Description
In addition to providing telescope pointing analysis and corrections that help identify, quantify, and automatically compensate for systematic errors, TPoint™ also quantifies the mount’s polar alignment, even when the celestial pole is not visible. Coupled with TheSky™, it helps get the mount aligned with the refracted pole (the optimal location for most amateur astronomer’s observing needs).
TPoint™ requires that the telescope be calibrated by slewing to a series of stars and recording the pointing error at each position. Calibration is performed manually, or automatically using TheSky’s Automated Pointing Calibration feature; the automated calibration requires TheSky™ Professional and the Cameras+ module (both are included with TheSky™ Imaging and TheSky™ Universal bundles).
TPoint’s Super Model™ feature uses this data to create the optimal pointing model that automatically corrects repeatable errors each time the telescope is slewed.
What you need to know:
- When you purchase TheSky Imaging edition, TPoint™ is included and automatically activated, so there’s no need to purchase, download, or activate TPoint™ separately.
- A free 90-day TPoint™ trial period is included with TheSky™ Serious and Professional.
- If you already own TheSky™ Professional or Serious edition, when you purchase the TPoint™ module, it must be activated from TheSky™ as described here.
Important Distinctions between TheSky™ and TPoint™:
- TheSky Professional includes a 90-day free trial for Cameras & Devices, Dome Control, and TPoint.
- TheSky Serious includes a free 90-day TPoint trial.
- Both TheSky Professional and TheSky Serious can control your “go to” telescope and show the position of the telescope on a simulated sky chart without TPoint.
- While TPoint™ provides tools for telescope pointing analysis and polar alignment that improves your telescope’s pointing accuracy, it is not required to control your telescope.
- After your telescope is calibrated by pointing it to multiple stars across the sky, TPoint’s Super Model™ feature creates a pointing model that works behind the scenes to improve your telescope’s pointing accuracy — and, if you own one of our Paramount™ mounts, which includes ProTrack™, your telescope’s tracking accuracy as well.
