawing code has beencompletely rewritten toinclude the effects of perspectiveand rotationalflattening. Voyager 4.5 canalso export sky charts asJPEG or TIFF files foreasy display on web pagesor to import into otherdocuments. The Mac OSX version can also exportsky charts in PICT format.Other graphicimprovements includenew planet and moonmaps, new digitized sky survey deep-skyobject images, realistically rendered stars, apanoramic digital milky way, and wide-fieldchart projections.Voyager 4.5 also offers several new softwareengine improvements including the abilityto download and import the latest orbitdata for comets and asteroids directly from theMinor Planet Center. It can also downloadand import satellite orbit files in standardNORAD TLE (Two Line Element) format –all to ensure accurate position predictions.It also includes data for nearly one hundrednew planetary moons that have been discoveredin the 21st century. In addition, youcan now customize the display options forevery planet and moon in the Solar Systemindividually. View Titan's surface as seen byCassini’s infrared camera; watch Saturn's“shepherd” moons orbiting outside the delicateF-ring; view the chaotic mix of Jupiter's“temporary” outer moons orbiting in retrogradearound the planet. Other engineimprovements include new calendar systems,new asteroid groups, a high-performanceimplementation of JPL's state-of-the-artDE408 planetary ephemeris, as well as theamazing ability to accurately model the precessionof the Earth’s axis and the motions ofthe stars back to the dawn of humanity.A wealth of new data has been addedincluding textual, plain-English descriptionsfor hundreds of planets, moons, stars, clusters,nebulae, and galaxies. The program includesan updated image gallery of over 1,400 highqualityastronomical images. It also includesthe latest version (2006.5) of theWashington Double Star catalog,with information on morethan 100,000 multiple systemsand over 2,000 binary stars.Voyager 4.5’s basic stellardatabase is comprised of a combinationof data from NASA’sSKYMAP catalog, and theHipparcos, Tycho-1, andTycho-2 catalogs. It is a completeand comprehensive compendiumof data on more than2.5 million stars brighterthan magnitude 12.Data for more than38,000 variable stars, and over100,000 double stars – including more than1,300 binary systems with orbits – are integratedinto the main stellar database. Voyager4.5’s DVD version expands its basic stellardatabase by including all stars from the second-generationGuide Star Catalog brighterthan magnitude 18 – a total of more than 155million stars.The software’s deep-sky object databasehas been completely rebuilt, using data from21st-century sources wherever possible. TheDVD version contains the complete 2003 versionof the Principal Galaxy Catalog, containingdata on nearly one million galaxies.Voyager 4.5 includes Go-To support forthe ServoCAT, Argo Navis, as well as the latestcomputer-controlled telescopes from Meadeand Celestron, including the entireMeade LX-200, LX-200 GPS, and Autostarlines, and the Celestron NexStar, and NexStarGPS series. Many older models, includingsimple encoder systems, are also supported.Most telescopes will require a USB-to-Serialadapter.Voyager 4.5 is available for $199.95 forthe DVD set and $149.95 for the CD set.Previous owners of Voyager will receive a discountbased on the version of the programthey currently own.For more information, please go towww.carinasoft.com.Telescope Accessories & HardwareFEATURING ITEMS FROM:TeleGizmos Covers - Astrozap Dew ShieldsDew-Not Dew Heaters - Peterson EngineeringAntares - Telrad - Rigel Systems - Sky SpotStarbound Chairs - Smart AstronomyDavid Chandler - Lightwedge - BaaderScopeStuff Piggyback & Balance KitsRings, Rails, Dovetails, Cables, ATM,Eyepieces, Filters, Diagonals, AdaptersGreen Lasers - And MUCH more!www.scopestuff.com 512-259-9778TelecopeCases & Coversby Pacific DesignCheckOut OurNewSoftSCCases!Telescope CasesTelescope CoversTripod BagsScope CapsDew Shieldswww.casesandcovers.comAstronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY 11

INDUSTRYNEWSASTRO TRACOffers Upgrades with the AstroTrac TT320XETXCGESuper Blowout on SelectMeade Products Limited Time!LX90CPSNexstarGPSACFSkyScout PersonalPlanetarium Now Just $299!Nexstar8SEWe are a CoronadoElite Dealer!P.S.T. Filters TelescopesGet Your Tele Vue8MM Ethos EyepieceNOW SHIPPING!LX200GPSCPCThe AstroTrac TT320X is the new andimproved version of the AstroTrac TT320, theinnovative motorized cameratracking mount that was introducedby UK based Astro Traclast year.The TT320X tracks themotion of the starsfor up to two hours with veryhigh accuracy, eliminatingthe usual star trails in fixedlong exposure images ofthe night sky or theneed to constantlyre-adjust manualAlt-Az mounts. Itoffers a very lightand stable mount tobuild astrophotoswith extended exposures,revealing the deeper structure and beauty ofthe sky. It’s the perfect product for anyone interestedin wide-field imaging with a camera and lens, aspotting scope, or telescope, or for anyone wantingto do visual observing using magnifications rangingfrom low to high power.The TT320X offers several significantenhancements to the original version. These includesolar and lunar tracking rates as standard, new drivemechanics, a lighter weight of 2.4 pound (1.1 kg), alonger polar scope arm – which makes for easierpolar alignment – and an increased load capacity of33 pounds (15 kg), an increase of 11 pounds (5 kg)over the original TT320.Because it’s small and portable enough to fitinto a camera bag, suitcase, or accessory case, youcan take it anywhere you can take a camera and tripod.The TT320X is precision CNC machinedto the highest tolerances and is equivalent to a24-inch diameter worm gear. Preloaded bearingsare used to provide smoothness under load.Aluminum and stainless steel are used throughoutfor lightness, strength and corrosion resistance.Polycarbonate shields (also used for bullet proofglass) protect the drive mechanism from damage.The TT320X draws minimal power, so youget around 10 hours tracking from a set of 8 AAbatteries.For more information or to find a dealer visitwww.astrotrac.com.12 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

INDUSTRYNEWSMEADE INSTRUMENTSIntroduces mySKY PlusMeade Instruments has announced that it has introduced severalenhancements to the popular mySKY, which it is now offeringas the mySKY Plus.Included is even more multimedia content featuring newvideo, animation, music and narration, as well as a more informativeintroduction and how-to guide on the operation of thedevice. GPS speed has been improved, so that it takes less time toenter the time, date, and location to be stored in the internal clockand memory. This information is automatically retrieved the nexttime the mySKY Plus is used, which provides for faster start up.The mySKY Plusutilizes a combinationof 12-channelGPS receiver, electronicaccelerometers,and magneticnorthsensors thatcombine to providehighly accurate calculationof thedevice’s locationand pointing orientation. Nouser input is required – simplyturn it on and it automaticallyacquires all data required to support itsnumerous functions. The mySKY boastsan upgradable database of over 30,000objects and delivers celestial information ina true multimedia format. Sight, sound andtactile feedback are simultaneously stimulatedby its unique integration of the full colorLCD display, clear, concise audio andintuitive pointing design.And, perhaps best of all, with anoptional cable, the mySKY controlsMeade computerized telescopes. Oncealigned, simply point and shoot and thescope moves to any celestial object target. The MeademySKY Plus Universe Guide also adds GPS capability to non-GPS Meade telescopes.For more information and a list of Meade retailers, go towww.meade.com14 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

NORTHEAST REGION OF THE ASTRONOMICAL LEAGUEPresents Stellafane Walter Scott Houston Award to Mike MatteiAmong the festivities of Stellafane2008 was the presentation of the WalterScott Houston Award to Mike Mattei. Theaward was made on August 2 by theNortheast Region of the AstronomicalLeague (NERAL).Mr. Mattei has long been an activemember of the Association of Lunar andPlanetary Observers and the AmericanAssociation of Variable Star Observers andalso active in amateur telescope making.He eventually made optics his professionaland specialized in design and fabrication ofoptics for the Space Optics Research Labsand Optical Systems and Technology, Inc.With these positions came responsibilityfor optics used in the exploration of space,including in the Ultraviolet Telescope forthe Goddard Space Flight Center.Mike’s career has included work atLincoln Labs (where he works today) onspecial “Star Wars” projects involving LaserImaging Optical Radar Systems and at theM.I.T. Wallace Astrophysical Observatory.His professional experience even extendsto teaching at the University of Hawaii.But, Mike is best known for the endlesshours he has spent teaching the art of mirrormaking at the workshops of theAmateur Telescope Makers of Boston.With its Walter Scott Houston Award,NERAL recognizes exemplary service tothe League and to amateur and professionalastronomy in general. Mr. Houston, theaward’s namesake, was a celebrated astronomyauthor who until his passing guidedthousands of observers through hismonthly column in Sky & Telecope.HYPERTUNE• Mounting HyperTune Service• HyperTune Kits• HyperTune DVD’s for:Celestron ASGT, CGEMeade LXD55, LXD75Orion Atlas, Siriuswww.telescopestabilitysystems.comINDUSTRYNEWSSubscribe Now!!!Print and OnlineIssues NowAvailable!ASTRONOMYTECHNOLOGY TODAYwww.astronomytechnologytoday.comNow OfferingHyperTuning Services!MOUNTS & ACCESSORIES• StableMax Tripod• MountMate Adaptor System• V and D Series Dovetails and Saddles• Atlas and Sirius HD CW shaftsCheck Out LXD55.COMand LXD75.COMQ453-HR – Only $1,499!The Q453-HR (QHY-8) is a largeformat 1.8" 6 mega pixel one shot colorcamera at world beater prices costingless than many competitors’ mediumformat cameras!BOTH CAMERAS OFFER· High resolution / High sensitivity / Excellent Ha sensitivity· Full 16 bit analog to digital conversion· Extremely low dark current (no dark frames needed if cooling is active)· Computer controlled regulated TEC supply (Q285-M only)· High speed USB2.0 interface (full frame downloads in less than 10 seconds)· High speed focus mode full frame downloads in 1 second· Includes Nebulosity for capture (AstroArt and MaximDL drivers available)· Sealed CCD chamber with Argon gas purgewww.ccd-labs.comQ285-M – Only $1,499!The Q285-M (QHY2-Pro) is a mediumformat 2/3" 1.4 mega pixel monochromecamera that uses the SonyICX285AL ExView HAD CCD, the sameCCD used in competitors’ cameras thatcost as much as $3,000!Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY 15

INDUSTRYNEWSCATSEYE COLLIMATIONAdds New XLS TeleCat/TeleTube Lines and OnlineProcedures and Instruction DownloadsTo better serve the growing ranksof owners of ultra-fast Newtonians, JimFly, owner of Catseye Collimation, hasintroduced its new XLS Catseye SightTubes. With the rapid proliferation oflarger-aperture, low focal ratioNewtonian telescopes with 2-inchfocusers, the availability of Catseye’sprecision 2-inch XLS Sight Tubes islong overdue. The new tools aredesigned to permit the user to “see” theoversized secondary mirrors that thesescopes require, while remaining flushwith the focuser drawtube.First introduced as the TeleTubeXL and TeleCat XL, Catseye’s novel“telescoping” Sight Tube collimationtools allow the performance-mindedamateur to custom adjust the SightTube length for optimum secondarycentering under the focuser to symmetricallycapture the light cone producedby the primary mirror for maximumillumination and contrast.The XLS version is shorter than itsbig brother, the XL, and has provisionfor use with focal ratios ranging fromf/3.0 to f/5.0. The appropriate slideposition is locked by the user withhex-head set screws and a calibratedfocal ratio “ruler” accessory is includedto easily establish the required slidelength in ratio increments of 0.1.Like the XL series, XLS Slide Tubes areprecision machined from T6061-T6aluminum and black Delrin, andinclude 90-degree intersecting crosshairs constructed from 0.029-inchstainless steel.The newXLS Sight Tube isavailable in boththe CatseyeTeleCat andTeleTube formatsand is priced from$95 US.Jim has alsoannounced theintroduction of a series of collimationprocedure and tool instructionresources that are downloadable from itswebsite in PDF format.The first is a four-page documentthat covers general Catseye Newtoniancollimation procedures. The documentdetails steps for insuring initialmechanical alignment of the focuser tothe tube axis, primary mirror to thetube center, secondary mirror diagonalto the tube axis and focuser, as wellas secondary diagonal tilt. The resourcethen explains the general proceduresfor using the Catseye, Blackcat orTelecat tools to accomplish thesesteps.The second document providesthree pages of in-depth instruction oncenter spotting the primary mirrorwith the classic Catseye precision selfadhesivetriangle target. A third, sixpagedocument provides extensiveinstruction for use of the TeletubeXL and Telecat XL adjustable sighttubes.Finally, a five-page documentdetails effective procedures for use of theInfinity XL Autocollimator, the toolthat set a new benchmark in visual clarityof alignment of optical elements andresulting collimation precision.The Catseye Collimation websitealso offers a handy utility forcalculating proper diagonal mirroroffset. For these and other Catseyeresources, please visit www.catseyecollimation.com.16 Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY

INDUSTRYNEWSSTARK LABSReleases Nebulosity 2.0 and PHP Guiding 1.9Stark Labs produces an array of affordable(if not free) software for astrophotography.Earlier this year, we called Nebulosity a “certifiedbest buy for image capture and processing”when reviewing Version 1.7.4. Since itsinitial release several years ago, users havewatched it grow over the course of over 40 freeupdates.Craig Stark, owner ofStark Labs, reports that he“wanted to make a numberof sizeable changes to thecode that would allow forfuture expansion,” and aftermany months of development,Nebulosity 2 has beenreleased.Like the earlier versions,Nebulosity 2 is a cross-platform(Mac and Windows)image capture and processingapplication supporting avery large array of cameras(Atik/Artemis, Canon,CCD Labs, Fishcamp,Meade, Opticstar, Orion,QHY, QSI, SAC, SBIG,Starlight Xpress). Rather than attempt to doeverything in a single package, the aim ofNebulosity 2 is to provide a simple, clean interfaceduring image capture and to provide thetools novices need to make a picture ready forfinal touch-up and the tools anyone wouldneed to complement software like PhotoShop.New in Version 2 are numerous featuresincluding a customizable GUI layout thatincludes camera-specific controls for SBIGand QSI cameras, a notes tool, and a historytool. Also new are a curves tool, a new noisereduction tool, an improved fine-focus toolusing the half-flux density radius metric forprecise focus, and a link to PHD Guiding (V1.8). This link to the popular PHD Guidingautoguiding package from Stark Labs enablesusers to “dither” the location of the imagesacross frames and to pause guiding while themain camera downloads images. Also new tothe Mac version of Nebulosity 2 is support forthe QHY8 and QSI 500 series cameras and tothe Windows version is support for ASCOM-5compliant cameras.The price for Nebuosity 2 is $60 andNebulosity 1 users are able to upgrade theirlicenses for $15.Stark Labs has also announced the latestiteration of PHD Guiding software, Version1.9. As with the earlier version, PHD Guiding1.9 offers a simple, clean interface that isdesigned for ease of use. It offers arbitrary cameraorientation, pixel size, scope focal length,etc., measured during the automatic calibrationprocess. It provides guides for several optionsfor lag-free, accurate commands on a widerange of mounts including:ASCOM’s PulseGuide(Windows); ShoeStringAstronomy’s GPUSB(Windows & OS X);GPINT (Windows) ST-4style adapters; Pierro Astro’sUSB Guiding interface; andthrough a camera’s onboardoutput port if present.PHD Guiding 1.9 alsoallows stacking shorter subframeson the fly to extendeffective exposure durationon short-exposure cameras,guiding in RA and Dec,intelligent automaticunidirectional and manualunidirectional Dec guidingmodes, automatic sizing and stretching ofguide image for display purposes, image noisereduction with or without dark frames,and real-time plotting of performance. Thesoftware supports cameras from manypopular manufacturers including Atik, SBIG,CCD-Labs, Meade, Orion, SBIG, andothers.For more information, see www.starklabs.com.Astronomy TECHNOLOGY TODAY 17