Software Bisque TheSky Fusion User manual

© 2023 Software Bisque, Inc. All rights reserved.
TheSky Fusion™ User Guide
Revision 2.0, March 2023

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No part of this user guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including (but not limited to) photocopying, recording, or information
storage and retrieval systems, for any purpose other than the purchaser's personal use, without
the express written permission of Software Bisque, Inc.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Software Bisque, Inc. The software described in this document is
furnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. It may be used or copied only
in accordance with the terms of the agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any
medium except as specifically allowed in the license or nondisclosure agreement. The purchaser
may make one copy of the software for backup purposes.
Software Bisque, Inc.
862 Brickyard Circle
Golden, CO 80403-8058
USA
Website: https://www.bisque.com
TheSky Fusion™, TheSky™and Paramount™mounts are trademarks of Software Bisque, Inc.
All other product names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used solely for
identification.

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Table of Contents
Introducing TheSky Fusion.............................................................................................................. 5
Serial Number Registration............................................................................................................. 6
Packing List...................................................................................................................................... 7
Hardware Overview ........................................................................................................................ 9
Front View ................................................................................................................................... 9
Rear View .................................................................................................................................. 11
Bottom View.............................................................................................................................. 12
Attaching TheSky Fusion to the Telescope................................................................................... 13
Wiring TheSky Fusion.................................................................................................................... 14
Connecting Communication Cables to TheSky Fusion.................................................................. 15
Passwords.................................................................................................................................. 16
Connecting ................................................................................................................................ 16
Web Browser ......................................................................................................................... 16
VNC App................................................................................................................................. 17
Transferring Images from TheSky Fusion ..................................................................................... 18
Transferring Files to a Mac........................................................................................................ 19
Transferring Files to Windows 10 PC ........................................................................................ 21
Troubleshooting Windows File Sharing .................................................................................... 23
TheSky Fusion Desktop ................................................................................................................. 24
TheSky Fusion Configuration Settings....................................................................................... 25
Hardware Configuration ............................................................................................................... 33
Power Output Port Basics ......................................................................................................... 34
Configuring the Power Output Voltage................................................................................. 34
Power Control............................................................................................................................... 34
Configuring the Power Ports ..................................................................................................... 35
External Display Status Messages ............................................................................................. 37
In AP mode Display Text........................................................................................................ 37
Display Brightness.................................................................................................................. 37
Using TheSky Imaging ................................................................................................................... 38

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Setting TheSky’s Location.......................................................................................................... 38
Mount Control Notes ................................................................................................................ 39
Using the Gaia Star Catalog....................................................................................................... 39
The Gaia Star Catalog................................................................................................................ 39
Using the Larger Gaia Subset................................................................................................. 40
Gaia Stars on the Sky Chart ................................................................................................... 41
Gaia vs. UCAC and NOMAD Catalogs..................................................................................... 41
Appendix A: Power Out Port Configuration.................................................................................. 42
Opening TheSky Fusion Housing............................................................................................... 42
Appendix B: User Guide Revision History..................................................................................... 45

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Introducing TheSky Fusion
Figure 1: TheSky Fusion provides remote access and power to your astronomical equipment.
TheSky Fusion™marries TheSky™Imaging bundle, the world’s single-most capable object-
acquisition and imaging software, with exquisitely designed hardware to connect, power and
integrate your imaging equipment.
TheSky Fusion™connects your mount, camera, autoguider, focuser, filter wheel, rotator, dew
heater, etc. to TheSky Imaging to control them all from your tablet, smartphone, laptop, or
desktop.
Operate your equipment from any modern web browser through Wi-Fi or use a remote desktop
application (Remote Desktop or VNC). An Ethernet port even permits a wired network
connection for an optimal experience. Though an Internet connection is not required, TheSky
Fusion takes full advantage of being on-line when connected to the Web.
TheSky Fusion physically attaches to your mount and simplifies system setup, maintenance, and
nightly tasks to maximum your observing productivity. Its flexible power output ports can drive
even the most complex hardware configurations. Four high-speed USB 3.0 ports and one legacy
serial port can meet most communication needs. If not, one of the configurable 5V DC power
output ports can be used to run a powered USB hub (a powered USB hub is recommended) so
that you can add additional USB ports.

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Photos collected by TheSky Fusion can easily be shared with your desktop or laptop computer so
that they can be viewed/analyzed/processed later. TheSky Fusion’s built-in computer is very
capable of running astronomical equipment and acquiring photos. A primary purpose of TheSky
Fusion is to be a reliable image acquisition workhorse. It is not necessarily designed for or
intended for intensive image processing which can be performed after acquisition on a different
computer.
This document focuses on setting up TheSky Fusion, connecting devices, powering hardware, and
establishing the remote connection to TheSky Imaging . TheSky Imaging User Guide describes its
features and capabilities which are outside the scope of this document. A printed version of the
800+ page printed version of TheSky Imaging is not included, but the portable format document
(PDF) version can be downloaded by logging in to www.bisque.com and navigating to Products >
TheSky Imaging > Documentation tab.
TheSky Fusion and TheSky Imaging should be ready to use, out of the box. As
tempting as it might seem, please do not make changes to the computer’s
operating system before using it.
For example, turning off the computer’s Enable Wi-Fi option will prevent wireless
connections and cause frustration.
Serial Number Registration
Visit www.bisque.com/register for instructions how to get your TheSky Fusion registered. As this
is a manual process, please allow 2-3 business days to process the registration request. Thanks
for your patience. In the meantime, you can download the latest patch by logging into the
Software Bisque website, then clicking Support > TheSky Fusion. Read TheSky Fusion Updates
and Change Log post (the first one) to download the patch.

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Packing List
The table below lists the components included with TheSky Fusion. Please contact Software
Bisque if anything is missing.
TheSky Fusion Packing List
Qty
Photo
Description
1
TheSky Fusion
Shipping Box Specifications
•Total weight: 3.2 kg (7 lbs.)
•Dimensions: 25.4 cm x 20 cm x 13 cm
(10 in. x 8 in. x 5 in.)
The dovetail is mounted to the top of TheSky
Fusion during shipping as shown.
1
5/32-in. T-handle hex wrench
1
3/16-in. hex wrench
1
TheSky Fusion DC Voltage Tester
This handy tool provides peace of mind when
powering your direct-current devices from a
power out port. Before plugging the actual
device, plug this testing in to the destination
power output port confirm the output voltage
is what you expect.

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TheSky Fusion Packing List
Qty
Photo
Description
This tester measures DC voltage, only. Never
attempt to use it to measure voltage from an
AC power source.
1
TheSky Fusion Power Input Cable
•0.9 m (3 ft) long
•Powerpole to Powerpole connectors
To use this cable with third-party power
supply units. If necessary, connectors from
one end can be removed, the leads stripped to
expose the copper wires so that they can be
connected to a regulated 12V DC power supply
with positive and negative lead connection
points.
1
TheSky Fusion Quick Start Guide
1
TheSky Fusion User Guide

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Hardware Overview
Front View
Figure 2 and the tables below describe each TheSky Fusion component.
Figure 2: TheSky Fusion’s external components.
For a description of each component, match the number in Figure 2 with the Number column in
the table below.
Number
Description
Number
Description
1
12V/3A DC or 5V/1.5A DC fused power out
port (set using switch on PCB, see page 42).
15
System power button.
2
12V/3A DC or 5V/1.5A DC fused power out
port (set using switch on PCB, see page 42).
16
RJ45 Ethernet port.
3
12V/3A DC fused power out port.
17
HDMI port.
4
12V/5A DC fused power out port.
18
Four USB 3.0 ports.
5
12V/5A DC fused power out port.
19
Four-line OLED display.
6
12V/7A DC pulse-width modulated (PWM)
fused power out port.
20
Wi-Fi antennae.
7
12V/7A DC PWM fused power out port.
21
1/4-20-in., 60 mm-spaced dovetail
mounting holes.
8
8V/3A DC or 5V/3A DC fused power out port
(set using switch on PCB, see page 42).
22
GPS antenna (internal).

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Number
Description
Number
Description
9
TheSky Fusion’s power status LED.
23
External GPS antenna port
(optional).
10
Male DB9 RS -232 serial port.
24
Power input port (12V/40A DC),
specified below.
11-14
Power output port status LEDs.
Component
Explanation
Power button
The power button does not operate like a traditional on/off switch.
•TheSky Fusion is booted each time the external power cable is plugged in. In
this case, there is no need to click the power on/off button. The boot process
takes about one minute before TheSky Imaging is ready to use.
•When the unit is powered on and initialized, pressing, and releasing the power
button initiates the unit’s shut down procedure and then turns the power off.
•Power can be restored by either plugging the external power cable or pressing
and releasing the power button.
Always power down TheSky Fusion by pressing and releasing the
power button!
Unexpected loss of power, for example, from unplugging the
power supply, can cause file corruption and data loss.
Power input port
•A power cable that ends with a Powerpole connector is required to power to
TheSky Fusion’s power input port (24).
Power output
ports
•The power port numbering sequence shown in the diagram matches the order
on TheSky’s Power Control window (shown below).
•Ports 6 and 7 can be configured to provide power using pulse-width modulation
(PWM) for dew heaters.
•The power out ports are turned off by default. Use TheSky Imaging’s Power
Control to turn the devices on and off, configure the external LED status, power
port startup state, and pulse-width modulation settings.

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Rear View
Figure 3: TheSky Fusion rear view with components numbered.
Power In Port (12V at 40A Max)
If you purchased a TheSky Fusion power supply unit (PSU), plug it into the mains power supply
and plug the Powerpole connector into the Power In port. Custom PSUs must supply 12V DC,
with up to 40 amps maximum (480W max). The supplied Powerpole to Powerpole cable is
intended to be adapted to a power supply unit that accepts bare wire leads for power output.
Wi-Fi Antenna
The Wi-Fi antenna is located on the back of the case. For best performance, rotate the antenna
vertically (Figure 3). Rotate the antenna horizontally to prevent damage during transport.
GPS Antenna
The built-in GPS antenna is located inside the extruded black portion of the case, outside the
aluminum housing.
Optional GPS Antenna Port
The optional GPS antenna port can be used to connect an external GPS antenna for greater signal,
for example, when TheSky Fusion is used inside a dome. External GPS antennas are sold
separately.

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Bottom View
Figure 4: TheSky Fusion external housing, bottom view.
Power Output Port Description Text
The voltage and amperage for each power output port are etched into the bottom of TheSky
Fusion housing to provide a convenient reference and reminder so that you can be sure you are
using the correct port before plugging in your equipment.
Please exercise great caution when plugging in your equipment to
TheSky Fusion’s power output ports!
Your equipment can be irreparably damaged if the power output port is
configured to supply a voltage that is not compatible with your
hardware.
Power Output Disclaimer: Software Bisque is not responsible for
damage to equipment caused by applying the incorrect voltage. Always
verify the voltage of each power output port by plugging the TheSky
Fusion DC Voltage Meter into the port before actually plugging in the
device.
The voltage, and maximum amperage supplied by ports 1, 2, and 8 are configurable. See
“Appendix A: Power Out Port Configuration” on page 42 for details how to change them.
Ports 6 and 7 are pulse-width modulated (PWM). Pulse-width modulation is a mechanism that
allows power to be supplied periodically to the dew heater. You want enough power to remove
dew, but not so much power as to introduce thermal currents and noise at the image plane.

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Threaded Mounting Holes
TheSky Fusion is normally shipped with the dovetail plate attached to the top of the housing with
four mounting bolts.
The six threaded mounting holes on the bottom of the housing can also be used to attach the
dovetail in any of the three different positions. Note that two bolts are sufficient to securely
attach the dovetail plate and four may be overkill.
Attaching TheSky Fusion to the Telescope
Figure 5:TheSky Fusion attached to a refractor's OTA mounting rings.
TheSky Fusion is intended to be attached to top of the telescope mount along with the telescope
to minimize the number of cables run through, or on the exterior of the mount.
TheSky Fusion includes a dovetail saddle that incorporates both the Losmandy and Vixen (D and
V Series, respectively). TheSky Fusion’s aluminum shell has mounting holes on both the top and
bottom to offer a variety of mounting options. Additionally, the dovetail saddle’s ¼-20 threaded
holes are spaced 60 mm (2.36-in.) apart and compatible with many third-party dovetail bars and
saddles to suit a wide range of equipment configurations.
The table below shows several dovetail mounting configurations.

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Dovetail Mounting Configurations
Wiring TheSky Fusion
At a minimum, TheSky Fusion requires two cables to run through or along the outside of the
telescope mount:
•A 12V DC power supply cable to power TheSky Fusion and supply DC power to your
equipment through TheSky Fusion’s built-in power output ports.
•USB (or RS232) cable for mount control
An optional ethernet cable can be run to have a physical connection to the local network.

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The 12V DC power cable requires an Anderson Powerpole connector that plugs into TheSky
Fusion’s power input port.
Power can be supplied to TheSky Fusion by:
•An 11.5A or 21A 12V DC power supply units (sold separately). Software Bisque offers two
“officially tested” models on the Software Bisque Store.
•TheSky Fusion Battery Adaptor with an EGO™Lithium-ion battery (sold separately).
•A user-supplied 12V AC to DC power supply unit or 12V DC battery.
TheSky Fusion warranty does not cover damage caused by the application of
incorrect power source power supply solutions.
These cables can be run through the Paramount mount; for non-Paramount mounts, please
reference the manufacturer’s instructions regarding running cables for instrumentation.
Ultimately, a 12V DC power source must be supplied to TheSky Fusion, a connection established
from the mount’s control system’s USB or RS232 port to TheSky Fusion and, optionally, an
Ethernet cable connected to TheSky Fusion’s Ethernet port.
Connecting Communication Cables to TheSky Fusion
Equipment that communicates with TheSky Imaging via USB communication can be connected
to one of the four USB 3.0 ports located on TheSky Fusion’s front panel. If more ports are
required, consider adding an optional four-port powered USB 3.0 hub (sold separately).
A RS232 serial device can be connected to TheSky Fusion’s DB9 port.
By default, all eight power outputs are configured to supply 12V DC power. Please refer to the
specifications etched onto the bottom of TheSky Fusion’s face plate for specifics of how much
amperage and what alternative voltages and features each power output can provide.
As a general guideline, high amperage devices (large format cameras, dew heaters, etc.) should
be connected to outputs 4-7, and lower power devices can be connected to any power output.
Ports 1 and 2 can be configured for 5V, 6 and 7 can be used as simple dew heater controllers, and
port 8 can be configured to power DSLR or mirrorless system cameras.

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Passwords
You must enter passwords to access the following features:
•The Wi-Fi access point
•To remotely access TheSky Fusion from VNC
•Allow remote access to TheSky Fusion’s shared folder and other administrative account
(super user) command access.
Feature
Username
Password
Wi-Fi access point
n/a
12345678
Web browser access
n/a
12345678
VNC access
n/a
fusion
Shared folder access
admin
fusion
Use TheSky Fusion Settings application on TheSky Fusion desktop to change the Wi-Fi and VNC
password.
Connecting
TheSky Fusion turns on automatically when power is connected. If TheSky Fusion is powered on,
the power button will turn it off. If TheSky Fusion is plugged in, and powered off, because it was
shut down, the power button will power it back on.
Once TheSky Fusion is powered on and the external screen displays Ready, you may connect to
the Wi-Fi network and then control it in any of three ways:
•A web browser
•A virtual network computing (VNC) app
•From TheSky HD iOS app
The Wi-Fi network, by default, is named TheSkyFusion-XXXXXX where XXXXXX represents the
last six characters of TheSky Fusion’s Ethernet Mac address.
Web Browser
1. From your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, join TheSky Fusion’s Wi-
Fi access point.
This step is very easy to forget when getting started each session. Your
computer must be connected to TheSky Fusion’s Wi-Fi access point before
proceeding. If the tablet, smartphone, or computer is not connected,
remote access to TheSky Fusion’s desktop is not possible.

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iOS
a. Tap Settings > Wi-Fi > Other Networks > TheSky Fusion-XXXXXX.The first-
time connection requires entering the Wi-Fi access point password,
subsequent connections do not (and TheSky Fusion’s network is listed under
My Networks on the Settings window.) A green checkmark appears next to
the network name when successfully connected.
macOS
a. Click Apple > System Preferences > Networks > Wi-Fi > Network Name >
TheSky Fusion-XXXXXX.The first-time connection requires entering the Wi-Fi
access point password.
Alternatively, when the Network option Show Wi-Fi Status in Menu Bar
checkbox is turned on, click the Wi-Fi graphic in the Menu Bar to list the
available Wi-Fi access points, and select TheSky Fusion’s access point to join.
Windows
a. Click Start > Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Show Available Networks
or click the Internet Access icon in the menu bar.
b. Highlight or tap TheSky Fusion-XXXXXX and click Connect.
The device is now connected to TheSky Fusion’s access point.
2. Open your web browser of choice.
3. In the browser’s address bar, enter theskyfusion.local.
4. Login to TheSky Fusion using the default Wi-Fi network password from table above.
VNC App
Software Bisque recommends VNC Viewer by VNC Connect as we have validated and tested it on
multiple platforms.
To download the VNC Viewer app visit the URL below or scan the QR code in Figure 6.
https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/

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Figure 6: Scan this QR Code to visit the RealVNC Viewer web page.
1. Connect to TheSky Fusion’s Wi-Fi network.
2. Run VNC Viewer.
3. Go through the tutorial if you have not used the app before.
4. On iOS or Android, click the +button. On Linux, macOS, or Windows, click File > New
Connection.
5. Enter the hostname (default: theskyfusion.local) or IP address (default:
192.168.42.1) in the Address field on iOS or Android or the VNC Server field on
Linux, macOS and Windows.
6. Enter a descriptive name for the connection in the Name field.
7. Tap or click OK, Create, or Save to confirm the input.
Warning messages related to an unencrypted connection can be safely ignored as the ad hoc Wi-
Fi network connection is secure.
8. Enter the Password (default: fusion) and feel free to have the app save the
password.
From now, just tap or double click on the icon for TheSky Fusion in the VNC app and enter the
password, if prompted, to connect.
Transferring Images from TheSky Fusion
A good practice after collecting photos is to save them to your desktop computer. There are a
several different methods for transferring images from TheSky Fusion to your image processing
machine.
•Plug a USB flash drive or SSD into one of TheSky Fusion’s USB ports, then copy the
images from the desktop folder named ImageRuns to the external drive.
Note that you can configure TheSky Imaging to automatically save images to this folder.
To do so, from TheSky, on the Camera window, click the AutoSave button then click the

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Choose AutoSave Folder’s Choose button. From the Choose Autosave Folder window,
under Look In, click Admin > ImageRuns and click Choose.
•Connect to the ImageRuns folder using a network share and copy the images from this
folder to your image processing computer.
•If you are connected to the Web, run the Firefox web browser, log in to your favorite file
sharing service, and copy the files there.
Transferring Files to a Mac
1. Click Apple > System Preferences > Network and click the Turn Wi-Fi On button if
necessary. Expand Network Name and choose TheSkyFusion-XXXXXX to join this network.
Enter the password 12345678 and click Join.
2. From Finder, click Go > Connect to Server.
Figure 7: The Connect to Server command on macOS Finder.
3. Enter the IP address of TheSky Fusion; the default IP address is shown in Figure 8 and click
Connect.When prompted, click Connect again to verify that you want to connect to this
server. If TheSky Fusion is connected to an infracture network, use the IP address assigned
by the DHCP service.

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Figure 8: Connecting to TheSky Fusion using its IP address.
4. Enter the username and password. The default username is admin and the password
fusion. Click Connect to proceed.
Figure 9: Enter the name and password to connect to TheSky Fusion from macOS.
5. On the next window, click OK.