Mosaic advice

[Anthonyexmouth]

Had some success with my new cooled camera imaging the east and west veil and would like to take a mosaic of the entire region.

currently using APT for camera control and was wondering if there is an easy(ish) way to do an automated mosaic routine.

i looked at eq mosaic but don't really get how you use it for imaging or integrate it into anything. 

[Robd]

Eqmosaic is used to osition the mount to build you mosaic. From memory set fov details and overlap required. Start at center of grid and select no of panels required, assumes that you are already pointing to target. Take no of required frames for each panel. 

Stack each panel as normal then create mosaic. Exact method of mosaic will depend on your software, pixinsight - mosaic linear data. 

I recently used Hugin on a set of non linear images which worked a treat. 

Other software may also incorporate mosaic functionality. 

Rob 

[Annehouw]

Hi Anthony,

You might want to ask this also on the APT forum, but I see a few ways you could accomplish this in APT:

1a) Create a mosaic using the interplay of Cartes du Ciel and APT: http://aptforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2688 (semi automatic)

1b) Alternatively use the Mosaic feature in the framing aid of NINA. Use the sequence generator button and retype the coordinates of each sequence as custom objects in APT. (Manual....I do not use NINA because it lacks a few things that I am accustomed to in APT, but I have played with it).

2a) Make a plan for each custom object (Say Veilpane1, Veilpane2, etc). Do a GOTO++ for each pane (custom object) and start the accompanying plan.

2b) If you want to be asleep all the time, you can automate 2a by using a script. https://ideiki.com/astro/usersguide/scripts_and_commands.htm?ms=AAA%3D&q=U0NSSVBU&st=MQ%3D%3D&sct=MA%3D%3D&mw=MjQw

This would be something like: 
 

Make a new plan in the plan editor. Let's call it VeilMosaic 4 pane

In the first line, insert a script (button in the right bottom corner) like this to goto the centre of your first pane: #GoTo++  10/Auto/RA1 DEC1 (the 10 defines a 10s exposure used in plate solving and RA1 DEC1 is the centre of the first pane according to the custom object that you made in 1a)

- Define the set of exposures for this pane in the usual way

- Insert the next script script: #GoTo++ 10/Auto/RA2 DEC2

- Define the exposure sequence for this pane

- and so on.

Save the plan and start it. 

 

Now, you asked for easy(ish). That depends on your geekness level I suppose 😉 The more complex you make it, the more testing it takes. I would go for 1a and 2a or test 2b  thoroughly during moonlit nights. 

 

Regards,

Anne

Edited August 7, 2019 by Annehouw