Whats in my image script for PixInsight

The Whats in my image script for PixInsight aims to streamline the process of identifying celestial objects in images, integrating multiple search tools directly into PixInsight (PI). Previously, astrophotographers relied heavily on various platforms such as astrometry.net, Aladin, and Simbad to locate and identify objects in their images. Marek's new script consolidates these functionalities, making it significantly easier to find and catalog celestial objects.

Whats in my image script for PixInsight

To utilize the script, users need an image with a valid astrometric solution. The script features a mini-preview on the left side, allowing users to quickly zoom around their main preview. By using Shift+Click and Drag, users can define a reference point and radius for their search. The script queries Simbad to look up and tabulate all the objects within the defined area. Clicking on an object highlights the corresponding row in the table, and vice versa. Double-clicking a row opens a direct link to Simbad for further information. Additionally, users can output the table to a CSV file for use with the Annotate script.

The recent update to the script includes advanced search features and enhanced zooming capabilities. A pane opens on the right side, where users can select specific object types to display. A wrench icon allows for the definition of more or fewer query results. Users can zoom out without breaking the astrometric solution, although Marek suggests using the mini-preview to quickly recenter the main image.

The script also includes an external NED search button, which opens a browser with the defined area searched in the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED). Users can resize the entire dialog to make the main preview larger. Currently, there is no way to zoom out on the main image without breaking the astrometric solution, but Marek is working on a solution for this limitation.

The whats in my image script is available for download on the Seti Astro website. Watch the video below covering more details about the script.