This repo contains a simple python app to help collimate your telescope. The app connects to your video streaming device, for example a "USB Streaming" supporting camera with a T-1.25" adapter attached, and displays the feed in a window with a HUD reticle on top.
Use the scroll wheel on the mouse to zoom or drag the mouse to pan the video stream. The app also works on the mac using the trackpad.
The following keys pan and zoom:
LEFT: move video stream left
RIGHT: move video stream right
UP: move video stream up
DOWN: move video stream down
EQUALS: zoom video stream in
MINUS: zoom video stream out
SHIFT: hold shift to pan or zoom faster
e/E: increase or decrease exposure
R: resets zoom to 1
Q: quits app
ESC: quits app
If you have uv installed you can either run the app using "sh collimate.py" or directly using "./collimate.py". uv will automatically install the proper python dependencies. Otherwise ensure opencv-python, numpy, and pygame are installed in your python environment before running.
usage: collimation.py [-h] [--device DEVICE] [--color COLOR] [--manual]
collimation circle tool
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--device DEVICE video device number (default: 0)
--color COLOR reticle color (default: green)
--manual manual exposure (default: False)
In the image, I inserted a reflector safety sticker, punched with a center hole, behind the adapter so I could see the center donut. Changing the exposure setting on the camera will also bring it out.