Computers & Software for Astronomy
Copyright © 2007-2011, Dick Locke.  All Rights Reserved.  Contact and Image Use Information.  My astronomy equipment home page is here.

Processing astronomy pictures has always stressed computer systems.  New image processing techniques, such as drizzle and deconvolution algorithms, are extremely computer-intensive.  (More on the equipment used to capture the images is here.)

Mid 2011: I was toying with the idea of upgrading my computer system, then Fry's sealed the deal by putting the motherboard and processor I wanted on sale!  I'm using the fastest Intel Sandy Bridge processor chip.  These new chips bring top of the line processing power to a cool running and affordable CPU, reducing the cost for Intel's top performance by many hundreds of dollars, and reducing the power use (and heat generated) by your computer.  It also has a very decent display processor as part of the chip, which performs much better than the dedicated graphics card in my previous (4 year old) system.  This means a cooler, quieter case because I don't need a that graphics card (at least so far).  Here are the specs for the major components of the new system:

• ASUS P8Z68V Pro Motherboard, Intel® Socket 1155 for 2^nd Generation Core™ i7/Core™ i5/Core™ i3 Processors

• Corsair 115GB SSD (Solid State Drive) - Force CSSD-F115GB2-BRKT-A 2.5" 115GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

• Intel® Core™ i7-2600K Processor (8M Cache, 3.40 GHz), LGA 1155 (I am overclocking this to 4.4 GHz for about a 30% speed increase.)

• Corsair XMS3 3x4GB DDR3 2000MHZ memory (looking for a 4th module)

• 2 x Hitachi 3TB Coolspin 32MB Cache SATA3 (5400 rpm model)

• Antec Dark Fleet DF85 Tower Case

• CPU cooled with a Noctua NH-C14

• Corsair 600W GS 600 PSU

• LG 12x Blu-Ray writer

• And went to an ASUS RT-N56U Dual Band router

Here are some overclocking references on the setup as I sort everything out.  It looks like people are hitting 5.0 GHz with some frequency and 4.5 GHz range just about always with a setup like mine.  As noted above, as of 7/15/11 I'm running at 4.4 Ghz:

HardOCP, hardforum, Toms, HardwareCanucks, Overclock.net,

Scroll down for 4 pictures of the new PC, which I just finished up.  The massive Noctua CPU cooler assembly was the last major component to go in, and after that it was time to hide the wires..

Dick's Summer 2011 Computer Project

Cooling Transplant Coming Up!  Note the relative size of the currently installed Intel "stock" cooler.  The Intel guy did not like first stress test I threw it (board temp exceeded 85 deg C), so I knew I had to step up the cooling.  The new cooler keeps the temps under 70 under the worst conditions, at least so far.

Hitachi 5400 RPM drives (bottom, 2x 3GB) provide the pure space part of the storage system, while a 115GB SSD drive (out of sight at the bottom of the case) holds Windows 7 and the applications for a super-responsive system.  The case provides plug-in disk drive ports for simple disk swaps.  There are 4xSATA 3 (6GBit/s) 4xSATA 2 (3Gbit/s) ports, plus an E-SATA port providing support for up to 9 SATA storage devices.

The right side panel will cover the wires. Believe it or not, I tried to be very careful where I placed the wires on the computer, since the case I ended up with has a clear side door.  The case provides a number of convenient routing paths that make this a bit easier.  The disk drive wires were tough (yellow and red) to run to the bottom as a pass through area didn't quite line up with the board connectors.

• CCDSoft - This came with my SBIG ST-8300 camera.  Prerelease v206 controls the new filter wheel.  This software performs many of the functions of the separate programs below.  I find it also has many annoying behaviors, especially when focusing with the focus windows being tiny and partially hidden.

• GoldFocus - Software that works in conjunction with a bahtinov mask to analyze and announce focus corrections

• Nebulosity - Control the CCD camera, capture .fit files...

• Photoshop - Check image quality while imaging, and final processing; it is the last tool I use to process images for publication (CS2 and CS5)

• Registar - Combine images, my primary "stacking" tool

• ImagesPlus - Process DSLR images

• Neat Image - Noise reduction

• Noel Carboni's Astronomy Tools - Photoshop actions to do things like select stars and tighten them up

• AIP4WIN - deconvolution

• GradientXterminator - Photoshop plugin to remove unwanted gradients

• Deep Sky Stacker - Drizzle combinations and some stacking

• The Sky (I have 5, 6, and X)

Laptop Upgrade Discussion:

Multiple Core Computers are critical for image processing!  I found my 2004 model single-core laptop just wasn't cutting it when processing images in the field, and I've been watching laptop prices and features carefully since the new Intel "Core I-" processors came out.  Best Buy had a good deal and 11/2010 I acquired a  Dell Inspiron N7010 laptop with these features: 17.3" LED screen, Blu-ray optical drive, 640GB hard drive, 6GB memory, Windows 7 64-bit OS, and a Intel Core I5-460M processor.  (There has been a worldwide shortage of blu-ray drives for notebook computers, and laptops with blu-ray are hard to find and command a premium price.)  Complete specs for the true geeks are further below.

Compatibility:  I recently cautioned people regarding 64-bit Windows for astronomy applications due to possible compatibility issues.  The advantage of 64-bit operating systems and software is that they can address (use) more than 4GB of memory, which is helpful in processing large amounts of image data.   My QHY8 CCD Camera now has 64-bit compatible drivers, which opened up the 64-bit  door for me.

Astronomy software compatibility problems with Windows 7:

• As of early 2011 just about everything is working with Windows 7.  However, William-Bell's Megastar will not install.  I have not received a response to my emailed request for information about work-arounds or future support for 64 bit windows.  However, you can manually copy files to your computer and get Megastar to run.

• Happily haven't had any other problems!

New Quad Core, widescreen laptop (left), old workhorse dell on right

The Sky X on the new Dell, The Sky 6 on the right

Quantity	Parts #	Part Description
1	F073F	Dual In-Line Memory Module,2GB1333MHZ,256X64,8K,200
1	Y619H	DVDRW/BD-ROM,12.7,SATA,PLDS
1	MC13K	Liquid Crystal Display,17.3HDF+,White Light Emitted Diode,True Life,V2,Legend
1	P7J74	Hard Drive,640,S2,2.5,5.4,P11,SMSN-M7E
1	13M23	Processor,I5-460M,2.53,3MB,Arrandale,K0
1	4YRJH	Battery,Primary,48WHR,Vmware 6 Core Processor,Lithium,SANYO
1	X830D	Dual In-Line Memory Module,4GB1333MHZ,512X64,8K,200
1	FJT7K	Assembly,Camera,1.3M,14/15/1764

The new Monitor: An wide gamut HP LP2475W, reviewed in detail here.