Help with APT Point Craft

[astro mick]

Hi.

I have been using APTs pointcraft with no problem with my DSLR.Solved absolutely fine.However i have just switched over to my Atik 314L+ ccd.I am using a Altair Astro 102mm triplet with a focal length of  715mm.However i am using a x0.8 Rducer,theifore giving a focal length of 572mm.

My pixel size is 6.46,and my Resolution is 1392x1040.Chip dimensions are 10.2x8.3mm.

I have enterd this info into APTs object calculator and saved under a new profile.

I enter the GEAR tap and choose an object,it slews to near target and then enters RA/DEC co-ordinates.

I take a 10-15 sec image.

Entre Pointcraft,again enter the target,and confirms RA/DEC.

Then hit Solve.

The problem is it does,nt solve,just times out at 180 secs(default)

Dont understand why its not solving as it did with the DSLR.

If you have any idea as to whats wrong please get back to me.

Wasted a whole night on this.😬😬

Cheers.

Mick.

 

[almcl]

A couple of thoughts which may not be relevant, but have you tried solving the image on astrometry.net to see if the resolution &c agrees with your figures?

Second are you just using PlateSolve 2?  I have found this to be very unreliable. Especially if the target is any distance off.  Allskyplatesolver (ASPS), while slower, has a much better chance of succeeding with 'distant' targets, at least in my back garden.

If you are using ASPS, have you downloaded the relevant index files for your new resolution and tried going through the troubleshooting routine?

[david_taurus83]

Havr you read my tutorial? You might need to tweak the minimum star size in the settings in PS2.

Or try downloading the new ASTAP feature. Its very fast!

[astro mick]

2 hours ago, almcl said:

A couple of thoughts which may not be relevant, but have you tried solving the image on astrometry.net to see if the resolution &c agrees with your figures?

Second are you just using PlateSolve 2?  I have found this to be very unreliable. Especially if the target is any distance off.  Allskyplatesolver (ASPS), while slower, has a much better chance of succeeding with 'distant' targets, at least in my back garden.

If you are using ASPS, have you downloaded the relevant index files for your new resolution and tried going through the troubleshooting routine?

Hi.

Thanks for the response.Yes astrometry does indeed solve the image,so setting should be ok.

I will have a look at ASPS.

Cheers.

Mick.

[stash_old]

1. Index's - do they cover your new FOV - ASPS require correct index's for FOV and correct focal lenth

2. If you manually solve via Internet Astronometry.net does the solved information correcespond to what APT is setting for your camera

P.S. dont need night time to sort out this - use mount simulator (presume Ascom) and load image and try to solve in APT. If that fails try ASPS/PS2 manually(tip point simulator to approx image position for speed). Same goes for ASTAP (at lease index's will be correct)

[astro mick]

19 hours ago, david_taurus83 said:

Havr you read my tutorial? You might need to tweak the minimum star size in the settings in PS2.

Or try downloading the new ASTAP feature. Its very fast!

Hi David.

Sorry for the late reply.Yes indeed,it was this exerllent Tutorial that got me started,and as i say my DSLR worked straight away.

I will try your suggestion about the star detection settings.

Many thanks.

Mick.

[astro mick]

15 hours ago, stash_old said:

1. Index's - do they cover your new FOV - ASPS require correct index's for FOV and correct focal lenth

2. If you manually solve via Internet Astronometry.net does the solved information correcespond to what APT is setting for your camera

P.S. dont need night time to sort out this - use mount simulator (presume Ascom) and load image and try to solve in APT. If that fails try ASPS/PS2 manually(tip point simulator to approx image position for speed). Same goes for ASTAP (at lease index's will be correct)

Hi Stash.

I belief they do,but will check again.Will also try your suggestion regarding the simulator,which i have never done,but sounds interesting. 

Cheers.

Mick.

Edited October 3, 2020 by astro mick

[david_taurus83]

30 minutes ago, astro mick said:

Hi David.

Sorry for the late reply.Yes indeed,it was this exerllent Tutorial that got me started,and as i say my DSLR worked straight away.

I will try your suggestion about the star detection settings.

Many thanks.

Mick.

The standard settings usually work but when I switched from an ASI1600 to a Canon 6D with pixels almost twice as large, im sure I had to play with the star size settings. As mentioned above, you dont need to test things at night with fresh images. You can select an image taken previously from the Image tab by double tapping it and then press solve or blind. Dont need to be connected to mount, camera etc

[newbie alert]

Maybe you're too far from the object  in the fov, the atik is going to be a much smaller fov... so id blindsolve first then solve, sync and then refine your pointing on the object with goto++

[astro mick]

Thanks again Guys.

At least i have a start.Will report back on my progress.

Mick.

[astro mick]

Now working.

Thanks all.

Mick.

[stash_old]

3 minutes ago, astro mick said:

Now working.

Thanks all.

Mick.

What changed to give you a solution so others may benefit ! - glad its workingfor you.

[astro mick]

Hi Stash.

I went a bit drastic really.I totally wiped the PC clean,and one by one carefully re-installed all the programs.

On opening APT i  went into the Tools tab,and carefully entered my camera,and Focal Length,in the object calculator.Becareful here if you are using a focal reducer.When the camera connects it recognises the camera and auto inputs the rest.

I decided to go down the ASTAP route,and downloaded the correct files,including the star database.Extracted to the C:/ drive.I also installed Plate solver 2.8 at the same time.

With ASTAP ticked in the point craft settings,i slew to an object my chosen target,took a 10sec image,and asked it to Blind solve,which it did very quickly.I then hit Sync,re-enterd

the co-ordinates next to the Goto++,and then hit Goto ++.

It  slew to target and centred.

I,m hoping i have cracked it.

Mick.

 

Of course you dont have to wipe you PC clean,but as i only use mind for the obsey it was,nt a big deal.

Edited October 7, 2020 by astro mick