HNS_REAL the DSS and Realsky viewer, screen shots and instructions.

www.hnsky.org

HNS_REAL, Realsky ® or Digitial Sky Survey ® image viewer based on get_dss.dll. Manual or DDE controlled. Click on an object and get the realsky image (you have to own the Realsky or DSS CD's). You can just enter a position and the program will extract the image from the Realsky/DSS. You can center/move to any point in the image using the right mouse button. The RA/DEC position will be continous indicated.

Additional it can be controlled via an Excel table or HNSKY using DDE.

Finally it can generate extract batch wise images.

Complete with Delphi and C source.

Instructions:

Manual: Just enter the required RA/DEC position and click on "GET IT".

DDE server: HNS_REAL can be DDE controlled from the HNSKY program and objects can be centered by clicking on them with the right mouse button. Secondly there position can be send back by DDE to HNSKY using the left mouse button. So position of the objects can be compared. Important for DDE control:

1) Put HNSKY and HNS_REAL in same directory.

2) Start HNS_REAL first. HNSKY will be started automatically.

3) If not on, switch-on the DDE in HNSKY with cntrl-7.

If your FITS directory in HNSKY is set to the HNS_REAL directory, you will get every result blended in the next screen refresh.

DDE client: The program can be controlled as a DDE client from the attached Excel table.

Batch-wise generation: This program can also be used to generate batch-wise FITS picture files by executing the program with the following parameters:

HNS_REAL.EXE RA DEC [FILENAME WIDTH HEIGHT SUBSAMPLE]

If the filename is specified, the program will create the FITS file and quit. Normally 16 bit FITS file will be created but with the file extension ".FIT8" specified, additional 8 bit FITS will be created. An example batch file for creating all Messier images is attached.

Batch-wise conversion: The program can also read 8 or 16 bit integer and 32 bit floating point FITS files. Those files can be saved as BMP or 8 bit integer FITS files for use with HNSKY.

The GET_DSS.DLL is based on the REALSKY/DSS decoding work of Bill Gray of http://www.projectpluto.com and compiled by Patrick Chevalley author of Cartes du Ciel. For non-commercial purpose only. See remarks at http://www.projectpluto.com/get_dss.htm