3.1 Hardware

You need a personal computer to use Asteroid Catcher B-612 (AstCat). Hard disk requirement for AstCat is more than 100 MB (except for image files). Minimum of 64 MB main memory is recommended. Internet connection is preferable.

3.2 Operating system

Windows95/98/ME, WindowsNT/2000, and Windows XP. Mackintosh is not supported. If your Macintosh has Windows emulator, AstCat may work on the emulator. But the performance may be not good.

3.3 Installation

There is a folder called NEA on your CD-ROM. All you need to do is to copy the whole of this folder on your hard disc. NEA folder contains executable files as well as folders which contain star catalogs. All of these files will be copied if you copy the whole folder.

AstCat.exe can be started from your CD-ROM directly. But do not start it from CD-ROM. Because the system will try to write onto the CD-ROM and you will get an error message. If it happens please remove your CD-ROM and re-boot your system.

3.4 File structure

We show here the file structure of the folder NEA. Please note that files may be a little different in practice.

Amongst these files there are only two user executable files, "AstCat.exe" and "manual.html". Please read "manual.html" through your browser. It has been confirmed that IE5 can display the manual properly. The contents of "manual.html" are the same as those of this guide, but you can see animation by "manual.html".
Please note that ASUB01.DLL and ASUB02.DLL files cannot be shown unless display option is set for "Display all files".

This contains star catalogs.

This contains sample image data for your practice. See chapter 14.

This is a folder for storing your measurements (in default). "AstObs.txt" is an output sample file.

3.5 Initial settings

First, you need to start the software. In order to do so double click on AstCat.exe in NEA folder. Then following window will open.

When you start up this software for the first time you cannot proceed any further by clicking on "START" button on the main menu. You need to register your group name by "GROUP ENTRY" first and do your initial settings by "SET UP". Click at "GROUP ENTRY" at the lower left corner. You will then find the following window for registering your group name.

Enter your group name within 8 alphanumeric characters. If you are taking part in one of the projects carried out by Japan Spaceguard Association (JSGA), this group name must be a pre-registered name. Please use the group name that will be given to you by JSGA. If not, use any name as you like. The group name used here will be automatically incorporated into the report data.

In above example the group name "School" (6 alphabetical characters) is used. Please note that upper and lower characters will be differentiated. Having entered your group name please press OK icon and return to the main menu.

NB: OK icon is used for confirming various settings and for saving them on your hard disk. The cancel icon is used to cancel your settings. You can also use on line help by clicking on the help icon .

Click "SET UP" and you will find the following window.

Here, you set CCD characteristics and path of various files. This setting information will be stored on a text file called "CCDCTL". If you follow this manual and copy the NEA folder on your C drive such that you have C:\NEA there will be little need to change default settings.

If, for example, you copy the NEA folder on your D drive then you need to change the setting from C: to D:. If you change your settings please return to the main menu by clicking on OK icon . You can also save your new setting by clicking the icon . Since the contents of your CCDCTL have changed you will be working with these new values. If you want to cancel your settings please use the cancel icon before clicking or .

If you want to store your setting information on another file you may do so by "save with new name" icon . If you want to use such a file in place of CCDCTL file you must open it by clicking .

Explanation:

CCD Type:

Only "FTS-14" and "FTS*14(binning) can be used. FTS-14 will read the image data as its original size. "FTS*14(binning)" will use 2-pixel binning, that is to say that 2x2 pixels will be read as one pixel so the file size is reduced to one 1/4 of its original size. This will increase processing speed and leads to a lot of saving on your main memory, but measurement precision is slightly reduced.

Focal length:

Enter the focal length in mm (for the images on the CD-ROM, use 1264) of the telescope used for data acquisition.
The value of focal length must be accurate within 10 mm so that stars on the image data and those on the star catalog are matched automatically. With the Bisei telescopes their focal lengths are as follows.

1 m diameter telescope: 3,000 mm
50 cm diameter telescope: 946 mm
25 cm diameter telescope: 1,264 mm

Please note that the image data provided on your CD-ROM are those obtained using the 25cm telescope, so use 1264.

Observatory code:

Enter 300 for the Bisei Spaceguard Center. Other observatory codes may be obtained from here.

Star catalog:

Choose only "2-GSC-ACT". No other star catalog are used here.

Header name of star catalog:

Specify the file GCSH.TBL with full path.
The default is "C:\NEA\GSC-ACT\GCSH.TBL".

Folder name of star catalog:

Specify the folder name of the star catalog.
The default is "C:\NEA\GSC-ACT\".

Background color:

Black or white only.

Wave band:

Use V for GSC-ACT.

Folder name of planet data:

Specify the folder name which has the files of XYZ.SOL and XYZ.M-C.
The default is "C:\NEA\".

Table of observatory codes:

Specify the file OBSCODE.F with the full path.
The default is "C:\NEA\OBSCODE.F".

Orbit file:

We do not use this setting.

Perturbation:

We do not use this setting.

Folder name for output data:

Specify the folder name where the output data are written. The default is C:\NEA\ObsData\.

Contrast:

The typical value is 10. Smaller values mean stronger contrast.

Sky value:

Larger sky values mean dim stars appearing brighter, but with more noise.

Smoothing:

Smoothing is recommended.

Star detection Level:

Use the value from 10 to 50.

Star detection (Minimum pixel number):

Use around 10.

Star detection (Maximum brightness):

Stars will not be recognized if maximum pixel brightness is less than the value specified here.

Star detection method:

1 = Normal, 2 = Special. Use 1 here.

Rejection threshold:

Use 1 to 1.5. Some of the reference stars on the star catalog may not be used if there are large discrepancies on comparison with those on the image data. Rejection threshold refers to angular discrepancy (unit is arc seconds).

3.6 Uninstallation

Delete the whole NEA folder. Asteroid Catcher B-612 does not interfere with Windows system files. No alteration of the registry is made either.