Corpze Posted October 16, 2015 Report Share Posted October 16, 2015 When i bought my DDM i thought it would make my imaging easier... i am soon out of hair... I have a lot of trouble but right now, i can´t understand why Autoslew doesn't pointing right. I managed to do a 40 star autopoint in Sequence, calculated that and all the slews where spot on, this weekend, with the right configurations loaded, it won't hit the targets. I first thought it was an error with CdC and auto slew but even the slews from Autoslew (CdC not active) is off. It isn't even on the chip. Why is this? And also - when i slew in Autoslew with sequence open - Sequence crashes, every single time. I Use Autoslew 5.2.1.3 and sequence 0.2.0.8 /Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 It just crossed my mind - do you have to do a synch (in sequence?) after a power down and homefind? Or should the pointing be accurate after the homefind as i wan't to believe? /Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) Hi Daniel, Don't give up yet, it's probably only a synch issue. I always sync the system with Sequence when I start imaging in a new day. The pointing will be more or less off depending on how many days have passed since the previous session. Synch with Sequence will bring everything in line. Cheers Jyrki P.S. I'm using TheSkyX Edited October 17, 2015 by Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) Thanks, need positive vibes to keep going on Last time i synched (did a 40 star auto point) was last weekend (6 days ago) - i thought autoslew corrected for that? Note that i didn't use a planetarium at all to slew to objects but only autoslew. Will try synch tonight/ Edited October 17, 2015 by Corpze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) I always use the planetarium software when slewing to an object, and Autoslew (arrow keys) only sometime when framing the object if not satisfied how it has been originally positioned. The bad news is that the pointing shouldn't be that much off after only 6 days. However, I'm sure there is just some small thing you're doing differently that causes the problem. Have you checked that the computer time is accurate and the same time is used with Autoslew and Sequence ? I'm using a GPS module and a small software in the laptop to have the time always correct. Edit: And have you set a new homing position after you've done any changes to the setup...e.g. polar align ? Edited October 17, 2015 by Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 I am using a time server in Windows time settings, using local time. I have not set a new home position or changed anything in the pointing or made a synch sience last weekend, the object is not even on the chip i'm afraid, which makes a platesolve hard to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 Did you clear old configuration before calculating the 40 star pointing model? Did you then tell autoslew to save the model and use it at next switch on? The next operation is to centre on a known star and sync in Cartes du Ciel. Then go to this menu and set a new home position: Then tell Autoslew to Save parameters with this menu: If you don't save parameters I have found that Autoslew can forget the Homeposition. With my setup I have gone for nearly a year without resynching and the object was always close to the centre of the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) I have done all of the above except setting a new home position (is that the same as homefind?) and if not, what does it do, and where should i put the new home position? Near my "roof park position"? /Daniel Edit; I read the manual (again) and correct me if i am wrong, but i need to set my own home position (meridian, zenit?) where i live so Autoslew can calculate the offset between the encoder reference marks and my home position? Edited October 17, 2015 by Corpze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) Set home position is not the same as Homefind. The pointing model will only calculate the relative positions of all the stars, in other words, the angular distances between them. When you switch on Autoslew it does not know where it is pointing. (My system does not have absolute encoders). The Homefind looks for reference marks and when found it knows the altitude and azimuth that it is pointing relative to the Earth, but has no idea where the stars are. When you sync on a star then Autoslew knows where it is pointing, but it will forget if you switch it off. Setting a new Homeposition will link Autoslew with a synced position, your observatory position and, most important, the time in your PC clock. Save the parameters and then when you next switch on you only need a Homefind. You won't need to set a new Homeposition unless you change the pointing model. Perhaps it is best to think of Set New Homeposition as "Remember the latest Sync". Edited October 17, 2015 by GeorgeCarey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 There is no preferred place to set the new home position. I sync on a bright star like Arcturus or Vega, and then set new Home Position. I suppose the position should not be too low in the sky because then atmospheric refraction might come into play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) Thank you so much for that info, this info should go in the manual! So if i sum it up as i understand the routine so far. Power up motors on Homefind (encoders) Sync on bright star and set new home position - save ini and now it is safe to power off? /Daniel Edited October 17, 2015 by Corpze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 That should work. Remember to Save Parameters before you switch off. When you shut down Autoslew you may get a message to save to INI. That only needs to be done if you have altered the motor PID settings. I have turned that off so it does not come up each time, but I can't remember where that option is in the menus. Setting magnetic angle, Homefind, Home position is very confusing at first. I had no idea what I was doing at first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 Yes i have seen that option, so the parameters and ini is not the same? One more thing, the sync i do before i set the new home position, should be done in CdC ( no new pointing file)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 As far as I know, Save parameters is different from save to INI. I always sync in Cartes du Ciel. It works. You don't need a new pointing file to do a sync. From what you say it looks like you are making more pointing files than you need. A 40 star pointing file should be good enough. When you start Autoslew it will tell you in the information window if it has found your pointing file. If it has, centre a star, sync in CdC, set new home position and you are ready to image. No further pointing files until you change the telescope setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 (edited) Success! Synched via CdC to Cygnus and set that as new home position and now the slewing is spot on - was a bit worried that i was have to do a complete new autopoint but it worked out great, I am now setting up my first ever sequence run M81-82 will be my first target. Thank You so so much, can't imagine hove things have (not) worked out with all your help - for sure not the last time either. /Daniel Edited October 17, 2015 by Corpze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 17, 2015 Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 Great to hear you are all set now! Happy imaging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2015 Thank you so much!Everything seems good so far, CCD cooling set off 10minutes before sequence start, slew to mag 5 star, pinpoint and focus routine went fine and now it starts it first exposure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 21, 2015 Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 Hi Daniel, how did the imaging session go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpze Posted October 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 As far as a test-session, very good!The roll off roof of my obs is still manual, so i have to manually move the roof, the rest went all fine - Sequence target/exposure settings where all correct, slewing, platesolving and initial focus with a "auto selected star" 5,2mag star went good. And all of the exposures was ok except one which had a odd kind of trailing, almost like a "bumb" on the pier or something. One thing i might have forgotten or if anything got missed was that after the finished sequence, it didn't shut off the cooling of the ccd or parked the scope, probably a miss from my side! The hope is back! /Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeCarey Posted October 21, 2015 Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 Good to hear it is going well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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