Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
- Xio1996
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Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
I was reading Mark's post 03/24/24 Sun in CaK viewtopic.php?p=268802#p268802 and he mentioned the software package LuSol3D. It is an amazing piece of software. I even got out my red and blue 3D glasses for the full 3D effect. As Mark said it was great at visualising sunspots coming around the rim of the Sun.
So, I wondered what other Solar software was available and found a suite of applications Helio, Helio Viewer and Helio Creator by Peter Meadows. The applications looked very interesting with great functionality.
I was hoping I could ask a question of anybody who uses this software.
If I use Helio Viewer then on start-up it display a full-disk view of the Sun. If I then load in one of my full-disk images, there does not seem to be a way of viewing the full image. Is that the correct functionality or am I being silly?
The first screenshot is on startup and the next is after loading a full-disk image of the Sun. That is the maximum view I can achieve.
Many thanks for any help.
Pete
Telescope: Celestron CPC800, NexStar 4se - Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 294c PRO, ZWO ASI 533MM
Software: CPWI, SharpCap, Stellarium, TheSky, SkyChart, Starry Night 8, Aladin, ASTAP and AstroPlanner.
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
I have never used this software as my solar work is always partial images.
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED80CF, Skywatcher 200 Quattro Imaging Newt, SeeStar S50 for EAA.
Mounts: Orion Atlas EQ-g mount & Skywatcher EQ5 Pro.
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
Glad you liked that LuSol3D; it was actually Gordon who informed me about that. Too bad it wasn't a little more complete; there is no way to save the 3D image other than a screen capture. And nice to hear I wasn't the only one who tried it with the 3D glasses too! A very neat effect. For H/A, it has a few features that I'm looking forward to trying soon.
I had never downloaded the Helios set of software, but you got me curious... You're right, it seems to be a nice piece of software; I'll have to play with this; thank you for the heads up
I got the same result you did; just a partial disk. I found that before you load your file you can set an image size with the Disk Diameter menu, and here's where I think the problem lies: There is no way to resize the window it displays in. Be nice if it was seperate and scalable, but it would seem that's not an option.
My pics, when finally Photoshopped, aligned and what not are copied (Magic Wand) and I put them on a black 3000 X 3000 pixel frame. When I opened today's stack with Helio Viewer it looks like yours:
Not exactly of course, we have different scopes but you get the idea. I had to scale it down to 33% (1024 X 1024) to fit the full disk in the window:
Nope; it's not you, I think it's just the nature of the program
Glad you're having fun it would seem, hope it continues for you!
All the best,
"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4, AZ-EQ5 and SolarQuest mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.
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- Xio1996
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
Hi Gordon,
Sorry, I should have explained my image was a full dusk image. The software only shows part of it, which was the problem.
Mark, has the work-around to scale the image (1024x1024). I wonder if the author had that resolution camera?
Anyway, the Helio tools look really good. Lots of great functions.
Many thanks.
Pete
Telescope: Celestron CPC800, NexStar 4se - Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 294c PRO, ZWO ASI 533MM
Software: CPWI, SharpCap, Stellarium, TheSky, SkyChart, Starry Night 8, Aladin, ASTAP and AstroPlanner.
YouTube 'EAA with an 8-inch SCT' https://www.youtube.com/@Xio2011
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
The Helio tools look very interesting. Thank you for sanity checking me I thought I was missing something obvious. Great call to resize the image.
I will resize and explore the tools.
Many thanks.
Pete
Telescope: Celestron CPC800, NexStar 4se - Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 294c PRO, ZWO ASI 533MM
Software: CPWI, SharpCap, Stellarium, TheSky, SkyChart, Starry Night 8, Aladin, ASTAP and AstroPlanner.
YouTube 'EAA with an 8-inch SCT' https://www.youtube.com/@Xio2011
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
https://www.petermeadows.com/indexsolar.html
A word of warning though, these programs do not play well on 4k monitors. As others have mentioned, having to scale down your image size is really bad. But the programs themselves do not properly resize and much of the info is unreadable on my screens. Too bad, it looks really nice otherwise.
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach One, iOptron CEM70EC Mount, iOptron ZEQ25 Mount.
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
Hi Greg,AstroBee wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 1:03 am For anyone wondering around looking for the software referenced above...
https://www.petermeadows.com/indexsolar.html
A word of warning though, these programs do not play well on 4k monitors. As others have mentioned, having to scale down your image size is really bad. But the programs themselves do not properly resize and much of the info is unreadable on my screens. Too bad, it looks really nice otherwise.
In the end I had to reduce solar images to 567 x 567px to fit the full-disk in the application. I took the original 4128 x 2808px image, flipped it vertically and rotated it -51.8 degrees (parallactic angle of 28.4 + Earth's obliquity 23.4 degrees?) and resized it to 567px. I believe this gives the image the correct orientation to the Sun's rotational axis. It seems to match with spaceweather.com, though I might be blissfully happy in my ignorance
Greg, you're right that some of the text is hard to see on a 4k monitor. I moved it to my HD monitor to improve the view. Maybe, this application is more to do with solar projection and sketching. It was fun to explore though.
Have fun.
Pete
Telescope: Celestron CPC800, NexStar 4se - Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 294c PRO, ZWO ASI 533MM
Software: CPWI, SharpCap, Stellarium, TheSky, SkyChart, Starry Night 8, Aladin, ASTAP and AstroPlanner.
YouTube 'EAA with an 8-inch SCT' https://www.youtube.com/@Xio2011
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
I have seen others doing this and it has been required and acceptable for scientific group solar studies of late as well.
Some reasons being there is no current up to date viable large format replacement or alternative and image mapping applications are in widespread use by the elites so its only in the least helpful to have an indication noted.
All that and I still havent added the extra step to at least one of my images when posting
Maybe I'll get back on that...
Small Bore Multiple Wavelength Experimental Solar Imaging, Filtering, SEAA & Visual Observation
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Re: Solar Software question - Helio Viewer?
I do have a 1920x1200 monitor so I'll give it a try on that monitor next chance I get.
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach One, iOptron CEM70EC Mount, iOptron ZEQ25 Mount.
Cameras: ZWO ASI2600mm Pro, ZWO 2600MC Pro, ZWO ASI1600mm
Filters: 36mm Chroma LRGB & 3nm Ha, OIII, SII, L-Pro, L-eXtreme
Eyepieces: 27mm TeleVue Panoptic, 4mm TeleVue Radian, Explore Scientific 82° 30mm, 6.7mm , Baader 13mm Hyperion, Explore Scientific 70° 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, Meade 8.8mm UWA
Software: N.I.N.A., SharpCapPro, PixInsight, PhotoShop CC, Phd2, Stellarium
https://www.nevadadesertskies.com
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