Platesolving problem.

[Skipper Billy]

I am using SGP to control everything and usually everything works very well.

I have auto meridian flip set up and usually it resembles witchcraft - it flips takes an image platesolves it adjusts the mount restarts PHD2 and cracks on without any fuss. 

Last time out the mount crossed the meridian very close to zenith and the platesolve failed - I tried it three times and it failed every time - Pinpoint just kept searching but never solved.

I told it to ignore platesolving and get on with it and the resultant error was just 6 pixels - so it was very close.

Any suggestions??

 

[sloz1664]

I had issues using Pinpoint with SGPro. I now use Platesolve2 and has not failed. Just a thought. What SGPro version are you using?

Steve

[Skipper Billy]

Thanks Steve

This is the version I am using and I made a mistake - I am using Platesolve 2 - NOT PinPoint

It works just fine anywhere else just not around the zenith??

 

[Laurin Dave]

Hi David

I have encountered something similar with Mesu Sitech SGPro and Platesolve..  It does the flip ok but if, as last night the target is very close to the zenith/meridian then on target commence the mount will go to the correct side, take a plate solve image then slew to the other "incorrect' (ie just about to hit the pier) side and fail to solve..  I suspect its to do with Sitech settings conflicting with SGPro but have no idea which ones..   I get around it by switching off slew and centre and doing a manual plate solve very close to the target and then a manual slew to it..  When it gets to 30mins or so beyond the meridian it all works fine

Dave 

Edited November 12, 2019 by Laurin Dave

[Skipper Billy]

Thanks Dave

Mine isn't getting that far - it flips - takes an image then the solver just goes round and round in circles. ie it doesn't rock backwards and forwards across the meridian.

Your solution sounds like the answer though!

[sloz1664]

Hi David,

 I'm running the newest 3.1 beta. I've had no issues with SGPro and the Avalon, round the zenith.

Steve

[Skipper Billy]

Just a wee update - I changed the primary solver to Astrometry local and it works perfectly

??????

David.

[blinky]

I have had the same issue, you should set it so it fails over to local astrometry

[Skipper Billy]

7 hours ago, blinky said:

I have had the same issue, you should set it so it fails over to local astrometry

I would do but it doesn't fail - it just kept going round in circles but never solving and never failing.

[DKNicholson]

Have you checked how far past the meridian your system will go before it attacks the pier? If it is more than 20 minutes or so then try setting the meridian flip for as late after the Meridian as is reasonable. There is also a setting in PHD2 to reverse the guide camera after the flip though I have never found the need to tick that as it seems to do it automatically.

I wish you luck as this sort of error can be so frustrating. Yours aye . . . 

[blinky]

15 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

I would do but it doesn't fail - it just kept going round in circles but never solving and never failing.

That’s what I mean, you can set it to fail over to Astrometry/Blind solve after 100 attempts, thats what I did

[jjosefsen]

On 23/11/2019 at 20:59, DKNicholson said:

Have you checked how far past the meridian your system will go before it attacks the pier? If it is more than 20 minutes or so then try setting the meridian flip for as late after the Meridian as is reasonable. There is also a setting in PHD2 to reverse the guide camera after the flip though I have never found the need to tick that as it seems to do it automatically.

I wish you luck as this sort of error can be so frustrating. Yours aye . . . 

This is good advice.. I've had some problems solving images very close to the meridian in another software package with both ASTAP and PS2 solvers. Letting the mount go 10 minutes past the meridian Solved it.

[han59]

On 12/11/2019 at 20:33, Laurin Dave said:

Hi David

I have encountered something similar with Mesu Sitech SGPro and Platesolve..  It does the flip ok but if, as last night the target is very close to the zenith/meridian then on target commence the mount will go to the correct side, take a plate solve image then slew to the other "incorrect' (ie just about to hit the pier) side and fail to solve..  I suspect its to do with Sitech settings conflicting with SGPro but have no idea which ones..   I get around it by switching off slew and centre and doing a manual plate solve very close to the target and then a manual slew to it..  When it gets to 30mins or so beyond the meridian it all works fine

Dave 

A solve problem would be difficult to explain. The meridian is not a boundary for a solver. But note that a HEQ5/6 mount (and maybe others) can't sync across the meridian. This could occur if you flip exactly at the meridian.  The mount could think your just past the meridian but your solver tells it is just a few minutes before the meridian and sync will fail. You  can avoid this by flipping 20 minutes after the meridian crossing if your software allows this or just wait 10 minutes or slew to  an object further away from the meridian and sync.

Han

Edited November 28, 2019 by han59

[han59]

On 23/11/2019 at 20:20, Skipper Billy said:

I would do but it doesn't fail - it just kept going round in circles but never solving and never failing.

If it is a "sync across meridian" problem and you using Eqmod, note that Eqmod version prior to 2.00n doesn't give a error message: "ASCOM Sync reject exception"  Using Eqmod 2.0.0n or higher will give a this error and if SGP is programmed well it should pass on this messsage. See https://groups.io/g/EQMOD/topic/56626302#49214

This will only help with error reporting. To bypass the problem see my previous remarks.