Help!

[Rustang]

I'm trying to image tonight, the only thing I've done differently is I now have the EQ DIR cable connecting the mount to the computer so I'm now not going through the handset. I've plate solved polaris like I normally do but when sending off to target via APT it's missing the target every time, it wasnt before. Any ideas!? It's now also struggling to centre Polaris via go to ++!!! 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rustang

[bottletopburly]

Clear sync points in Eqmod  and  replatesolve 

Edited September 20, 2020 by bottletopburly

[Rustang]

How do I do that? Do you put the point count box to 0?its currently on 2!?

 

I've gone back through the handset and that's still not working, its solving polaris fine now, and go to ++ is working at puts polaris in the centre but it's not  reaching any targets properly!? This is wasting a good night now!! 😒

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rustang

[Rustang]

As you can see, Eqmod has the same coordinates as Stellarium for Andromeda, APT shows the same so why is mount not pointing at Andromeda!?? 

[Adam1234]

I've found polaris isn't a great object to align to  align to (other than for polar alignment obviously!) 

I use APT as well and normally just slew to my object, then plate solve using pointcraft as its normally slightly off, sync the coordinates then slew to the object again and its then dead centre

[Rustang]

The things is,  using polaris is exactly how I've done it before and had no issues, twice! So I have no idea what's going on tonight. Eqmod and APT are stating the correct coordinates so why wasn't the mount actually pointing at the target after it was sync with the Polaris platesolve? I've packed away now and annoyed I've missed I night but never mind. 

[Jamgood]

15 minutes ago, Adam1234 said:

I use APT as well and normally just slew to my object, then plate solve using pointcraft as its normally slightly off, sync the coordinates then slew to the object again and its then dead centre

Do this ^ instead of plate solving Polaris. It works every time, every object.

[Rustang]

6 minutes ago, Jamgood said:

Do this ^ instead of plate solving Polaris. It works every time, every object.

Thanks guys, I'm more than happy to give that ago but it still doesn't show why it went wrong tonight, it doesn't sit right in my head that if it's because I'm plate solving Polaris and that's the issue them why did it not go wrong the first two times!? and also why were my coordinates correct but the mount wasn't pointing at the target!? It would be good to get to the bottom of it to not waste another night if possible. 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rustang

[Jamgood]

7 minutes ago, Rustang said:

More than happy to give that ago but it still doesn't show why it went wrong tonight!? 

To be honest, I think you probably got lucky the first two times to have your target be in view. The mount, polar alignment, camera angle, etc only has to be slightly off for everything to change from one night to the next.

What I do is have the mount and telescope in the home position, facing north, weights down. I don't even look to see if I can see Polaris with my scope because it is irrelevant. Slew to your target that you want to image and then plate solve and sync from wherever it takes you.  Done, start imaging. Repeat for any other targets you might go to later on.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Jamgood

[Adam1234]

There is a reason why polaris isn't good to plate solve or star align on, I can't remember exactly what it is. I think it was something to do with being so close to the NCP that even a tiny error in the alignment to Polaris causes a bigger error when slewing to other objects. 

[Rustang]

12 minutes ago, Jamgood said:

 

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rustang

[Rustang]

2 minutes ago, Adam1234 said:

There is a reason why polaris isn't good to plate solve or star align on, I can't remember exactly what it is. I think it was something to do with being so close to the NCP that even a tiny error in the alignment to Polaris causes a bigger error when slewing to other objects. 

Thanks guys, I will do as mentioned the next clear night and fingers crossed everything goes ok. So say there was an error in alignment, and then a bigger error in slewing, can that mean that as I've mentioned the coordinates are reading correct but the actual pointing at the target is out, is that possible!? 

[Jamgood]

You really don't need to plate solve Polaris. It is not required. As long as your mount is polar aligned via the polar scope in your mount, you're good to go. When you slew to your target it will slew to where it thinks it should be pointing. Then you plate solve and it will see where you are pointing, correct the coordinates and re-slew to where it needs to be. 

I did exactly this earlier. Set up, polar aligned the mount. Told APT to goto IC1396 Elephant's Trunk Nebula. Plate solved. That took around 20 seconds to complete. Goto++ to centre the object. Done. Been imaging for 2hrs now.

By plate solving Polaris, you are making it more complicated than it needs to be. 

[Rustang]

I understand that now, and will proceed with the way you guys have mentioned but I just need clarification that tonights issue was definitely to do with platesolving on Polaris which will hopefully then rule out the chance it could be another possible issues! 👍

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rustang

[Jamgood]

1 minute ago, Rustang said:

I understand that now, and will proceed with the way you guys have mentioned but I just need clarification that tonights issue was definitely to do with platesolving on Polaris!? 👍

It's more than likely.

Did you plate solve Andromeda, after plate solving Polaris, to get Andromeda in the centre of your image or did you just plate solve Polaris and that's it?

[Rustang]

I plate solved polaris, then go to ++ to centre, once done slewed to andromeda and it missed! Messed about, sending it home again plate solveing it again on Polaris then slewed to a bright star, it missed everytime I tried a target after plate solving Polaris by quite a bit, to far south mainly. If by platesolving on Polaris really is the issue then I don't know how I was so lucky the last couple of times (I'm pleased I was though!!) 

 

When you slew to your target from your home position, do you blind solve that target then to start with or select the target in plate solve from the objects box and then solve!? 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rustang

[Jamgood]

That's where you're going wrong then. I think you got lucky the first two time, to be honest.

I made a quick image that hopefully explains what I do. Starting from the Parked position, weights straight down, scope up pointing north.

1. Choose target in Objects

2. Goto Target

3. Put in Objects Co-ordinates. You just click Object in the Current Image at the top and click OK as your target should already be selected from the Goto stage.

4. Click Auto. It will take an image and then solve that image.

5. Click Objects in the Center FOV at position at the bottom and again, click OK as your target should already be selected from the Goto stage.

6. Click GoTo++ and let it do it's thing. 

When finished, your target should be in the center of your image and you're good to start.

 

Hope that makes sense/helps. 👍

Edited September 20, 2020 by Jamgood

[Adam1234]

44 minutes ago, Jamgood said:

 

I did exactly this earlier. Set up, polar aligned the mount. Told APT to goto IC1396 Elephant's Trunk Nebula. Plate solved. That took around 20 seconds to complete. Goto++ to centre the object. Done. Been imaging for 2hrs now.

I've been imaging Elephant's Trunk tonight too. Got another 2.5 hr Oiii to add the the 2.5hr I already had. Calling it a night now, work tomorrow 🙃

[bottletopburly]

In Eqmod there is two boxes with Red Cross , press these to clear alignment and sync data now and again mount throws a wobbly clearing these and replatesoving usually solves problem I always use go to++ , I usually platesolve off home position too never had a problem 

[Rustang]

Thanks everyone, no pain no gain!.  My thought process on plate solving Polaris was that while it was pointing at it anyway, I might as well sort the mount knowing where it is so then when slewed to target it would already be centre of view. That's what happened the first two times perfectly so why I was very surprised that last night went tits up!!

Anyway, here's to the next clear night! 👍

Edited September 21, 2020 by Rustang

[Rustang]

6 hours ago, Jamgood said:

That's where you're going wrong then. I think you got lucky the first two time, to be honest.

I made a quick image that hopefully explains what I do. Starting from the Parked position, weights straight down, scope up pointing north.

1. Choose target in Objects

2. Goto Target

3. Put in Objects Co-ordinates. You just click Object in the Current Image at the top and click OK as your target should already be selected from the Goto stage.

4. Click Auto. It will take an image and then solve that image.

5. Click Objects in the Center FOV at position at the bottom and again, click OK as your target should already be selected from the Goto stage.

6. Click GoTo++ and let it do it's thing. 

When finished, your target should be in the center of your image and you're good to start.

 

Hope that makes sense/helps. 👍

Appreciate that, thanks 👍

[bottletopburly]

All I do is platesolve from home and sync ,check it’s synced coordinates then choose target and go to++

[Rustang]

36 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

All I do is platesolve from home and sync ,check it’s synced coordinates then choose target and go to++

If you sync from 'Home' which I'm guessing you mean park!? then do you auto solve that area then!? Then you go off to Target and continue your process?

Edited September 21, 2020 by Rustang

[bottletopburly]

Platesolve on park position yes ,  I have never used solve ever, blind solve every time I use the Astap option in Apt solves in 4 sec 

Edited September 21, 2020 by bottletopburly

[Rustang]

22 minutes ago, bottletopburly said:

Platesolve on park position yes ,  I have never used solve ever, blind solve every time I use the Astap option in Apt solves in 4 sec 

Cheers 👍

Tonight is looking to be clear so I will take everything mentioned on board and hopefully will get another good night of imaging! 🤞🤞