How to Platesolve?

[smr]

Hi,

I've got EQMOD and Stellarium working now, so I'd like to start Platesolving to make finding DSO's easier - as it's quite difficult to tell whether you're on target with an OSC Narrowband Filter as I realised last night. 

What is good and how does it work ?

The Software I use at the moment is PHD2, EQMOD, Stellarium, Sharpcap (for polar alignment) and APT (free version)

Edited July 28, 2020 by smr

[Messy Hair 101]

APT will platesolve for you. Basically you will need to download All Sky Plate Solver or another programme (forget the name and don't have laptop to hand), enter your setup details like focal length, it will take a picture and work out from the stars exactly where you're pointing, then shift to your target. It can be found under the mount tab in the point craft section. 

 

Not sure if it's included with the free version. Its definitely worth paying for. You won't use your hand controller any more.

Search YouTube for pointcraft APT and there will be plenty of more detailed guides.

[bottletopburly]

Look here all you need to know 

 

[david_taurus83]

2 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

Look here all you need to know

You literally pipped me to it!

Edit: I believe it supports ASTAP now as well. I should try and update that thread.

Edited July 28, 2020 by david_taurus83

[smr]

Hi David, 

Great tutorial btw, I am following it now. Presumably it's ok to follow everything as it is still? I am on the part where I've just downloaded and installed ASPS.

[smr]

Surprised the Heart Nebula isn't in the objects browser. Trying to do a test plate solve on an image of the Heart Nebula I took last night.

[smr]

[smr]

Not sure why the focal length says 442 when it's 430?

Does this all look right? I loaded an image of the Heart Nebula and did a Blind Solve as it didn't seem to have the Heart Nebula in the Object Browser.

 

Edited July 28, 2020 by smr

[david_taurus83]

It probably is closer to 442mm if its blind solved. I found it to be very accurate. Heart Nebula probably is in the list. There's an option to tick for an extended list of objects.

[smr]

7 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

It probably is closer to 442mm if its blind solved. I found it to be very accurate. Heart Nebula probably is in the list. There's an option to tick for an extended list of objects.

Ah yes thanks, 18,000 Objects!

So if I slew with Stellarium to the Heart Nebula but it's not on target, I then select the Heart Nebula from the object list, and then click Solve, after it's solved, I then click the Sync command ( does this move the telescope to the exact position of the Heart Nebula ) ?

[bottletopburly]

Start off by imaging the sky and blind  plate solve  , once image had successfully solved , sync mount , then use go to++ choosing an  your object  from the Apt  list    , then let Apt do the rest it will put object within a few pixels 

[smr]

6 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

Start off by imaging the sky and blind  plate solve  , once image had successfully solved , sync mount , then use go to++ choosing an  your object  from the Apt  list    , then let Apt do the rest it will put object within a few pixels 

Anywhere in the sky or is it better to use Stellarium to CTRL 1 to the target first, then do the plate solve?

[bottletopburly]

Anywhere 

[david_taurus83]

I used to take an image in the home position, platesolve and sync, and then slew to target. Generally was OK but on occasion, the mount would do strange things. Both Skywatcher and iOptron mounts have done this. The last time it slewed my scope into the tripod. I would always recommend you slew to your chosen target first and then platesolve. That way the mount knows for sure which side of the pier it is.

[bottletopburly]

I usually platesolve from home though I have read best not to though never had a problem, you can manually slew off home position then platesolve and sync .