AllSky round up 2023?

[powerlord]

Hi chaps, I'm going to knock an allsky camera together using a spare asi120mc usb3.0.

Seems there's a few options - use an old windows thin client I've got and use AllSkEye, or use a rasp pi and... not sure here - found one allsky github project (https://github.com/thomasjacquin/allsky) ? Is there others ?

I thought I'd reach out a bit first before researching around and finding all the same things someone else could probably tell me in 5 mins.

My thoughts were to mount it on the roof on my tv antenna (which hasn't been used in 15 years).. that way it'd escape a bunch of the low level light pollution from neighbouring house lights. If ti was a pi buiild, just make it self contained, with power going to it, and it can connect to my network with wifi. If it was the windows thin client, it'd need a longish usb3.0 cable up to the camera, and server in loft.

either way, I've ordered a 10 quid dome from ebay, and planned to stick camera in there in a project box all sealed with some dessicant.

I'd ideally want to be able to see a live view on a browser anytime, and at dawn each day, have a new movie to watch of the previous night.

So - what are folks thoughts on software, positioning and features ?

stu

[Stuart1971]

35 minutes ago, powerlord said:

Hi chaps, I'm going to knock an allsky camera together using a spare asi120mc usb3.0.

Seems there's a few options - use an old windows thin client I've got and use AllSkEye, or use a rasp pi and... not sure here - found one allsky github project (https://github.com/thomasjacquin/allsky) ? Is there others ?

I thought I'd reach out a bit first before researching around and finding all the same things someone else could probably tell me in 5 mins.

My thoughts were to mount it on the roof on my tv antenna (which hasn't been used in 15 years).. that way it'd escape a bunch of the low level light pollution from neighbouring house lights. If ti was a pi buiild, just make it self contained, with power going to it, and it can connect to my network with wifi. If it was the windows thin client, it'd need a longish usb3.0 cable up to the camera, and server in loft.

either way, I've ordered a 10 quid dome from ebay, and planned to stick camera in there in a project box all sealed with some dessicant.

I'd ideally want to be able to see a live view on a browser anytime, and at dawn each day, have a new movie to watch of the previous night.

So - what are folks thoughts on software, positioning and features ?

stu

The software you linked to is superb, i use it with a raspberry PI zero, and the raspberry PI camera and lens, the total cost was about £100, and I 3D printed my enclosure…and wake up each morning to a Timelapse video and a star trails image, you can also see a live view in a browser, and you can also send it to a website if you have one…., the higher the better really for placement….

 

[powerlord]

The pizero camera or an hq one? The software says the pizero camera isn't up to it which is why I ask. I have a zero and camera, but didn't fancy then 100 quid an hq and lens cost.

[Stuart1971]

1 hour ago, powerlord said:

The pizero camera or an hq one? The software says the pizero camera isn't up to it which is why I ask. I have a zero and camera, but didn't fancy then 100 quid an hq and lens cost.

The HQ one as shown in the image I posted…works extremely well…

[powerlord]

ah ok - it looks the same as the one on my zero, so didn't know.

in which case, I'll try windows first I think - since I've got all the kit I need to give that a go.

[Stuart1971]

I also have the dew control, dome heater in it now too, and so no condensation 

 

[powerlord]

Well tried windows one. Running on quad core cheapy 25 quid thin client style windows 10 box.

I found it a bit flakey.. Often not updating image or timestamp, lots of features pro, etc.. Sometimes impossible to admin as remote desktop hung with cpu at 100%.

 

So..tried my old pi zero.. Initially setup with USB ethernet, then flipped over to USB WiFi.

Using with asi120mc.. And well..far superior.

Not setup outside yet, but running away, updating images, etc.. And yeh the wee zero is maxed out, but it's doing it fine, I can ssh or vnc on fine, and anyway don't really need to as website all up.

So yeh.. Great software. Once I get the dome I'll do like you prob - just knock out a 3d printed enclosure. Just needs 5v in. I'll add some desiccant rather than heater. Should do the job.

[StevieDvd]

I've planned for a sky camera as well. Have loaded up allsky on a RPi4 4gb running well and need to sort out the dome & enclosure.

Not planning to have the Rpi in the enclosure, just running the usb cable from the garage to the camera so the RPi will be dry and accessible.

Which dome did you get, is it okay?

Thanks

Steve

 

[powerlord]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163332659704?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=KITMgBrAR0e&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=k_pahIebQ6a&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Got a 50mm and a 150mm. The 50 makes a good size just over 120mc, but no more. The 150 would be easier to make an enclosure with - say a bit of drain pipe. Will try and knock something up tomorrow now thst I've got myself a pi4.

[StevieDvd]

1 hour ago, powerlord said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163332659704?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=KITMgBrAR0e&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=k_pahIebQ6a&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Got a 50mm and a 150mm. The 50 makes a good size just over 120mc, but no more. The 150 would be easier to make an enclosure with - say a bit of drain pipe. Will try and knock something up tomorrow now thst I've got myself a pi4.

Thanks,

The 100mm looks like a good choice, similar to the size used by allskyoptics and keeps the enclosure size reasonable. I made the installation harder by choosing the Rpi 64bit and indi-allsky, this meant adding the indi libraries by compiling them, which took several hours.

But it works okay and needs the enclosure and some decent skies.

 

[powerlord]

The usb 3 plug sticking out to the side of the asi120 is a pain. I've ordered a right angled one, but it's still a pity it's not on the back

[powerlord]

Here's my build 3d design of useful.

This will print out with no supports. On my 1mm nozzle anycubic it takes around 3 hours. With slower printers and smaller nozzles, a lot longer.

I printed in black pla as it's all I had, so then painted white to reflect sun. White PLA would be better.

It has a slot in the side (Z shaped so no rain can get in) for warm air to escape, cool air coming in from the base.

Use M3 inserts to mount your dome, some silicone around it, and some bags of silica for moisture. The asi120 is a tight interference fit into it, so that should provide an airtight seal, so no moisture/dew/condensation issues.

For the heatsink for the pi4 I used:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WQT1RRZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

And it is designed around this. The pi them pushes into the base, allowing room for cables, and a wifi antenna on a 15cm usb extension.

The base is again push fit, and should be left like that so some air can get in (around the hole for the power cable to exit) and circulate around before warming and exiting in the side groove.

baselid.STL mainBody.STL

[Dark Raven]

I went with Pi Zero W as I had few to spare, HQ lens, dummy camera enclosure and batteries for portability. Pi Zero does the job but struggles. I assume Pi Zero 2 W would do much better.

[powerlord]

cool, yeh I started with a zero, but it would have been another 70 or 80 quid for an HQ camera and lens, vs I already had a spare asi120MC-S. But with the asi at least, it was struggling - it took it about 4 hours to create the video each day, and if you had it taking daytime shots too as I had, it just never did it. IIt would just about cope if it was only saving night shots. So I managed to get a pi4 4gb off ebay for 80 quid - which considering they are like hens teeth and there's folk selling them for double that, seemed a decent price. Also I plan to add other stuff - rain sensor, weather, yada yada - so gives it some room for expansion.

I quite enjoy watching the daytime clouds etc too. Yesterday we had everything - sun, calm, 40mph winds, rain.. then even stars at night for a bit.

 

Edited April 13, 2023 by powerlord

[Stuart1971]

14 hours ago, Dark Raven said:

I went with Pi Zero W as I had few to spare, HQ lens, dummy camera enclosure and batteries for portability. Pi Zero does the job but struggles. I assume Pi Zero 2 W would do much better.

Hi, i use the PI zero 2, with HQ camera, and with a good size swap file it seems to work pretty well, mine produces a star trails image and a Timelapse every day when connected…but I had to lower the resolution down slightly..👍🏻

[StevieDvd]

I have my Allsky based setup running now. Using a Raspberry Pi4 4GB and ASI 290MC camera and running the thomasjacquin/allsky on Raspbian OS

It's saving images and creating the Timelapse & Keogram - not sure about the startrails but 2 images of clouds were saved for that.

Any tips on exposure settings, not worried about daylight capture it's the night captures I want to save. Unless I'm doing something wrong the daytime exposure settings seem to affect the night ones (based on the warning shown on the live view once changes are made.

I also need to orient the camera a bit better to make the most of the image size.

Current view - cloudy as can be expected.