Satellite guiding software

[Philip_Taylor]

Is anyone aware of off-the-shelf software (free or otherwise) that would enable guiding on a satellite? I would be using an altaz mount  and tracking using the satellite TLE. But I would like to track it more precisely by measuring the satellite's apparent position frequently and calculating offsets.

Combining image processing software (e.g. Open Vision Control: http://openvisionc.sourceforge.net) to generate track offset commands might do the trick, but I'm wondering if there is anything already existing that does this out of the box? Some possible software called Satellite Chaser (https://sites.google.com/view/satellitechaser/home) seems to have disappeared.

 

Philip

[Philip_Taylor]

No replies, so I assume the answer is no.

A more specific question - is it possible to use PHD/PHD2 on an altaz mount telescope and guide such that it produces alt and az guiding offsets? This, in principle, is what I need.

[bottletopburly]

Try skytrack I think it’s £10 there’s a video to configure to Stellarium I will find it and add to post 

here we are , not used but I did configure to Stellarium not sure about alt /ax type mount .

 

regards Dave 

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by bottletopburly

[Gfamily]

On my phone it looks as though Sky Safari Plus will allow you to Goto a satellite's position, but it doesn't actively track it , but continually tapping the goto button will keep the scope moving with the satellite.

Not ideal, but it might work for you.

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I've never done it myself, but my Meade LS 8 scope allows for satellite TLEs to be imported into the handset and it'll allow you to track a satellite. Basically, you tell it in advance which satellite you want to watch, it goes to an early position on the arc, and you wait at the eyepiece and press 'Enter' when it comes into the fov. The scope will then track the satellite across the sky. 

That's the principle anyway. As I say, I've not tried it myself.

I would assume that other Meade Autostar controlled scopes will do the same. 

[Philip_Taylor]

Thanks for the suggestions. Many controllers support input of satellite TLEs and generation of a track. But the TLE may well not be that accurate. What I was looking for was something that actively monitors (at 1 Hz+)  the apparent satellite position and generates offsets for the axes to track the satellite accurately.

The best option I have found so far is something called 'pypogs' which is software for an "automated closed-loop satellite tracker". https://github.com/esa/pypogs

This sounds like what I need but it is a substantial piece of Python code that is not packaged to simply install and work easily. And it's not  clear how it interacts with the telescope mount.