UFOCapture

Name: UFOCapture
Author: Sugggest

UFOCapture is a free, open-source program for Windows used to detect and capture meteor trails, satellites, airplanes, and other fast moving objects in the night sky. It controls connected cameras and detects movement to automatically take photos and videos.

Science & Education Astronomy

astronomy astrophotography meteors satellites night-sky

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UFOCapture: Free Meteor Trail Detector & Camera Controller

Free, open-source program for Windows detecting fast moving objects in the night sky, controls connected cameras, and automatically takes photos and videos

What is UFOCapture?

UFOCapture is a free, open-source Windows application designed for astrophotography and detecting fast moving objects in the night sky like meteors, satellites, airplanes, and UFOs. It works by controlling connected cameras like DSLRs, webcameras, and astronomical CCD cameras and watching the live video feed for movement.

When motion is detected, UFOCapture can automatically capture images or video. It has adjustable sensitivity settings to filter out noise and only capture relevant events. The software also allows manual control to take images. UFOCapture overlays information like timestamps and star maps on the footage.

Some key features include:

Controlling Canon, Nikon, and other SLR cameras
Live view with adjustable contrast and brightness
Automatic or manual image capture
Detection settings to filter noise and false positives
Location, time, and star map overlay
Saving images and video in multiple formats
Tripod and shutter control
Windows compatibility

UFOCapture has advanced settings to maximize capture of fast moving celestial objects like meteors and satellites. It can be a very affordable solution for amateurs getting into astrophotography compared to expensive specialized equipment.