Stopping tracking in EQMOD after certain time

[Spoon]

hi all,

im currently in Portugal under skies that IMHO are better than Kelling skies, so im leaving the scope to run all night imaging, but i want to stop it tracking at say 4:30am so the mount isnt in a really weird and possibly dangerous place when i wake up, so my question: how do i get EQMOD to stop tracking after a certain time? thanks

Cam

[chrisshillito]

You have a couple of options.

1. set up a RA (meridian) limit before you start imaging.

2. Use the park time to automatically park the mount after a set elapsed time.

RA limits are set via the limit editor screen - they are "labeled" as meridian limits but they are in fact RA limits and can be set well past the meridian if you want. Just put your mount in the position where you want to the limit to be and hit the green + button. When EQMOD detects the mount is at the  the limit it will then stop tracking - you can optionally set EQMOD to automatically park the mount if you want.

The park timer is on the expanded main screen in the Park/Unpark section - just enter the number of minutes to elapse before the park and hit the associated button to start the countdown. When the countdown expires EQMOD will automatically park the mount to the currently selected park position - so if you want the mount to just stop where it is make sure your current park is assigned to "park to current".

Chris.

[Spoon]

You have a couple of options.

1. set up a RA (meridian) limit before you start imaging.

2. Use the park time to automatically park the mount after a set elapsed time.

RA limits are set via the limit editor screen - they are "labeled" as meridian limits but they are in fact RA limits and can be set well past the meridian if you want. Just put your mount in the position where you want to the limit to be and hit the green + button. When EQMOD detects the mount is at the  the limit it will then stop tracking - you can optionally set EQMOD to automatically park the mount if you want.

The park timer is on the expanded main screen in the Park/Unpark section - just enter the number of minutes to elapse before the park and hit the associated button to start the countdown. When the countdown expires EQMOD will automatically park the mount to the currently selected park position - so if you want the mount to just stop where it is make sure your current park is assigned to "park to current".

Chris.

hi chris

right ok so i have two very short tube fracs (GT81 and ST80), does that mean i could just keep guiding past the meridian without EQMOD stopping me? that would be very useful for imaging cygnus

cheers

cam

[chrisshillito]

Yes.

What I would do is:

1. goto your target so the DEC axis gets set to the appropriate position.

2. using EQMOD slew the mount round in RA only until your equipment is close to the collision point.

3. Create the RA limit at that point.

4. go back to your target and image.

By doing this you can ensure you get the maximum amount of tracking/imaging time for your particular target.

If your target is close to the meridian at the start of your session then you might also consider doing a 'pre-flip" using the EQMOD "flipped goto" option - in this way the mount starts in a "counterweights up" position and then tracks through the meridian into the 'normal' counterweights down orientation. In that way the more 'dangerous' positioning of the mount occurs at the beginning of the session when you are present to keep an eye on things.

There are videos on my youtube channel covering limits, flipped gotos and the movement strategies that EQMOD uses in positioning the mount.

Chris.