NEW (Note: untested by RAS members. Let us know if you try and like)
INDI Server for OS X
Astronomical toolset providing an affordable, simple to use and Mac-native solution for backyard astrophotography built around INDI protocol, simple planetarium and guider controller: AstroImager, AstroDLSR, AstroTelescope, AstroGuider, FITS Preview, Astrometry for OSX, INDI Server for OSX or Windows. More info at www.cloudmakers. eu.
This info was updated back in 2012
MOST INFO BELOW FROM ASTROPIX
http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/SOFTWARE.HTM
DSLR Camera Control and Focusing
- DSLR Shutter $Free - image acquisition automation
- Nebulosity $60 - Camera control, focus, image acquisition automation, image calibration, image processing
- iAstrophoto $Free - Digital camera focus and control software for Canon astrophotography using Macintosh OS X
- Astro IIDC $110 - primarily for planetary imaging
Astronomical Image Processing Programs
- Keith's Image Stacker $15 - For stacking planetary images.
- Lykenos $Free - Planetary image stacking and processing.
- Astrostack $39 - Image stacking and processing.
- Nebulosity $60 - Camera control, focus, image acquisition automation, image calibration, image processing
- PixInsight 171 Euros
General Image Processing Programs
- Photoshop Elements $90
- Photoshop CS5 upgrade $195
- Photoshop CS5 retail $649
- GIMPshop $Free
Photo Utilities
- FITS Liberator $Free - FITS file format image handling software.
- iPhoto Bundled with New Macs, or available as part of iLife ($80) - image viewer, database, and image editing.
- StarStax $Free - Stack individual frames for a star trail image
Photoshop Filters and Actions
- Astronomy Tools $20 - Noel Carboni's Photoshop actions for various astrophoto techniques.
- Annie's Astro Actions $10 - Astrophotography specific Photoshop actions.
- Noise Ninja $80 Noise Reduction filter.
Tutorials on Image Processing of Astrophotos
- Photoshop for Astrophotographers $25 (download)
- A Guide to Astrophotography with Digital SLR Cameras $40 (Book on CD-ROM)
- Adam Block's Video Tutorials on DVD $155
Planetarium Programs, Atlases, Etc.
- Stellarium $Free - Desktop planetarium and space simulation
- Celestia $Free - Desktop planetarium and space simulation
- AstroPlanner $45 - Planning, logging, telescope control
- Equinox6 $60 - Desktop planetarium, telescope, webcam and focuser control
- AstroImage Browser $15 - Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) front end, astrophotography planning, and ability to overlay your own images on DSS images for comparison
- The SkyX $79 - $349 - Desktop Planetarium
- Starry Night $249 - Desktop planetarium
Recommended - Budget Software
- IRIS $Free - Iris pretty much does it all. It is very powerful but involves the use of command lines.
- Deepsky Stacker $Free - Image calibration, alignment, stacking.
- PHD (Push Here Dummy) $Free - Autoguiding software.
- Noiseware Community Edition $Free - Noise Reduction software.
- Background Subtraction Toolkit $Free - Remove gradients and vignetting.
- GIMPshop $Free - GIMPshop is the GIMP (GNU Image Processing), an open-source software program for Windows, Mac and Linux. GIMPshop has its windows, menus, and tools reorganized so that they resemble the look and location of Photoshop's menu structure and naming conventions.
- Picassa $Free - Thumbnail and image viewer and database. You can add keywords and captions to your images, and then use them to search for a particular image.
- IrfanView $Free - Image viewer and more.
Recommended - Retail Software
- Images Plus $230 - The premier program for DSLR camera control, image acquisition, calibration, alignment, stacking, processing and enhancing astrophotographs. If you can only afford one program, this is the one to get.
- Photoshop CS5 Upgrade $189
- Photoshop CS5 Retail $660
- Noise Ninja $35 - $80 - Noise Reduction filter for Photoshop. Automatically analyzes the noise structure in images and removes it. With extensive controls if desired.
- GradientXTerminator $50 - Removes vignetting and gradients.
