My tutorial for installing, setting up and using AstroTortilla

[themos]

I download all of them.

[Demonperformer]

Can anyone explain the logic of this one?

I was out last night and slewed from Polaris to Capella.  Set AT to do a solve and re-center until within 1.0'. I am using a 15 degree search radius.

First solve worked fine, 3.26 degrees off-target.  Now to me this implies that the program is going to move the mount 3.26 degrees, hopefully in the direction of Capella.  But even if it gets it totally wrong, and moves in the opposite direction, it will still only end up 6.52 degrees from Capella (the original 3.26 + the 3.26 that it has moved) - still well within the 15 degree search radius.

So why does plate-solving at this point fail?

[At this point I slewed back to Polaris and then back to Capella again and retried: first try 3.56 degrees out, second try 1.18' out, third try <1'.  All this makes no sense to me whatsoever!]

[themos]

Post your failed solves here   http://groups.google.com/group/astrometry/topics

[Russe]

I must say I'm less than keen on using AstroTortilla for polar alignment purposes. I polar align using EQMod and then I may correct the polar alignment by using Alignmaster (which is dirt cheap at €19). I use AstroTortilla strictly for plate-solving and it's absolutely fantastic - no complaints whatsoever. 

that's what I do too - although - recently I just PA with EQMOD, slew to my target, frame/focus and then start PHD...

but by using alignmaster I could guide longer

[Gib007]

that's what I do too - although - recently I just PA with EQMOD, slew to my target, frame/focus and then start PHD...

but by using alignmaster I could guide longer

I agree. I actually do the same in the most part now, as I can't be bothered, hehe. Been capturing 15 minute subframes on 367mm focal length and absolutely perfect across the images, without using Alignmaster. The polar scope is very well aligned to the mount axis though so I guess polar alignments are good enough with just EQMod.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Gib007

[Russe]

Just now playing with AT and recent photos. It's great - in vitro. Have to try out in vivo...

[Russe]

mhm - it slews nicely to my target if I fool around with stellarium - but it doesn't put an alignment point into EQMOD even though I ticked sync scope and re-slew to target...

any idea what's that about? I'm using the simulator mind!!

[Russe]

The only problem we're left with after plate solving is rotating the camera to the right angle...

[Gib007]

mhm - it slews nicely to my target if I fool around with stellarium - but it doesn't put an alignment point into EQMOD even though I ticked sync scope and re-slew to target...

any idea what's that about? I'm using the simulator mind!!

It should definitely do it if EQMod is in "Append Mode". Might not work in simulator though as surely AstroTortilla has nothing to capture, analyse and correct via slew and sync.

[Russe]

Yep, I'm thinking it must be the simulator...

[Gib007]

Yep, I'm thinking it must be the simulator...

No sweat, it'll work in the field!

Edited December 15, 2013 by Gib007

[mr jambon]

Just came across this post and wanted to say thanks for the tutorial, very clear and explained a lot. Cant wait for clear skies now to give it a go.

[Gib007]

Just came across this post and wanted to say thanks for the tutorial, very clear and explained a lot. Cant wait for clear skies now to give it a go.

More than happy to help, you're welcome!

[David_Pickles]

I have also just stumbled across your excellent guide and with it I managed to setup and successfully start using Astrotortilla - I don't know how I managed previously. Very many thanks!

[Gib007]

I have also just stumbled across your excellent guide and with it I managed to setup and successfully start using Astrotortilla - I don't know how I managed previously. Very many thanks!

Good to hear it was helpful to you!

[Gib007]

Just a note to everyone. I updated my tutorial with the following:

- Added a new Step 4 to further optimise plate solving speed. This is done by identification of useful astrometric index files and moving the not useful ones out of the folder they are stored in. 

- Edited the text and screenshots to be more up-to-date and informative. 

This comes from the fact that this tutorial is my most popular, with a whopping 10,695 views to date. 

[KyleStoke]

Hi

i had a go at using AT last night with no luck, Ive tried it a few times to be fair, always have the same issue, image type not recognised.

i tried reinstalling all the index files as i believe is mentioned earlier in this thread, this time i added more i think i downloaded about 35gbs wort,

still the same issue.

im using artimis capture and then loading a file, Ive searched the net and see other people do this without issue.

i loaded the test image that failed to work last night into astrometry.net and it managed to solve without much problem.

Im stumped on this one, if anyone has any ideas they would be welcome

Thanks

[D4N]

What image format are you using? It doesn't recognise my cameras raw files so I have to save as jpg for plate solving.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[KyleStoke]

Hi D4N thanks for the reply, i have tried both tiff and fits.

using a ccd they are the 2 options i have i could open them in ps and convert to jpeg but its a bit long winded

[D4N]

It does seem odd, I would try convert one of your subs to jpg an try it in simulate mode.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[KyleStoke]

D4N, nice one it wasnt the jpeg but while i was trying that i realised i had -- objs instead of --objs silly me for not been able see that tiny space

thanks a lot though without your suggestion i wouldn't of realised

[D4N]

Glad you got it sorted, I had a problem with --objs at first too, I had -objs and it didn't like that for some reason.

TSED70Q, iOptron Smart EQ pro, ASI-120MM, Finepix S5 pro.

[KyleStoke]

the custom commands are a bit fiddly but its free so i wont complain

[Gib007]

I'm glad you got this sorted. Indeed, the objs command must be followed by two dashes (--objs) with no space, and then followed by a number after a space, e.g. --objs 100. They are quite fiddly, yes, but ultimately that's the way it works because those are the commands it accepts. What would be excellent is if AstroTortilla was updated to have a proper Settings menu system whereby users select stuff and enter numbers in. AstroTortilla can then use these user-set settings to produce the relevant commands automatically. This is extremely simple to program as an update to AstroTortilla. 

Moreover, another feature I think would be immensely useful, is if AstroTortilla keeps a record in a file of the index files that successfully plate solved the images. Each time it plate solves, it can then check this file and use those specific index files first and foremost, as most probably they will succeed. If they don't, then AstroTortilla should check the rest in the folder. This way it avoids the user having to check which ones are successful and move the others out of the way. It's also a fail-safe that it would later check the rest, just in case. If another is found successful, it can then add that index file to the list as well. Again, very easy to program this in!

[Quatermass]

Ok I thought I had it sussed but after I got myself a canon 1000D and a coma corrector astrotortilla just will not play ball so could do with some help to iron out what is going wrong.

So some details.

I have sky watcher 200p and I am using a  Modded Canon 1000D fitted with a sky watcher coma corrector for my imaging. I use Backyard eos prof edition for the camera and eqmod to control my HEQ5 mount.

I followed the instruction in your tutorial again as best as I could and ended up with the following.

my F ratio is f4.5 focal length is 900mm and field of view is 1.41x 0.94 resolution is 1.19/pixel according to the sky at night converter chart.

So armed with that info I worked out my narrowest field of view was 0.94 x 20% = 0.188 x 60 =11.28 arcmin and for the widest 1.41 x 20% = 0.282 x 60 =16.92 arcmin

I then downloaded index files 4205 which covered 11-16 arcmin and index file 4218 which covered 16.7-23.3 hoping that was correct because I am dyslexic and maths is not my strong point at all.

With all that done my setting for astrotortilla where like this

After doing all that still now joy it finds about 106 files then tries to solve and fails. Very puzzled by this as it worked great with my canon 350d wondering if its the setting on my canon 1000d to blame but any suggestions would be very gratefully received as I loved using astrotortilla before.

Cheers...