The digiCamControl Astronomy Module transforms the free, open-source tethering software into a highly capable astrophotography controller. It allows deep-sky astrophotographers to use standard DSLR and mirrorless cameras (predominantly Nikon and Canon) to perform tasks usually reserved for expensive, dedicated astrophotography software suites.
The primary purpose of the module is to automate long exposures (Bulb mode), precise manual star focusing, and synchronization with telescope guiding software. Core Advanced Features 1. Precision Star-Size Focusing (FWHM-style)
Achieving sharp focus on stars can be incredibly difficult on a small camera screen. The Astronomy Module features an advanced Live View Star Calculator:
You point the telescope or lens at a bright star and open the Astronomy Live View.
By clicking on the star, the software isolates it in a small bounding box.
The module mathematically calculates the digital size of the star in real-time.
As you make manual micro-adjustments to your telescope’s focuser, you watch the numerical value drop; the lowest possible value indicates absolute, perfect focus. 2. Advanced Bulb Mode & Custom Exposure Profiles
Most modern entry-level cameras restrict USB exposure control to a maximum of 30 seconds. The Advanced Astronomy Module (AAM) bypasses this to unlock true deep-sky imaging:
Multi-Exposure Scripting: You can program complex sequences (e.g., capture 30 frames at 300 seconds, followed by 20 frames at 600 seconds).
Hardware Interoperability: For older or restricted camera models (like the Nikon D90 or D3300) that cannot trigger Bulb mode purely via standard USB, the module natively supports external shutter release hardware. This includes Serial Port Shutter Releases, Shoestring Astronomy DSUSB devices, and USB relays/Arduino triggers. 3. Native PHD Guiding Integration (Dithering)
One of the most powerful advanced aspects of the module is its ability to “talk” directly to a PHD (Push Here Dummy) Guiding server:
Dithering Support: Between image exposures, digiCamControl signals PHD to shift the telescope mount slightly by a few pixels.
Noise Reduction: Dithering ensures that fixed-pattern sensor noise, hot pixels, and walking streaks are shifted across frames, allowing stacking software (like DeepSkyStacker or Siril) to seamlessly erase them during processing.
Settling Time: It commands the camera to wait (“settle”) until the telescope mount stops vibrating after a dither before beginning the next long exposure. 4. Custom Tcl Scripting & Automation
For complete hands-off imaging, the module integrates a robust Tcl-based scripting engine:
You can write scripts to automate repeating tasks, synchronize settings across multiple connected cameras capturing simultaneously, or execute custom commands at specific capture intervals.
It can even be automated via a local web server, allowing you to monitor exposure sequences or trigger commands from a tablet or smartphone while staying warm inside. 5. Night-Vision Preservation (Dark/Astro Theme)
To preserve your eyes’ adaptation to the dark while out in the field, the application includes a dedicated Dark/Astro display theme. This turns the user interface into a low-light, high-contrast dark palette to minimize screen glare.
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