MaxPoint

MaxPoint, in its latest version 1.4, is an outstanding application developed by Diffraction Limited, designed to help astronomers create a model of their telescope mount. The software addresses common issues such as polar axis misalignment, offsets, and mechanical flexure. Once these problems are accounted for, MaxPoint automatically adjusts the telescope position to keep it accurately on target.

Compatible with a broad range of Windows operating systems (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11), MaxPoint ensures that even affordable GOTO mounts can achieve a pointing accuracy of 1-2 arc-minutes across the sky. This makes it a crucial tool in the field of Education, specifically under Science Tools, ensuring precise astronomical observations.

The process of generating the telescope model is straightforward. Users are given two methods to accomplish this. One option is to take a series of manual observations. By double-clicking on a reference star on the sky map and centering it in the telescope, MaxPoint can add the observation with a simple click. By repeating this process for several stars, the model is quickly defined.

Once configured, MaxPoint allows users to inspect the exact errors in their telescope mount, including precise measurements of polar alignment errors. This feature is particularly useful for amateur astronomers and educators looking to enhance the accuracy of their observations. More

You may want to check out more software, such as PinPoint Astrometric Engine, which might be related to MaxPoint.