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Local Astrometry.net for SGPro

PhotoGav

By PhotoGav
in Discussions - Software

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

Posted
Posted

So, hopefully this will solve all the problems with getting SGPro plate solving with a local instance of Astrometry.net... Trevor has the answer, so Dave said anyway!

My first question is which bits of the installation process detailed here (http://forum.mainsequencesoftware.com/t/local-astrometry-net-files/143) do I need to do differently if I have astrometry.net installed and running with AstroTortilla already on my PC?

Many thanks.

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tdnicholls

tdnicholls

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Hi,

You only need the cygwin.rar (https://www.dropbox.com/s/s8babv6d8e98udc/cygwin.rar) and expand this over the top of your current c:\cygwin folder, this will not effect Astrotortilla or the current Astronomy.net install. It will add ANSVR the local astronomy.net component and may be some extra starmap fit files.

The ANSVR server is provided by Andy Galasso, for reference the installation document cab found here http://adgsoftware.com/ansvr/INSTALL.txt 

When you have copied that over you can grab the shortcut files from my dropbox, save to your desktop.

Interactive link - This will run ANSVR in a command window so you can see the output, good to run this way during setup and testing.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4931i638f92cygu/Astronomy.Net%20v0.11%20Interactive.lnk

Background link - This will start ANSVR as a background task, I place this in my startup folder so the server is always running.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8errryfyl3mb1h1/Astronomy.Net%20v0.11.lnk

Run the ANSVR server and check it is up and running by typing the following into a web browser

http://localhost:8080/api/config

This should display the config page.

The last stage is to configure SPG to use it, this is down by accessing the control panel (camera icon), select Astronomy.net as the platesolver, click other and change the end point to http://localhost:8080/api

Also remember to set Astronomy.net as the plate solver in your equipment profile.

Last thing is to make sure you have the scale correct in the camera tab of your equipment profile.

Hopefully that all makes sense.

Cheers Trevor

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

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Well, it's not going very well...

I've downloaded everything, but am struggling with what to save where when you say "expand this over the top of your current c:Cygwin folder". I expanded the rar folder to the c:Cygwin folder and it copied loads of things there, but didn't ask me about replacing items. Then when I double click the Interactive link, it opens a window, then shuts it again and doesn't appear to do anything. Typing the URL into a web browser does nothing... Should I copy the contents of the expanded rar folder to the c:Cygwin folder? I'm frightened to do too much experimenting as I'm not sure what I'm up to and don't want to break Astrotortilla!

Thanks.

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tdnicholls

tdnicholls

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Sorry, I talk to much IT speak a times, the RAR file contains a version of Cygwin that has a working version of ANSVR - when you open that file it should show you a Cygwin folder, drag this folder to top level C this will overwrite / add ANSVR to your existing install - it should not affect the astrotortilla Instal - never has for me.

If you want to be 100% copy the existing Cygwin folder somewhere else first.

Basically you are copying the contents of the Rar file over the top of your existing installation.

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Steve 1962

Steve 1962

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I've just followed the instructions on the SGP website - http://forum.mainsequencesoftware.com/t/local-astrometry-net-files/143 on 2 Windows 7 and Windows 8 laptops and am delighted to report that the SGP plate solving works with the local solver on both, and Astro Tortilla isn't broken.

Thanks for sorting this out Dave, Trevor and Gav.

Steve

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Dave Smith

Dave Smith

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Pleased to hear you are sorted Steve, and hopefully you will be soon Gav.

On Tues night my plate solving failed completely. It took me about 20 hours for it to occur to me that I hadn't run the interactive link before running SGPro :shocked:

I have now taken Trevor's advice and placed it in my startup folder and now cannot forget !!

Dave

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Steve 1962

Steve 1962

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Oh dear Dave! That's frustrating.

I've also placed SGP, PHD and my Dome Controller in the Start Up folder to I'm hoping that works.

I've been playing with SGP and the local Astrometry server and, having pruned down my Cygwin index files using the guidance provided during the Astro Tortilla installation process, I'm getting blind solves in about 15 seconds.

I can't seem to get Elbrus to solve anywhere near as consistently as Astrometry - and when it does, it takes about 20 seconds ....but it can't blind solve and seems very sensitive to the image scale setting.

As a comparison, I've also downloaded a trial of PinPoint and the GSC catalogue. It solves all of the same images that Astrometry solves, but in about 50 seconds! Looks like this thread has saved me $149 and  about 35 secs per solve!

Cheers

Steve

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tdnicholls

tdnicholls

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Both Elburs and PinPoint need accurate image scale and RA/DEC coordinates to work efficiently.

My setup is PinPoint as the primary solver and fallback to blind solver (ANSVR)

My basic work flow after PA and initial focus  is to fire up SGP, connect all equipment and slew the scope to random area of sky close to my target and then Solve & Sync from SGP, this gets accurate RA/DEC cords, it may fall back to blind solving depending on how well I setup my mount.

From that point on PinPoint will normally solve in 2-3 secs, the 50secs sounds like PinPoint is having to widen it's search too much.

All that said just using ANSVR is the best route, I got PinPoint because as well as plate solving it also offered FWHM as a AF option but having actually used I have gone back to HFR default method.

One thing that does help is updating the image scale in the equipment profile camera tab to value the solver returns, I have always found the calculated value differs slightly from the actual scale. 

Thanks

Trevor

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  • 2 months later...
daz

daz

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Hi guys

Am playing with SGP at present but I thought had the local .net solving sussed and working - but no!

I got some 30s frames last night while getting to grips with setting everything up. Using pinpoint as the solver, it takes a couple of seconds.

Using the local astrometry.net it just sits there and eventually will timeout and fail.

If I switch to the internet based one it takes a couple of minutes but it solves.

So, what am I missing?? I followed the instructions in the SGP forum but I don't have AT installed. Should I have? 

I have the ansvr running (v 0.14) and can connect to the config page OK - it just won't solve

I even set the RA/DEC hints and the image scale but no luck either!

Any suggestions?

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tdnicholls

tdnicholls

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Hi Daz,

If you followed the instructions and downloaded the full zip it should be fine, connecting to config page proves that part and AT will not be necessary.

Are you running the server in background? This command entered into a dos command line (Start->Run) will run ANSVR in foreground mode.

C:\cygwin\bin\bash.exe -l -c "/opt/ansvr-0.14/ansvr -d"

If you watch the Dos window when you try and blind solve from within SGP you should see it attempting to solve, this tests in SGP is talking to ANSVR.

If nothing happens then maybe something wrong with the local URL entered, should be 'http://localhost:8080/api' or a firewall issue when windows is blocking access, easy way to check is to disable the firewall from control panel, if that works then a rule will need to be entered in the firewall for ANSVR.

Let me know the results of the above tests and we can try and figure out what the next step is.

Cheers

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daz

daz

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OK, some more playing....

I hadn't set the -d switch as suggested in the updated forum article, but when I add this, I get some errors about mkpasswd and mkgroup.

So, I ran a cygwin shell and tried to execute the commands as suggested - mkpasswd -> /etc/passwd.

This failed with a command not found error (as did the mkgroup). Only when I ran /bin/mkpasswd did it appear to run.

However, when I then run the server command, I get the same error - but the config page loads!

I think I've done something screwy so I'll start again from scratch and take it step by step and report back

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daz

daz

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OK, reinstalled from scratch...

I can now run the server OK, and in the DOS window, I can see the plate solving going on.

But it still fails.

If I use the internet version, it solves fine.

If I use Pinpoint, it solves fine

The local one goes through the motions but eventually times out.

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tdnicholls

tdnicholls

Posted
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ok, that fails to solve for me and my local server is correctly installed so would think yours is as well.

That image is not well focused so may be the cause of the issue though as you say pinpoint and the online service cope with it ok.

Try this image, M92 taken with my EdgeHD 8/QHY8L and has an image scale of 0.723 so close to yours. On my system this will blind solve with the local server in 4.5s - should prove your install.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aq9oi41bb51c6rx/-19.8C_60sec_1x1_Light_frame3.fit

The best way to test this is to use the image as a reference in the target

Screenshot2014-08-21112356_zps5ae7f99f.p

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daz

daz

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Yes, that solves in about seconds.

I was opening the image and right-clicking, but either way works.

So I can assume that my install is actually OK then and there is something iffy with the image?

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

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Your image that you were trying to solve is very out of focus and I'm sure that will be the problem in the solver. Not that I have got SGP and plate solving working on my system yet, but I have had that problem with AT in the past. Your efforts and now success has re-inspired me to have another look at SGP and plate solving!

Here's to you being able to test it all in the field very soon.

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Zakalwe

Zakalwe

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I would echo what others have said. The image is very much out of focus and that will cause the plate-solve to struggle.

I use the local server on my SGP (and yes, putting it in the Startup folder is the way to go!). A total blind-solve will normally take about a minute. If I give it the pixel scale, then it solves in a few seconds.

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