[fitsbits] RTGUI now has Scripting for Telescope Automation, & Double Star catalogs

[Robert Sheaffer]

Just released - Version 5.0 of RTGUI is now RTGUI+S: Scripting
capability has been added to allow for telescope automation. Scripting
is the capability to accept command-line parameters, allowing RTGUI+S to
be controlled by other software, instead of by the GUI interface. This
makes it possible to have RTGUI+S perform completely unattended many
automated tasks, such as positioning your telescope to Saturn at exactly
3 AM. You can even write elaborate scripts in Visual Basic, Java,
Delphi, or some other scripting language to position the telescope for
imaging, sky surveys, or other repetitive tasks. 

Also new: search for double stars. A short list (129 pairs) of the most
interesting visual doubles has been added to the default catalog
FULL.RTG (search for "dbl"). As a separate catalog, the entire
Washington Double Star catalog of over 86,000 entries is available,
cross-indexed with the Bright Star catalog for constellation name and
designation, as well as the SAO catalog number where available. This
contains virtually every visual double star known.

Also: there is now a FAQ for RTGUI+S, to allow you to get started using
the program quickly and easily.
http://www.debunker.com/astro/rtguifaq.htm 

The page for the free Windows program RTGUI+S is at
http://www.debunker.com/astro/rtguipage.html 


The main features of RTGUI+S are:

- Rapidly locate deep-sky objects or bright stars. Unusually rich search
capabilities - each entry has up to five different names (Example: M1,
NGC 1952, CrabNebula, Taurus, Planetary) 
Create a custom "tour" based on your own criteria (by constellation
and/or object type, elevation, magnitude). 

- Controls most Celestron and Meade "Goto" telescopes to slew directly
to the selected object.
  
- Using the Skycharts program (Cartes du Ciel), get an instant sky chart
of the selected object. 

- Set your location and time very accurately from a GPS Scope, or a
hand-held GPS device. Upload that data to a Meade scope. Download from
Celestron or Meade scopes the RA and Dec of the object being observed. 

- Automatically record object, time, & location information when the
Observing Log is opened. 

- New: Command-Line Parameters allow Scripting for automated operation 

- Display Altitude and Azimuth, Rise and Set Times of Astronomical
Objects In Real-Time. 

- Set up "night vision" mode in Windows to preserve your eyes' dark
adaptation. 

- Locate the Sun, Moon, and Planets with excellent accuracy.
Automatically load comet & asteroid positions from Transient Catalogs. 

- Auxiliary Catalogs for advanced amateurs & researchers contain
hundreds of thousands of objects.