Pixinsight question for the gurus.

[JohnH]

Pixinsight has announced a new colour calibration tool (SPCC) which, they say, is better than PCC. Both rely on Astrometry, I presently have 3 catalogues downloaded to my laptop amounting to ~ 65Gb of disc space.

SPCC uses the Gaia DR3 catalogue to function. Do I actually need the other catalogues? Are they still necessary for other Pixinsight tools?

Thanks,

John

[Carole]

Pixinsight is all gobbledegook to me. so can't help, but I have a friend on a Whatsapp group who was asking a similar question and finding that he could not find a way to install the Gaia catalogue. 
Maybe there is a gremlin.

Carole   

[Roberto]

John

You need the Gaia DR3/SP version of the catalogue (I use the small version - some 11GB) and SPCC works well.  You need to download it from the PixInsight Package website (where you download major updates).  I may remove other catalogues and just use this for photometry (SPCC/PCC) and astrometry (plate-solving).
A great improvement over PCC and a definite step before stretching your images.  If you are at the meeting tonight, I can run you through how to install it.  Although the online instructions provided by PixInsight are quite complete.

Roberto

[JohnH]

Hi Roberto,

Thanks for the info. I have downloaded the files (small version because my f2.8 scope has a wide field of view) and will instal them. I will check the help document.

Unfortunately, my Long Covid keeps me at home but, the gods of the internet willing, I will be logging in tonight.

Regards,

John