SteveNickolls

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

Hi, thanks for the thought about cooling but the 178MC is not TEC cooled. I did not have a dew heater strap on the optics that night but it was not a dewy night. I hope to give more time tomorrow to investigating the phenomena and try out options such as using a different USB cable and different operating software. Cheers, Steve

Thanks Ian and Neil for your inputs. I'm going to take a look at the imaging set up again today to see if there is anything amiss. The imaging set up is simply my ASI178MC and RedCat 51, used for lunar imaging and galaxy work. Will update the thread with anything I discover. Cheers, Steve

Last night I set up my alt-Az mount and RedCat 51 + ASI178MC camera to take some images of the Moon. After a cool down period of about an hour as the night got darker I was astonished to see a moving 'stained glass' or kaleidoscope effect on screen and wondered if it was caused by atmospheric cells being badly disturbed by the weather? Never before have I witnessed anything so pronounced as this. I regret I was so tired that I neither gave thought to check on the view through binoculars or to check the Jet Stream forecast-doh! Views are invited. Thanks, Steve

The weather = 30+ nights for imaging per year, light pollution and getting older such that I prefer an early night over a late finish. But keep on smiling during those nights when it's great to be outside. 😄 Cheers, Stdve

Well yes. Whenever I use my StarTravel 102 that's the tool I would use to help focus. You do need a bright star, not a faint star or double star etc and boost up your DSLR's ISO. Use 'Live View' on the touchscreen to help with the focus. good luck with the attempt. Cheers, Steve

Get a Bhatinov mask for your telescope and nail focus using a high ISO. If you are careful you may be able to carry over good focus to the next session. Good luck. Cheers Stdve

He, he ordered last night. 👍 Cheers, Steve

I had some success last night looking into the iPolar operation. On routine use of the iPolar and with the end of the camera covered if the 'connect' button is pressed a message pops up saying a new dark frame is needed. If you then press 'Settings' you will see that a timer is counting down the 20 seconds mentioned in the manual afterwhich you can take the dark frame. Last night after doing this procedure the iPolar immeaditaly took the first Position image and this showed both the camera's centre and the NCP. I was not instructed to take a second image from Position 2 so i just slightly adjusted the Alt and Az knobs on the mount to line up the camera centre and NCP. I subsequently monitored sucessive images taken in SharpCap Pro which showed little spread over time, indicating a good poalr alignment. I stil intend to check this process is robust and sometine will try checking the polar accuracy from the iPolar technique by checking using SharpCap Pro. Hope this helps others.👍 Cheers, Steve

I have begun to look into the polar alignment of the iPolar and happened across this instructional video online which repays viewing. It is the only video I have found that uses the v2.6 software, so is quite modern. From it I have gathered that the ability to take a dark frame occurs after a 20 second countdown following connecting the iPolar, the previously unavailable 'Take Dark Frame' button can then be used. At this time I remain uncertain over the adequacy of the subsequent process involving Position 1 and Position 2 since the plate solving is so rapid and can occur even if you haven't been able to rotate to position 2, again more investigation is needed. I hope this helps others. Cheers, Steve

April 2022 Update Or-to be sure, to be sure Since receiving the new iPolar I have used v2.5 of the iPolar software on my GEM28 with only mixed results, sometines working and at other times the plate solved stars/NCP/Camera centre were jumping about the laptop screen. This is a 'known issue' and iOptron made an earlier version of software available (v2.21) to use to overcome this effect. However when I tried this software fix the iPolar wasn't recognised. I therefore jumped forward to using v2.6.05 and the new manual... The v2.6.05 software has introduced a number of changes requiring modification to my set up procedure. The move is fraught by the difficult to interpret new manual so I have gone to the extent of re-writing my own interprettation of some parts which may well be subject to future changes as experience grows and practice is better honed. I need to add photos too. iOptron iPolar Manual.docx iOptron have helped prospective users of the new software version check if their computers meet the requirements to run the iPolar and the pre-requisites for the software to run- The v2.6 software needs the 64-bit version of Win 7,8.1, 10 or 11 with .NET Frameworks 3.5 and 4.8 or later installed on the controlling computer to work. For v2.6 iOptron have produced their downloadable ‘EnvironmentCheck.exe’ software allowing potential users to check their computer has the necessary components to allow the iPolar to work. This software will check that the computer has- · A 64-bit architecture installed. · Either Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11 installed. · .NET frameworks are installed. · ASCOM platform 6.5 or later is installed. · iOptron commander installed (presently v6.5). Some confusion still exists for me with the manual around the taking of dark frames. One interprettation of the v2.6 manaul (January 2022) leads me to expect to take a new dark frame on each nightly session rather than re-using a dark frame from a past night. This has sense as you then have a dark frame which more likely reflects the temperature that evening. However I have been unable initially to take a new dark frame unless I first try to load a previous dark frame (when I then get the option released to take a new dark frame). This doesn't follow the manual. The manual also mentions that an automatic dark frame is taken after some twenty seconds count down period and perhaps needs making more clear. I have used different iPolars and seen a number of iterations of advice over the polar allignment process over just a few short years. It seems that over time the process of rotating the mount head is being simplified, perhaps as the software ability improves. At one time you needed to move the mount head and take images from three positions, then to two and nowadays you may be fortunate to set up close enough but not too close to nearly align the camera's centre and the NCP from Position 1 and finish off with a few tweaks on the mount's Az and Alt knobs. I hope to compare how accurate this is against SharpCap Pro's polar alignment routine. I have nonetheless found the iPolar to provide decent alignment for my purposes. The new manual contains a 'Troubleshooting' section to again help users, this gives advice when- Troubleshooting 1. iPolar software does not run. · Check whether anti-virus software is blocking the software from running. · Run ‘EnvironmentCheck.exe from the iOptron online support page. This will report if the computer system meets the following requirements- 64-bit architecture. Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11 installed. Necessary .NET frameworks installed (.NET 3.5 and 4.8). ASCOM platform 6.5 or later installed. 2. iPolar camera does not connect. · Check USB cable and ports on iPolar and Computer. Try different cable. · Confirm iPolar detected by Device Manager. · If the iPolar is detected but fails to connect first contact FLO over the matter for advice. 3. Recalibrating the iPolar Camera Centre can be achieved by clicking in ‘Settings’ then click ‘Clear Camera Centre’. 4. If the software rushes to plate solve Position 2 immediately after confirming Position 1 and does not allow confirmation of Position 2 you may find that the camera centre/RA position (red cross) is close already to the NCP (red dot) and that the software found the Camera Centre ok. If you find the subsequent polar alignment unsatisfactory the polar alignment should be repeated after first moving the mount RA slightly and clearing the Camera centre. This can happen with the GEM28 since it is placed in the right position each session. The italics in 4 above are my own emphasis. I have so far found the polar alignment following the processquite fine for my use so have not needed to re-do an alignment I hope this little journey into using the iPolar with the new software is of help rather than hindrance to any others also exploring these byways. Any comments for other users would be very welcome. Cheers, Steve

Hi, I'm pleaeed you now have a replacement unit but understand being now able to trial the iPolar with nights getting darker much later. My original iPolar arriving with the GEM28 had the USB port on the end of the unit- and I wondered if the forces acting on the USB port and cable when the mount head was rotated helped loosen the connection. This is how loose the cable was in the iPolar. 20220302_121532.mp4 The replacement iPolar from FLO had a different connection point (similar to that on the other iPolar I used on my CG-5 mount. The cable now connects into the side of the iPolar. My recent issue with connecting using v2.6.05 software has led me to download the latest iPolar manual 3339_iPolarOperationManual (1).pdf and try out the troubleshooting section at the end of the manual. I can confirm that my laptop meets the spec for the iPolar and have downloaded and run the EnvironmentCheck.exe software. I have yet to struggle through interpreting the manual and build up a procedure that I can follow to test everything works fine with v2.6.05. The process is different from what I have been using in the past and may well resolve the hiccups. Again lack of clear nights to perform polar alignment means I can't be definitive on what works or not. Cheers, Steve

Blimy Graeme the things you have to do to overcome a problem from something else. Anyway I'm glad you can use the Pole Master and not lose out on imaging this late on in the season. Cheers, Steve

Thanks Graeme for this, makes me wonder if it's a camera fault, compatibility issue or a software glitch. Did you buy a replacement iPolar or go for an alternative solution? Cheers, Steve

Hi Shimrod, I'm sorry to hear the problem continues with the iPolar. I do hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction. My interest springs from a recent problem I had with a defective iPolar/USB cable I documented in my SGL thread about my GEM28 mount. The new replacement iPolar has experienced failure to connect on two nights but worked on others with the v2.6.05 software. I appreciate iOptron have brought out new manual (in January) that contains some changed instructions for using the v2.6 software. I appologize if you are aware of this. 3339_iPolarOperationManual_v2.6.pdf Thanks once again for your reply. Cheers, Steve

Hi Shimrod, any joy with the device? Cheers, Steve

Thanks for this. After reading the article I realised all these past years I should have been double counting sessions where they straddled two dates! Never mind. Onwards and upwards. Cheers, Steve

Hmm, perhaps not enough savings on relatively modest camera such as the 533. I rather value FLO's after service more than a small saving before VAT and Import Duty. Cheers, Steve

Aye, I've been saving up hard recently for this mono-version of the 533 model but that figure will not make me an early adopter I'm afraid. Finger's crossed. 🤞 Cheers, Steve

He, he and as long as we don't then blink at their prices. 😲 Cheers, Steve

Expose for longer and increase the ISO to see/find your target, then frame the view and finally start your imaging run at your desired exposure settings. Cheers, Steve

Yesterday I laid out Ethernet cable inside the 20 mm plastic conduit and had a trial run in the evening to check the cable was working properly. Today I have some glueing of conduit joints to do and bury a length of pipework under the garden/slabs. Near to the the imaging pad I will use a waterproof electrical box to hold a short coil of a meter of cable to roll out and connect to the remore StarTech device each session. It was a pleasure and very social to be able to sit in the Living Room controlling the imaging last night and having Stellarium, iCommander and SharpCap Pro spread across two screens. 👍 The tiny StarTech 'local' device can be seen on the desk connected to the laptop. Cheers, Steve