Skipper Billy

On 29/03/2024 at 23:37, Paul M said:

(ASI178 doesn't get the whole image circle)

It can give a full 360 degree image with the right lens - this is the same camera as yours but with a 1.55mm FL lens at F2. 

https://www.davidbanksastro.com/all-sky-camera

5 minutes ago, AKB said:

I bet you open it and close it again for fun, just to watch, even if you don’t plan on imaging.

I might !!! But I am never going to admit to it on a public forum !!! 😁

Shout out if you need help - no point in reinventing the wheel.

49 minutes ago, whipdry said:

I'm intrigued, can't see or imagine how you've intergrated the motors that move the roof! 

It's such a nice compact design & doesn't shout observatory when closed, seeing how well it works I'd like to build myself something just like it... any chance of having more details?

Thanks peter.

There is a quite a bit more info (and links to parts used) on this page of my website and I am always happy to answer questions.

https://www.davidbanksastro.com/observatory-conversion

All the best

David (aka Skipper Billy)

Stage 2 is complete!!!

The original clamshell manual roof is now fully converted to motorised slide off roof.

Stage 3 is to link the motor system vie ASCOM divers so i can add it into N.I.N.A. as part of an imaging riun and link it to cloud, rain and wind speed sensors to automatically park the scope and close the roof. This should be possible from anywhere in the world!! The scope position is monitored by ultrasonic sensors and an IR camera.

10 hours ago, kobu said:

Hi, I just acquired recently a second hand original Lodestar and was having the same issue.

I then found the ASCOM driver GitHub, developed by Bret McKee, through the ASCOM portal - Camera & Video Drivers (ascom-standards.org)

It seems a new version of the ASCOM driver 6.3.1.23042 was published in Feb '23 while Starlight Express page is still referencing to an older version 6.2.1.18182.

Releases · brets-astro/sxascom-releases · GitHub

After installing the new ASCOM driver the issue was solved and stars are totally round using bin 1 without the need to update the camera firmware.

SE should update the driver on their web page.

Hope this helps, all credits to the developer!

Thanks for the heads up - too late for me but may well help someone having the same issue if they find this thread.

Slainte!

Quick update in case anyone else has the same issue and finds this thread.

Firmware update received and installed (on Easter Sunday - THANKS TERRY!)

Bingo - Bin 1x1 stars - no adjustments in the driver etc

Nice tight, small round stars and all good - quick guiding test in really poor seeing, shocking transparency and very windy - see below.

Thanks a million to everyoe that tried to help.

I tried the helpfull suggestions about altering settings in the ASCOM driver but it made no difference when binned 1x1 (See attached)

The plot now thickens - I switched back to binning 2x2 and got odd shaped blocky stars!!! (See attached)

I emailed Terry at Starlight Express and despite it being Easter weekend he responded quickly and is preparing a firmware update for me.

Cant fault that for service!!

54 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

One thing I will say is no amount of tweaking any settings will make a difference if the firmware is the old version, either in the driver or in PHD, trust me I tried everything….

Thanks Stuart

Will wait to hear back from SX.

1 hour ago, Oddsocks said:

Hi David.

I dug out my old observatory computer and looked at the SX Lodestar settings and post the screenshots below, I no longer use the Lodestar for guiding since upgrading the mount.

The first screen grab is the one that *might* help assuming you're running the latest SX ASCOM driver, and should be applicable for your setup with PHD. It is reachable from the "Advanced" button of the ASCOM driver setup.

Thanks William - that's exceptionally helpful and I appreciate you taking the time and trouble to do this.

I would never have found those settings by accident!

I will have a look at it when I get home from work.

All the best.

David

2 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:

I had this exact same issue, and contacted Terry at SX, who said it was in need of a firmware and software update in the camera, so it went back to him to be done, and when it came back all was good, I think he can send you the files needed and you can do it yourself if you wish too, but I just sent it to him as I did not want to take the risk…but it is normal if the camera had old firmware in it…👍🏻

Thanks Stuart

That confirms what I vaguely remember reading somewhere.

I have pinged SX a message and will see what they suggest.

Thanks again.

3 hours ago, Anne S said:

I've got the previous model to your Lodestar Pro, only bought it in December. I'm using it unbinned with no issues. I think I'm using the Ascom driver in Phd2. Can't check as I've had to reinstall everything on the mini pc concerned! Have you installed all the latest drivers?

Years ago I used a MX716 which uses the same ccd, no issues with that either. I was using Maxim dl5 at the time and I don't recall changing anything in the driver. Have you asked Terry Platt at SX?

Thanks Anne.

I have pinged Terry at SX an email but I guess they will be taking a well earned break over Easter.

Thanks again.

4 hours ago, Oddsocks said:

That looks like the “Venetian Blind” effect that is/was a feature of the sensor used in the Lodestar.

The Lodestar uses (I think) an interlaced readout CCD, designed for video cameras, each image frame is read twice, the even numbered rows sequentially first and the odd numbered rows sequentially after.

The acquisition software has to be able to reassemble the two frames in the right order otherwise it splits the frame vertically as though looking through a Venetian blind, one row has image data that captures a star but the next row down is blank and that makes it appear as though you have multiple stars closely split.

I’m afraid I have no experience of using PHD for guiding with a Lodestar but when using MaxIm DL there was a bunch of configuration options in the camera setup amongst which were “Swap odd and even rows” and “Remove Venetian Blind effect”, which used together assembles the image odd/even rows in the correct order and corrects for any brightness variation between the two rows due to the timing difference when reading all the even rows first and then going back to read the odd rows in a camera that has no shutter and continues to collect photons in the odd rows even while the even rows are being read out.

In PHD look for a camera configuration setting that might be called “de-interlace”, or “progressive readout” or similar, as that will be needed when reading out an interlaced CCD camera.

Sorry I couldn’t give you a PHD specific solution.

Thanks William that's a great explanation and is exactly what I am seeing.

I will have another ferret about in the settings and see what I can find.

Thanks again.

I have always binned my Lodestar Pro in 2x2 - its has always worked well.

This afternoon I sat down and read the up to date instructions from the creator of PHD2 and the old advice of binning 2x2 and slightly out of focus stars being preferable has been superceded by a new advisory that having small, tight, percetly focussed stars is preferable.

So I changed the binning to 1x1 as the Lodestar pixels are huge and I was expecting smaller, tighter stars.

Instead I got double and even triple stars - see attached image.

I tried all available drivers - ASCOM and non ASCOM and got the same results.

It was very poor seeing but when I switched back to 2x2 the stars were single round points - but bigger as expected.

I vaguely remember reading some where that a specific driver is required or the firmware of the camera updating to avoid a similar problem.

Any suggestions ?? I would really like to try 1x1.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/723142-batteries-for-orion-10mm-illuminated-ep/

Phase 1 nearly completed - just a good bit of minor adjustment and sanding of edges and painting when its dry.

A bit more progress made today. Heavy duty drawer sliders and the outer sides fitted, frame to support the roof made and fitted - internal bracing fitted to keep the roof square whilst moving - this will become important when the electric drive is fitted as only one side will be driven and it it moves from square it could jam. 

2 hours ago, carastro said:

Just when l was going to show your obsy off as part of my talk on Garden Observatories this month with local astro group.  (You kindly sent me photos and a video).  Your new build will not be ready in time.  

Gosh, that's a blast from the past - I had forgotten I did a wee video - I have added it at the top of the conversion page for a giggle.....

https://www.davidbanksastro.com/observatory-conversion

18 hours ago, AKB said:

Yes, I had that too… the trouble is that it’s all overseen by a Mk 0 brain!

That's always been my problem !! 🙂 

8 hours ago, LongJohn54 said:

I'm guessing you spent some time in the Golden Jubilee?  I was in there in 2019 for a replacement aortic root and re-model of my aortic valve.  They had a good team then and I hope they still do.

Wishing you good health and a successful rebuild of your obsy.

You are very kind. I got the grand tour of Glasgows Hospitals - the heart, lung and aerobic fitness tests to see if I could stand the op were at the Vale of Leven, consultations were at the Gartnavel, MRI scans at the New Queen Elizabeth Imaging Centre, The op was at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and follow up at the Golden Jubilee !! The Golden Jubilee was an odd place - part Hotel and part Hospital. I have to say the standard of care I received at every stage was world class and delivered with outstanding care - even down to choosing appt. times that suited me as I had a 2 hour drive each way. I had a new Aorta and both femoral arteries - pre op I could walk about 200 metres - now I am climbing Corbetts !!

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

I have three automated sheds based here and have developed some Golden Rules, the first of which is to accept that, if a thing can go wrong, it will. For this reason we have a 'No Possible Collision' rule. No telescope can ever stop in a position in which the roof can collide with it.  (A much more lavish remote hosting provider a few miles away has exactly the same rule and he is orders of magnitude ahead of me in IT savvy.)  A design using 'rolling roof and upper sides' makes this rule easier to comply with.

Another simple thing is to make as much of the gear inside as showerproof as possible. Despite the best efforts of the IT guys who are responsible for the sheds here, unwanted openings have happened several times. Simple shower protection of fixed items can save a lot of money.

Good UPS backup is essential but not so easy to assure because office UPS machines don't like the temperature extremes of observatories and tend to have a shortish life. You probably won't have our upper temp extremes, though.

Thanks Olly

I did consider having the roof high enough to close it with the scope in the normal park postion, but it would create an unnaceptably high (to my Wife!) structure. Its only a 1.4m cube.

The plan is to use an Arduino to open and close the roof and it will be set up in a way that prevents the motor being activated if the scope is not in its custom park position and confirmed by magnetic sensors - it is also monitored by an IR camera and Mk1 eyeball.

The entire rig is run from 2 x 110 amp hour leisure batteries which are on constant charge - partially to provide 'clean' current, but also to stop imaging runs being interfered with as we suffer a lot of power outages. Upper temp extremes in the Highlands of Scotland are measured in single digits Celsius! 🙂 

All the best.

David

12 hours ago, AKB said:

I assume you're keeping the apex design, and your chosen direction of travel is towards your less interesting horizon... perhaps north?  It looks like your floorplan is square, so whatever the direction, you still have a choice of the orientation of the roof ridge – is that going to be parallel or perpendicular to the direction of travel?  If parallel, then when open, you get left with the gable end on the far wall, which may obscure some of your horizon.  This seems to be the usual way of doing it, for some reason.  If, however the motion is perpendicular to the ridgeline, then you'd have the lower edge of the open roof against the far wall and the highest point of the ridge further away, so a lower useable horizon.

Hi Tony

I am planning to re-use the original roof and it will stay in the same orientation ie ridge running North-South and it will slide away to the North towards the trees which block my view (they arent our trees so I cant 'adjust' them!).

The whole roof will move ie no gable remaining in place as my view to the south is pretty good and usable.  This was what dictated raising the walls 150mm as it is required for the roof to miss the scope even in its custom park postion ie weight bar parallel to the ground and scope parallel to the ground.

The apex design is a must to cope with snow loading and the orientation of the ridge was chosen to cope with strong winds - when we get really strong winds they are almost always from the west so the effect on the roof is to push it down rather than lift it and if it was 90 degrees turned round it would also put strain on the electric open/close mechnism (when its eventually fitted).

Thats the thinking - we will see what happens!

All the best

David (aka Skipper Billy)

Following major surgery at the end of 2023 I have found it a struggle to open and close the clamshell roof - each side is ~25kgs and an awkward angle to lift especially in the middle of the night in the freezing cold. I decided to convert it to a roll off type.

There is a page on my website that follows the conversion process.  Stage 2 will be to motorise the opening and closing of the roof. Stage 3 will be to connect the motor drive system to the computer that controls the telescope and mount so I can ask the roof to open then the mount to unpark and commence an imaging run all completely autonomously and remotely from the comfort of our Lounge or anywhere in the world. When the routine has finished the scope should park and the roof should close. It will also be linked to rain, cloud and wind monitors and if any report a danger situation like rain or very strong gusts of wind the scope will park and the roof close automatically, with the option of reopening the roof and resuming the imaging run if conditions improve.  That's the theory - we will see what happens!

The page will be updates as and when progress is made (largely dictated by the weather!)

https://www.davidbanksastro.com/observatory-conversion

Thank you all - I have learnt something !!

I have seen and imaged STEVE's before but this was a new one for me.

Thanks again.

Timelapse of last night's Aurora before the clouds rolled in and spoiled the party!

I have never seen the red arc just above the Zenith before - any suggestions ??? (North is at the bottom of the image)

Cant do any harm and may help a little??