Do you flip?

[wuthton]

A conversation in another thread which got wildly off topic, my fault, has me intrigued. Most (full) nights out I will meridian flip and continue imaging the same target but I was wondering if this is the norm? I thought it was but now I'm not so sure.

[swag72]

Yes I will flip and continue imaging that same target. That way I can get 7 hours give or take each night on the same target.

[tingting44]

Yes I will flip and continue imaging that same target. That way I can get 7 hours give or take each night on the same target.

ive not flipped yet, i take it you plate solve after flipping, re start guiding and then continue after the flip...

[swag72]

I don't use plate solving. So just flip, refocus and goto the target.

Never used plate solve in my life

[wuthton]

ive not flipped yet, i take it you plate solve after flipping, re start guiding and then continue after the flip...

I used to use a framing mask but Astrotortilla is sooooo easy (apart from when it throws a hissy fit but I'm not alone there).

[tingting44]

I don't use plate solving. So just flip, refocus and goto the target.

Never used plate solve in my life

where you do not plate solve, are your images before and after flip often very much out? resulting in a bigger crop after stacking

I used to use a framing mask but Astrotortilla is sooooo easy (apart from when it throws a hissy fit but I'm not alone there).

yes i used AT for the 1st time last week, and it was a pleasure to click solve, and magicly see M39 appear in the middle of my frame....

[swag72]

I open an image prior to the flip, flip it by 180 degrees then match that to the new frame using Als reticle.

[wuthton]

where you do not plate solve, are your images before and after flip often very much out? resulting in a bigger crop after stacking

yes i used AT for the 1st time last week, and it was a pleasure to click solve, and magicly see M39 appear in the middle of my frame....

If you're using AT you should definitely flip, your best opportunity for great subs is either at the meridian (both sides!)  

[wuthton]

If you're using AT you should definitely flip, your best opportunity for great subs is either at the meridian (both sides!)  

I really should edit before pressing post.

[jgs001]

I flip... when I'm using the HEQ5... I manually reframe... after looking at the image and aligning by eye... it's close enough.. and I don't tend to have to crop too much...

[RobH]

I flip. I rotate the unflipped image and frame by eye, using the stars at the edge. I don't want an exact match most of the time...a bit of difference helps get rid of the noise during stacking in the same way that dithering does. I did plate solve once, but haven't got around to it since then and have forgotten what I did !

[hobsey]

Flipping hell, I'm confused. 

[wuthton]

Flipping hell, I'm confused. 

Flip me! You're flipping pushing it with the flipping forum rules.

[PhotoGav]

+1 for Flipping

+1 for AT

+1 for Dithering

:-)

[johnrt]

You can't get away without flipping, well not if you want some serious hours on a target.

[iksose7]

I recently started flipping because i'm using a scope now instead of a lens so its a must do. I also didnt like the thought of attempting it but its really nothing to worry about. And if you dont already use it, download Astrotortilla! It made life sooo easy 

[chrisshillito]

You can't get away without flipping, well not if you want some serious hours on a target.

Really? I can easiily track past the meridian for three hours with no risk of collision. Start imaging three hours before the meridian and that's six hours of uninterrupted imaging without the need for a flip.

Chris.

[glowingturnip]

Synscan Goto doesn't auto-flip does it ?  Would hate to think of my scope doing a flip when I'm not there, and dragging laptop, cameras etc onto the floor

[JamesF]

Synscan Goto doesn't auto-flip does it ?  Would hate to think of my scope doing a flip when I'm not there, and dragging laptop, cameras etc onto the floor

Instead of grinding the camera body into the mount?

I don't believe synscan will flip automatically, no.  I've never seen it do so with my mounts.  If you're controlling the mount using eqmod however you can configure it to do all sorts of things.  I believe by default that it will just stop the mount once it reaches some preset limit past the meridian.

James

[glowingturnip]

If you're controlling the mount using eqmod however you can configure it to do all sorts of things.  I believe by default that it will just stop the mount once it reaches some preset limit past the meridian.

James

that sounds sensible.  I have EQMOD on my to-do-list of things to get my head round, will see how I get on.

[Christopher Davenport]

Often flip in winter, in summer with only four hrs anyway I tend to target not flipping.

To flip at 2am means waking up and spending 30min getting it all working. I would love to automate, flip then solve then fire off capture.

Anybody out there got a automate solution?

Current software:

APT

Eqmod

Phd2

AT

Oh and I remote desktop onto machine from kindle in bed, so I don't need to go outside.

[Sp@ce_d]

No point flapping about flipping

I'll flip if theres a danger of collision or when the guiding goes off. Then I plate solve to realign.. simples

[wuthton]

Often flip in winter, in summer with only four hrs anyway I tend to target not flipping.

To flip at 2am means waking up and spending 30min getting it all working. I would love to automate, flip then solve then fire off capture.

Anybody out there got a automate solution?

Current software:

APT

Eqmod

Phd2

AT

Oh and I remote desktop onto machine from kindle in bed, so I don't need to go outside.

Sequence Generator Pro will do that, including focus.

I had a go with it the other night but the user interface is a mind melter. I'll have another go when the nights are longer.

[Sp@ce_d]

Often flip in winter, in summer with only four hrs anyway I tend to target not flipping.

To flip at 2am means waking up and spending 30min getting it all working. I would love to automate, flip then solve then fire off capture.

Anybody out there got a automate solution?

Current software:

APT

Eqmod

Phd2

AT

Oh and I remote desktop onto machine from kindle in bed, so I don't need to go outside.

Been looking at total automation for a while now. I think I'll probably go down the ACP route

http://www.dc3.com

[Earl]

I want to flip, i do solve, but it didnt guide calibrate last time and at 2am i was in no mood too faff... not a fan of faffing in general LOL