SteveNickolls

I've been keeping records of observing and imaging sessions for years (11 observing 7 imaging) and this September has been the poorest on record. Rather hoping the coming seasons will improve chances as I didn't vote for this. 😁

Here's to clear dark skies.

Cheers,

Steve

It's been a while since I last posted on here but today I noticed that PLL did produce an update to the software for the Eagle Core, v2.11 back in late Ocotober 2021. This latest version provides-

1) Added support to Canon EOS 6D Mark II

2) Added support to Canon EOS 90D

3) Added support to Nikon D780

4) Added support to Nikon D800

The download is avaialble from here- https://www.primalucelab.com/info/downloads.html

Given the time that has elapsed since last activity on this thread are others still using the Eagle Core for imaging? My own journey has taken me to narrowband imaging with an ASI533MM-Pro and while the wider range of PLL Eagle products still appeals to me they are expensive. I have purchased a StarTech 4 port USB over Ethernet product to provide the control across the length of the garden such that I can sit controlling imaging from the comfort of the living room. A new mount, an iOptron GEM28 brings ASCOM meaning I can perform plate solving and pulse guide using PHD2 while having imaging controlled with Sharpcap Pro. I still have my Eagle Core and Canon DSLR's and if I had enough clear nights here in the UK I would from time to time use the Eagle Core for imaging, my enthusiasm remains for the product.

Cheers,
Steve

Thanks for that Ratlet much appreciated. Yes clear skies would be much appreciated right now.

Cheers,

Steve

On 11/09/2022 at 14:28, Ratlet said:

I use a nuc to control everything and remote desktop onto that.  Never thought about just using remote desktop from my phone to do polar alignme

Hi, thanks for this Ratlet. Could you describe using your mobile to help with polar aligning?

Cheers,

Steve

I've had a reply from iOptron Support today to a query over the possibility of an App in the future for the iPolar device. As I've mentioned before I would like to see a simple solution for my mount such as an App running on a tablet and controlling the iPolar through a USB OTG type of arrangement. I have had a ASI120MM-S, ASI120 MM mini and ASI178MC running at different times from ASI Studio on my tablet so thought some such arrangement would work. The response I've received  states, "iPolar supports Windows and MacOS currently. We may add a Raspberry Pi adapter/APP to support Android/iPhone wirelessly. There is no option for USB connection for Android devices."

I am not adverse to needing to employ an adapter to perform the necessary control of the iPolar using a tablet and will have to start saving up for it.

Cheers,
Steve

Hi Ratlet thanks for posting. Yes it's been a little time since I've posted anything really waiting for somthing to give feed back on or anything else related to the mount.  I will enjoy reading your NINA guide. 👍 Very pleased you have been able now to have your mount operational.

I'm pleased you have got on fine with iCommander 8, I will migrate over to it but have lots going on at home at the moment. How have you found the new iCommander interface?

Yes when I last contacted iOptron support I got what I took to be a positive response regarding the iPolar App and didn't expect it to be part of any App to control the Sky Hunter and other mounts. Still I've contacted iOptron again today so will see if they have any plans to provide an iPolar App. 

Cheers,
Steve

September 2022 Update

Well the new imaging season has started here in the UK and August proved a good month for being able to get out under the stars with the GEM28. I have begun trying out different procedures for using the iPolar but feel it’s still early days to be definitive on the best method for using the iPolar and particularly whether better polar alignment arises after clearing the camera rotation each session or not. Currently I am using the following procedure with the GEM 28 set up on the imaging pad.

• The tripod is placed on pre-made marks to help point the iPolar quite closely to the NCP each evening and the iPolar is connected up to my laptop. The mount is in its Zero Position, that is with counterweights pointing straight down. The two hex bolts holding the mount head to the tripod are slightly loosened.
• The laptop is started up and I connect to the iPolar.
• I press the ‘Connect’ button then the ‘Settings’ button. After a 20 second countdown I am allowed to take a new dark frame for the current session which I do. I them take off the cap to the iPolar.
• I have not been clearing the camera centre values between sessions but want to see if a better imaging session results when a new camera centre of rotation involving moving the iPolar to a second position to plate solve.
• The on screen instructions will advise if any changes are required to increase or reduce the number of star positions shown on the screen. I have found in my Bortle 6 skies that 250 ms to 500 ms is ok to provide a sufficient number of stars for the software to plate solve by.
• I have found that once the plate solve has been made that both the camera centre and NCP positions are shown on screen and I do not need to rotate the counterweights to a second position.
• I adjust the position of the camera centre using the mount’s Az and Alt adjustment knobs until I get a perfect match up of the camera centre and NCP.
• The two hex bolts are nipped up and I check there has been no movement in the match up.
• The iPolar software is disconnected, the mount is switched on and the correct time checked on the hand controller against an online atomic clock.
• The laptop is moved indoors and set up to control the imaging session.

Dithering without Guiding

SharpCap Pro provides a capability to send pulse guiding commands to the GEM28 which randomly dithers between captures as required by the user. This worked very well when I was using 30 and 60 second sub-exposures and improved the quality of the stacked images. I have begun to see what increasing the sub-exposure duration brings in terms of the final image and found I needed to begin guiding to ensure round stars at 90 seconds exposure.

Beginning Guiding

My imaging set up is a Samyang 135mm lens imaging at f/2 with a 12nm Astronomik filter and ASI533MM-Pro astro-camera so this does not put much strain on the mount nor guiding. I have successfully guided before using a Celestron CG-5 and Star Adventurer mount, employing PHD2 and the Eagle OS respectively.

I have found that the GEM28 returns a very good calibration result and have been happy with the images produced from 90 seconds sub-frames.

Below an image taken of the area incorporating IC1396 in Cepheus taken with the GEM28 using a mix of 30 and 60 seconds sub exposures totalling 2 hours 18.5 minutes with master dark and flat frames and Moon present in the sky.

And the region around NGC 7822 in Cepheus, just x65 ninety second sub frames with master dark and flat frame-

New iCommander software v8

Recently iOptron have released an updated version of their iCommander software which can be used to control the GEM28 and other mounts. The latest version brings changes and a new look to iCommander. For now I have held off updating the software as I want to concentrate getting to grips with v7.

New iCommander Lite Apps 

iOptron have just released Apps to wirelessly control a range of their mounts (this includes the GEM28). The Apps, for iOS and Android can be downloaded free from the respective App Stores. The Apps are timed around the launch of the iOptron Sky Hunter range of lightweight mounts. An 11 page leaflt is available from the iOptron site detailing how the App works with the the Sky Hunter mounts. The instructions should still be useful when  employing with the GEM28 and other mounts. THE APP DOES NOT ALLOW REMOTE CONTROL OF THE iPOLAR DEVICE. I have again contacted iOptron Support over any plans to create such an App which would use a USB cable between the control device (Android) and the iPolar.

(Added 15.9.2022) Here is the pdf with the iOptron Commander Lite Application notes (11 pages)-

iOptronCommanderLiteAppNote.pdf

"I reckon you could probably set the focus at a median point and the results would be perfectly acceptable for all three filters."

Thanks for this encouragement Adrian.

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks Adrian for your focus settings, I'm new to precise, repeatable focus values having previously focused manually. A difference in Ha and OIII of 10 sounds quite close to one another. Perhaps I would be best to see what results I get simply when changing filters before adding a remote controlled focuser?

Cheers,

Steve

Astrodymium Ring Kit for Samyang 135mm Lens

First my apologies if this is in the wrong section but a thread so frequently visited by imagers using the Samyang 135mm lens seemed the appropriate best place. 🙂

This season I will be moving from my modified Canon 700D to using an ASI533MM-Pro as the main imaging camera coupled to my Samyang 135mm lens.  I intend using Astronomik Ha and OIII filters with a ZWO to EOS filter drawer arrangement and while having read that both Astronomik vanilla and Max FR filters are parfocal I expect to have to refocus between filters, I'd like to be wrong. Do any members have experience with this parfocal claim?

Expecting to have to refocus I have spotted the Astrodymium ring kit sold by FLO-

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astrodymium-ring-system-with-zwo-eaf-asiair-mount-for-samyang-rokinon-135mm-f2-lens.html

Before placing an order for the ring system and ZWO focuser unit I would be pleased to hear from any other users of this kit so I can go into things with my eyes wide open.

Hope members will be able to help.

Cheers,

Steve

Enjoy!

Thanks Ian for posting, you've been waiting so long for the mount to arrive-enjoy. Look forward to reading more once the tripod arrives.

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks for posting. Do you know the SQM-L value/Bortle scale under which the image was taken

Steve

Don't know where you are imaging from but if you have light pollution you need far more integration time using the 600Dand even then... Also M13 would have been very much higher up in the sky (70 degrees or so) while the chain of galaxies are around 30 degrees. Good luck.

Cheers,
Steve

Cuiv (let's hope he comes back with more videos); Astrobiscuit (should have his own TV series); Martin Pyott and Cosmuzz for being just honest and down to earth and Starman (no, not the pop star).

Cheers,

Steve

I'd go for the meteor shower except it would probably be cloudy. 

Cheers,

Steve

Just the weather now needs to play ball. Good luck.

Cheers,

Dteve

Arrived just after lunch. Thanks FLO. 👍

Cheers,

Steve

That's great Ratlet, look forward to it. 👍

Cheers,

Steve

Hi Ratlet, thanks for your message. Yes it would be nice if it was a free App to use with the iPolar, something along the lines of employing an OTG connection to a tablet or mobile. I'm pleased you have plumpt for a GEM28, they are very quiet in operation. I'd be pleased if you'd consider putting your workflow with NINA up on the thread as it would help others and encourage discussion of GEM28 owners.

Thanks tompato for the heads up over the Skyhunter Go-to tracking mount, it will be interesting to see what form the App comes out in though I'd most likely only need it for iPolar control.

Cheers,
Steve

Others may be interested to know of an on-going development with the control of the iPolar software.

I recently emailed iOptron technical support over whether they will be developing an Android wi-fi solution to the control of the iPolar device. I was pleased this afternoon to receive their reply confirming that iOptron are currently working on a wi-fi solution. This will be a great, positive enabling step when produced.

Presently I take out my laptop into the garden to perform polar alignment by the mount. I then return the laptop indoors to control the following imaging session via the USB over Ethernet cable. Being able in the future to perform polar alignment with a tablet or mobile will be a very welcome development that can be incorporated into the overall control of tbe GEM28 and all other iOptron EQ mounts.

Cheers,

Steve

It would be nice to imagine light pollution levels have reduced and pleased for some on SGL. I've been keeping local records of the conditions where I live these past three years and  overall levels have improved from 19.27 to 19.29, little to shout about really. Locally we are having three new housing estates being built, one of 1100 homes and a main access road with street lights so I can't see levels improving longer term. 

Electricity prices may rise steeply to affect domestic consumption and make some think about running cost in the future but remember those canny ones with solar powered lights left on all night after watching the ubiquitous home and garden make over shows. I know a neighbour like that. Ha, we might all be using party lights fed from solar to light our living rooms come the pinch.

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks though Neil for your advice I do appreciate it.

Cheers,

Steve

Hi, I've solved the issue. Turns out it was caused by a setting in SharpCap Pro only recently introduced to give the option to remove satellite trails when imaging. Unfortunately this was turned on when it needed to be turned off. I found that turning off the removal feature returned the view on screen to normal and the fps rate increased from around just 1 fps to 31.5 fps. I repeated this a few times to ensure the effect was reproducible. I'm mighty relived it's not a problem with the camera.

Can I thank you all for your ideas in this, I've certainly learnt something new this evening.

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks for giving this your time and thoughts Neil and Ian. I'm going to devote today to trying the many options. Fortunately I do have a ASI120MM-S camera to use in place of the 178MC to try to narrow down on the matter. Will let you know how things get on. 👍 You never stop learning in this hobby that's for sure.

Cheers,
Steve