Working with Ekos

[Shimonu]

I've only gotten started with Ekos and one of the things I'm missing or haven't understood is if you can slew to targets by catalog name to get your framing right before you start imaging. Right now I've just found how you set up the scheduler and start a session but that will start imaging right away and I can't really do any previewing. I'm guessing it should be done in the alignment tab but I haven't understood if you can enter a catalog name or if you have to manually input the coordinates.

[rickwayne]

Oooh oooh oooh I know this one!

One way is to close Ekos and find your object in KStars, then right-click on it, select  your mount from the context menu, and choose "Goto". You can click the magnifying-glass button in the KStars toolbar first if you want to search by name or catalog designation rather than hunting in the planetarium.

Even easier, if you're already in Ekos, is to click the "Mount" tab, click the "Mount Control" button at upper right, and notice that that dialog also has a magnifying-glass button. Brings up the exact same search dialog, when you find the thing you want with that and close it the object will now be listed in the Mount Control dialog. Click "UNPARK" (if necessary) and "GOTO". Bingo!

It took me a LONG time to notice the second method. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, Ekos scatters things about its user interface as if it were the cockpit of a 1960s Russian fighter plane.

Setting the target in this way is also useful when/if you set up plate solving, which is the golden road to ease and riches. I never bother to star-align my mount, ever. I just do the Mount Control thing to get it in the general neighborhood so the plate solving will be quicker, click "Capture and Solve" on the Alignment tab with "Slew to target" checked, and enjoy the little robot's work.

Even cooler is that you can come back to a target later by keeping one of the FITS images from a previous session around so you can click the "Load and Solve" button. I just do that with the mount at zero position and it nails it perfectly.

Edited December 12, 2020 by rickwayne

[wimvb]

6 hours ago, Shimonu said:

Right now I've just found how you set up the scheduler and start a session

I'd advise against using the Scheduler if you're just starting with Ekos. Use the alignment module as per @rickwayne's reply. Then start guiding (the guide module in Ekos), and finally go over to the capture module to set up a capture sequence. The Scheduler will automate all this, but get to know what each module does before automating. I've been using INDI for about 3 - 4 years and I still only use the scheduler on rare occasions.

[Richie092]

All good advise above. That’s how I do it treating each module separately. 
It’s going to take a while until you get each setting on each module perfect for you so keep things as simple as you can. 
The new multi star guiding is brilliant by the way 😁

[Moonshed]

Yet another sign I’m getting old, I don’t have a clue what any of you are talking about. As some old man once said “I’m a wind up watch in a digital age”.. (returns to Amazon to compare hot water bottles).

[wimvb]

29 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

Yet another sign I’m getting old, I don’t have a clue what any of you are talking about. As some old man once said “I’m a wind up watch in a digital age”.. (returns to Amazon to compare hot water bottles).

Do you have a copy of Making Every Photon Count by our very own  @steppenwolf (aka Steve Richards)?

To use his terms:

• Find and Frame: the alignment module in Ekos
• Focus: the focus module in Ekos
• Follow: the guide module in Ekos
• Film (a bit of artistic license on his part): the capture module in Ekos

More on Ekos here

https://indilib.org/about/ekos.html

[Shimonu]

21 hours ago, rickwayne said:

Oooh oooh oooh I know this one!

One way is to close Ekos and find your object in KStars, then right-click on it, select  your mount from the context menu, and choose "Goto". You can click the magnifying-glass button in the KStars toolbar first if you want to search by name or catalog designation rather than hunting in the planetarium.

Even easier, if you're already in Ekos, is to click the "Mount" tab, click the "Mount Control" button at upper right, and notice that that dialog also has a magnifying-glass button. Brings up the exact same search dialog, when you find the thing you want with that and close it the object will now be listed in the Mount Control dialog. Click "UNPARK" (if necessary) and "GOTO". Bingo!

It took me a LONG time to notice the second method. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, Ekos scatters things about its user interface as if it were the cockpit of a 1960s Russian fighter plane.

Setting the target in this way is also useful when/if you set up plate solving, which is the golden road to ease and riches. I never bother to star-align my mount, ever. I just do the Mount Control thing to get it in the general neighborhood so the plate solving will be quicker, click "Capture and Solve" on the Alignment tab with "Slew to target" checked, and enjoy the little robot's work.

Even cooler is that you can come back to a target later by keeping one of the FITS images from a previous session around so you can click the "Load and Solve" button. I just do that with the mount at zero position and it nails it perfectly.

Fantastic! I'm sure the function was available I just didn't find it.

I've used plate solving since day 1 since I also do polar aligntment with Ekos. Boy seeing it correct the position after taking a picture is awesome. No star alignment going on here. Just have to get the accuracy set reasonably. It was iterating quite a lot for some targets.

This is great. I can't wait until the clouds disappear, should be any month now......

[wimvb]

3 hours ago, Shimonu said:

Just have to get the accuracy set reasonably

The 10 arseconds default is more than many mounts can achieve. Any small backlash will result in eternal corrections. Better to use eg 30 arcseconds. That 's still only a small percentage of the sensor width.

[alacant]

On 12/12/2020 at 18:49, Shimonu said:

set up the scheduler

Hi

Learn the other modules too of course, but don't spend too long on them. The Scheduler allows you to get some well deserved sleep;)

Cheers

[Shimonu]

29 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi

Learn the other modules too of course, but don't spend too long on them. The Scheduler allows you to get some well deserved sleep;)

Cheers

As I'm photographing exclusively in the field I won't be getting much sleep at all I'm afraid.

[wimvb]

57 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi

Learn the other modules too of course, but don't spend too long on them. The Scheduler allows you to get some well deserved sleep;)

Cheers

I set the mount parking feature in the mount module for that:

• Focus
• Frame
• Guide
• Capture
• Set mount parking to about 20 minutes after the sequence ends
• Off to bed (or a good movie first)

I know the scheduler does much of this automated, but I like the illusion of being in control.

[Dustspeakers]

 

On 12/12/2020 at 19:22, rickwayne said:

Even easier, if you're already in Ekos, is to click the "Mount" tab, click the "Mount Control" button at upper right, and notice that that dialog also has a magnifying-glass button. Brings up the exact same search dialog, when you find the thing you want with that and close it the object will now be listed in the Mount Control dialog. Click "UNPARK" (if necessary) and "GOTO". Bingo!

It took me a LONG time to notice the second method. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, Ekos scatters things about its user interface as if it were the cockpit of a 1960s Russian fighter plane.

Oh man! Great tip - I hadn't noticed this one. It will save a LOT of time 🙂

[rickwayne]

2 hours ago, Dustspeakers said:

Oh man! Great tip - I hadn't noticed this one. It will save a LOT of time 🙂

RIght? When I think of all the futzing about I did in the KStars planetarium view...oh well.