Re: FYI - NINA Three Point Polar Alignment
nice!?
also "Use with caution to not run into pier collisions when done with the alignment!"
On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 1:53 PM Jim Waters < jimwaters@...> wrote: Three Point Polar Alignment Version 1.7.1.0
Requires 2.0 HF1 Beta #19 or above
?
- Add an option to continue tracking when TPPA is done. Use with caution to not run into pier collisions when done with the alignment!
- Prepopulate the filter with the plate-solving filter for defaults
- When refraction correction is enabled, the pole will now also be corrected for it to determine the initial error?
------------------------
Jim W
Phoenix, AZ. USA
Losmandy G11G, NINA 2.0 Beta / ASTAP, ASI2600MC Pro, Sky-Watcher Scopes
-- Brian?
Brian Valente astro portfolio? portfolio astrobin?
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FYI - NINA Three Point Polar Alignment
Three Point Polar Alignment Version 1.7.1.0
Requires 2.0 HF1 Beta #19 or above
?
- Add an option to continue tracking when TPPA is done. Use with caution to not run into pier collisions when done with the alignment!
- Prepopulate the filter with the plate-solving filter for defaults
- When refraction correction is enabled, the pole will now also be corrected for it to determine the initial error?
------------------------ Jim W Phoenix, AZ. USA Losmandy G11G, NINA 2.0 Beta / ASTAP, ASI2600MC Pro, Sky-Watcher Scopes
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That is a nice looking setup you got.
Greg Morris
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Re: Losmandy mount adapter on amart
Yes, but with shipping, you may as well by new George. Peter
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Re: Losmandy mount adapter on amart
Eighty bucks is the going rate. Just about the going rate for the Meade HD field?tripod.??
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I do want to add to my 'complaint' in this thread that Brian and others have been very helpful though havnt been able to get thru to me yet.
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Re: Strange issues with PHD2 with Losmandy G11/g2
Hi Phil
>>>? PHD2 could not calibrate DEC,
I think the warning is that Dec could not move enough in south direction. It successfully calibrated if you could guide after that.
If you have a guidelog to post i'm happy to look at it
Hi,
I have only had 2 nights since Mar with no cloud.? I lost both of them to something that sounds similar.? PHD2 could not calibrate DEC, and when I started guiding, it showed a classic control overcorrection, with the variance in both dec and RA increasing with each correction.? Not sure if I have the logs, and perhaps if I do have them they may not be so useful, as it made no sense to just let the guiding run.
While searching/finding the relevant PHD fault finding guide for some inspiration, I bumped into a post that indicated that a re-install of PHD2 back to the earlier version had worked for that OP.? Sorry, I cannot recall whether the last time I tried imaging whether the latest PHD2 update had applied.? I did a quick re-test and it seemed PHD was working again.
I am very new to the "game" so it is also more than likely the error was the human operator.? Though for the failed evenings, I did pull down and reset up from scratch both nights.
Maybe/maybe not helpful?
Cheers, Phil
-- Brian?
Brian Valente astro portfolio? portfolio astrobin?
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There is a good video that Scott posted back in 2015 showing how to find the CWD position with a little two axis bubble level that you can find in most hardware stores.? I¡¯ve been using this method with create success to easily find the CWD position.? Anyway, I thought it might be worth pointing to it again for those of us with older G11s without the built in bubble levels. ? ? Bill ?
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From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of John Kmetz Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2022 11:46 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [Losmandy_users_io] Usability Question ? On Tue, Aug 9, 2022 at 06:41 AM, Kirk wrote: There is a gentleman, Buckeyestargazer, who sells a ?for $14 that "snaps in place over the screws on the RA housing of a G11 mount". It looks like it might be worth a try for older G11 mounts without the built in levels.
Thanks Kirk. This looks like a handy gadget made for the task.
John
?
--
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Losmandy G11G2 on pier; SkyShed design roll-off observatory; ZWO ASI2600MM-P; ZWO ASI071MC; Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 ED; Celestron C925 Edge HD with 0.7XFR, William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO; PHD2, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight user
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Re: G11G DEC balance advice
Good to know, thanks! All my prior experience is with the CPC1100 alt-az mount (which I deforked for this); moving to an EQ mount is a learning experience, in a good way!
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Re: Strange issues with PHD2 with Losmandy G11/g2
Hi,
I have only had 2 nights since Mar with no cloud.? I lost both of them to something that sounds similar.? PHD2 could not calibrate DEC, and when I started guiding, it showed a classic control overcorrection, with the variance in both dec and RA increasing with each correction.? Not sure if I have the logs, and perhaps if I do have them they may not be so useful, as it made no sense to just let the guiding run.
While searching/finding the relevant PHD fault finding guide for some inspiration, I bumped into a post that indicated that a re-install of PHD2 back to the earlier version had worked for that OP.? Sorry, I cannot recall whether the last time I tried imaging whether the latest PHD2 update had applied.? I did a quick re-test and it seemed PHD was working again.
I am very new to the "game" so it is also more than likely the error was the human operator.? Though for the failed evenings, I did pull down and reset up from scratch both nights.
Maybe/maybe not helpful?
Cheers, Phil
|
Re: G11G DEC balance advice
>>>
But it sounds like you are close to the balance point with your swings and you shouldn't need to sweat it any further. If there is any problem with Dec guiding in PHD2 or whatever you are using, then you might revisit the Dec balance. The balance does not need to be perfect for the mount to function well.
agreed. What John said ;)
LKO,
What you are seeing I think is typical behavior for balancing. Since RA has some downward weight going into the clutch disc, there will be some stiction and it will not swing perfectly free.?
With the Dec axis horizontal, the is little to no contact with the clutch and motion is less restricted. I go just camera heavy in Dec which is fine for my guiding output. But it sounds like you are close to the balance point with your swings and you shouldn't need to sweat it any further. If there is any problem with Dec guiding in PHD2 or whatever you are using, then you might revisit the Dec balance. The balance does not need to be perfect for the mount to function well.
John
--
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Losmandy G11G2 on pier; SkyShed design roll-off observatory; ZWO ASI2600MM-P; ZWO ASI071MC; Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 ED; Celestron C925 Edge HD with 0.7XFR, William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO; PHD2, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight user
-- Brian?
Brian Valente astro portfolio? portfolio astrobin?
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Re: G11G DEC balance advice
LKO,
What you are seeing I think is typical behavior for balancing. Since RA has some downward weight going into the clutch disc, there will be some stiction and it will not swing perfectly free.?
With the Dec axis horizontal, the is little to no contact with the clutch and motion is less restricted. I go just camera heavy in Dec which is fine for my guiding output. But it sounds like you are close to the balance point with your swings and you shouldn't need to sweat it any further. If there is any problem with Dec guiding in PHD2 or whatever you are using, then you might revisit the Dec balance. The balance does not need to be perfect for the mount to function well.
John
--
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Losmandy G11G2 on pier; SkyShed design roll-off observatory; ZWO ASI2600MM-P; ZWO ASI071MC; Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 ED; Celestron C925 Edge HD with 0.7XFR, William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO; PHD2, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight user
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On Tue, Aug 9, 2022 at 06:41 AM, Kirk wrote:
There is a gentleman, Buckeyestargazer, who sells a ?for $14 that "snaps in place over the screws on the RA housing of a G11 mount". It looks like it might be worth a try for older G11 mounts without the built in levels.
Thanks Kirk. This looks like a handy gadget made for the task. John ? -- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Losmandy G11G2 on pier; SkyShed design roll-off observatory; ZWO ASI2600MM-P; ZWO ASI071MC; Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 ED; Celestron C925 Edge HD with 0.7XFR, William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO; PHD2, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight user
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New G11G user here. Been setting up my new mount, and have run into what seems like a strangeness in balancing in DEC. Watched the video, and balancing in RA was easy. Now I'm at the point where I've got all the accessories on the OTA, and I'm making the final balances. RA balanced fine, but I can't seem to get the DEC to "stay at the balance point". That is, if I have the DEC clamp loose, and the RA is tilted down slightly to take weight off the DEC, and have the DEC level, it will stay there. But, if I tap DEC slightly in either direction and get it off level, it wants to swing like it is off balance in the direction I moved it. Doesn't matter which direction, or if I swing RA to the other side. Am I doing something silly, or overthinking it? I hope I'm describing what is going on well enough to visualize.
Say I have the RA slightly below level on the east side. The DEC clutch is loose. I have DEC set level with the ground. It doesn't start to swing either way, so I think it's balanced. But, if I tap the north end of the OTA upwards slightly, it will then act like it's back-heavy and swing upwards. And if I have it level, and tap the north end down slightly, it acts like it's front-heavy and swings downward. There's about a 10 degree band around level, that if I leave it alone there, it stays still. When I first added all the accessories (camera mainly), and did this, it was obviously back heavy because if I let go at level it immediately swung that way.
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>>>
I'd assume if you sync the guide camera to mount, slew to the planet, adjust the mount to center image on the main camera, and then plate solve you would obtain (p2 - p1) the planet position offset in RA/DEC.?
? Yes, more or less ;)
My goal was to be able to do planetary remotely from inside, and it mostly works.?
Here's a pic of two sharpcaps side by side. the right is the finderscope and the left is the planetary setup. I also have Gemini Telescope.net control with "keep on top" option checked.?
On Tue, Aug 9, 2022 at 6:50 AM WayBack < corey_d@...> wrote: On Tue, Aug 9, 2022 at 01:24 AM, Brian Valente wrote:
and marked where that was on the guidescope.
?
Thanks for sharing and reminding the oppositions are coming!
I'd assume if you sync the guide camera to mount, slew to the planet, adjust the mount to center image on the main camera, and then plate solve you would obtain (p2 - p1) the planet position offset in RA/DEC.
Then if the synced guide scope were not changed from use to use, the offset added to the current planet position should provide the main camera offset slew position.? At least after the initial slew with a plate position or photo confirmation that the guide scope is centered.? Sounds promising and a lot better than fiddling with high power finder guide rings given the dedicated equipment during opposition.
Enough usability to support the concept (just to stay on subject).
-- Brian?
Brian Valente astro portfolio? portfolio astrobin?
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Re: Strange issues with PHD2 with Losmandy G11/g2
Hi Doug
can you upload the relevant log file?
you can use the automatic log file uploader under Help menu
Finally got a reasonably good night and after updating PHD2 and finding a good star in NE soon noticed that DEC was drifting which increased over exposure time.? I am using a STi as a guider.
My question is whether others have fount this issue and how did they solve it?? I did several weeks check the balance of the unit and it was spot on east or west with all gear on mount/scope/camera & all cords etc.
Please note that I am not sure I have the corrects settings in PHD2 to increase the response to the DEC so any suggestions about PHD2 would also be appreciated.? My scope by the way is a Tak E180 and the guide scope is a Televue scope usable for terrestrial or stars.
Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions to check.
Doug Askew
-- Brian?
Brian Valente astro portfolio? portfolio astrobin?
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Re: Strange issues with PHD2 with Losmandy G11/g2
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Show quoted text
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Doug Askew
Sent: 09 August 2022 15:21
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Losmandy_users_io] Strange issues with PHD2 with Losmandy G11/g2? Finally got a reasonably good night and after updating PHD2 and finding a good star in NE soon noticed that DEC was drifting which increased over exposure time. ?I am using a STi as a guider. My question is whether others have fount this issue and how did they solve it? ?I did several weeks check the balance of the unit and it was spot on east or west with all gear on mount/scope/camera & all cords etc. Please note that I am not sure I have the corrects settings in PHD2 to increase the response to the DEC so any suggestions about PHD2 would also be appreciated. ?My scope by the way is a Tak E180 and the guide scope is a Televue scope usable for terrestrial or stars. Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions to check.
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Strange issues with PHD2 with Losmandy G11/g2
Finally got a reasonably good night and after updating PHD2 and finding a good star in NE soon noticed that DEC was drifting which increased over exposure time. ?I am using a STi as a guider.
My question is whether others have fount this issue and how did they solve it? ?I did several weeks check the balance of the unit and it was spot on east or west with all gear on mount/scope/camera & all cords etc.
Please note that I am not sure I have the corrects settings in PHD2 to increase the response to the DEC so any suggestions about PHD2 would also be appreciated. ?My scope by the way is a Tak E180 and the guide scope is a Televue scope usable for terrestrial or stars.
Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions to check.
Doug Askew
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On Tue, Aug 9, 2022 at 01:24 AM, Brian Valente wrote:
and marked where that was on the guidescope.
?
Thanks for sharing and reminding the oppositions are coming! I'd assume if you sync the guide camera to mount, slew to the planet, adjust the mount to center image on the main camera, and then plate solve you would obtain (p2 - p1) the planet position offset in RA/DEC. Then if the synced guide scope were not changed from use to use, the offset added to the current planet position should provide the main camera offset slew position.? At least after the initial slew with a plate position or photo confirmation that the guide scope is centered.? Sounds promising and a lot better than fiddling with high power finder guide rings given the dedicated equipment during opposition. Enough usability to support the concept (just to stay on subject).
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There is a gentleman, Buckeyestargazer, who sells a ?for $14 that "snaps in place over the screws on the RA housing of a G11 mount". It looks like it might be worth a try for older G11 mounts without the built in levels.
Clear Skies,
Kirk
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Greg
LKO
David C. Partridge
Kirk