LesvePhotometry Starting Up page

Last update May 14th, 2020

"PinPoint param" tab

You have to select one star catalog you already downloaded. GSC ACT and USNO A2 are the two main catalogs. For non-critical images the default PinPoint parameters should be OK.

"Photometry param" tab

Select Photometry mode 1 and leave the other parameters to their default values.

"General Settings" tab

During installation a directory "C:\Users\yourname\Documents\DPP Lesve" was created and a variable star database "VS_Database.db3" was copied in this directory. Define this location in the "Default Database file (.db3) textbox.
For the Reports, select at least the AAVSO and Excel reports
In Observer textbox, put your AAVSO identifier
In CBA Header textbox, adjust the text with your information.
Choose a "TableIndex delimiter character" ("-", "#", "_" or "%"), E.g. with "#" and if you have an image file name like
IYUMa#R-001.fit, the program will search the database for a star having the key IYUMa.

Variable and comparison database

In the top menu bar, select "File" and "Maintenance of Default database".
A "Variable star" window will pop up.
In the "Variable Selector" window select one existing Variable, the data for this star will be appear.
If you double-click on a CMPx textbox, the corresponding "Comparison Star" window will pop up.
Notice that the the name in the CMP textbox is the same as the AUID textbox in the comparison star window. To create your first Variable, on "Variable star" window, click on "New (Clear boxes)" button and at least fill the fields in red (VariableTableIndex, AAVSOVarName, RA and DE).
For the Comparison stars, enter a minimum of two CMP (a R reference star and CK check star) . Enter the comparison star index (e.g. the AUID) and double click on the CMP box and the 'Comparison star" window will open with your comparison star index, fill the RA and DE and the catalog magnitudes for one or more filter band (B V ..)
Don't forget to save the variable and comparison star information with the "Save it in Database" buttons. Later you may use the "AAVSO VSP tool" tab, but at the beginning learn the process as described above.

Start a Photometry exercise

Click on "Photometry - Go" button and "Open files for LesvePhotometry" window will pop up. Select your images.
If the naming of your image does not contain the variable star index delimited with the appropriate "Variable TableIndex delimiter character" e.g. IYUMa#R-001.fit for Variable star index "IYUMa" and "#" you have to enter the " Variable TableIndex " in the "TableIndex of Variables" textbox (located at the upper left of the "Photometry -Go " button.

During the first tests, some required parameters in the FITS header of your image may be missing. In this case, message boxes will provide the name of missing parameter, enter the appropriate values in the "Default settings" tab.

All the parameters you entered are saved for next exercise. But you are able to save your configuration and reload it with the button in the "Config Save/Load" tab. Useful if you have more than one configuration.


Don't hesitate to ask help on the group.