plate solving

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admin
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Re: plate solving

#11

Post by admin »

Hi,

there was a bug in SharpCap 3.1 that meant that it sometimes didn't correctly identify the plates of a location or use the manually entered location. This is fixed in SharpCap 3.2, so I'd suggest downloading that giving that a try. If you're still having problems with the very latest SharpCap 3.2 please let me know.

Cheers, Robin
DanK
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Re: plate solving

#12

Post by DanK »

Robin:

There is a bug in version 3.0. I don't have Plate Solve under File\Sharp Cap Settings

Dan Kahraman
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Re: plate solving

#13

Post by admin »

Hi Dan,

Actually, that's a feature that didn't exist in SharpCap 3.0 rather than a bug – you need to use a newer version of SharpCap to get access to those settings. I would strongly advise using SharpCap 3.2.

Cheers, Robin
DanK
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Re: plate solving

#14

Post by DanK »

Hi Robin:

I installed all the requisite plates in the default directories in the version of Sharpcap that has the Platesolve feature. What I would like to ask you is if there is a way of doing a practice "dummy" plate solve session prior to doing it in the field. Is it possible to do this with the existing features of Platesolve in Sharpcap?

I have done a session with Local Astrometry.Net in SGP and would like to do the same with Sharpcap. I love this feature of centering your objects exactly in the camera's FOV. Nothing else comes close!

Dan Kahraman
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Re: plate solving

#15

Post by admin »

Hi,

Yes there is a way to do this. First of all use the test camera (the first one that lets you choose an image and shows M 42 by default). Now connect SharpCap to the 'Telescope simulator for .NET' mount that is installed when you install the Ascom platform. Connect your planetarium software to this mount as well. In the planetarium software, command the mount to go to a position that is close to the image that SharpCap is showing (if it's the default M 42 image showing then go to a point somewhere near the Orion nebula). Now you should be able to run the plates solving tool inside SharpCap which should capture an image plate solve and adjust the mount position, although obviously the view of the image won't update!

Hope this helps, Robin
DanK
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Re: plate solving

#16

Post by DanK »

Hi Robin:

I did the actual camera connection and mount simulator connection this morning. The mount connection is what allows Telescope Control Menu to become available. You then choose the Plate Solve and sync option from that menu.

Much easier than I thought it would be.

Dan Kahraman
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Re: plate solving

#17

Post by DanK »

Hi Robin:

I used my Exos2Goto mount last night but when I connected my mount the 4 arrows were not available to make allow for small movements to be made. I have the ASCOM driver for the mount installed so I don't understand why these arrow are greyed out.
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Re: plate solving

#18

Post by admin »

Hi,

the buttons rely on the mount driver supporting the SlewAxis command - SharpCap queries the mount driver to see if it supports SlewAxis (there is a CanSlewAxis call for this).

I suspect that the mount driver for your mount either doesn't support SlewAxis or the developers forgot to make CanSlewAxis report correctly. I would have a chat with the supplier of the Ascom driver for the mount to see if they can fix this.

Robin
DanK
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Re: plate solving

#19

Post by DanK »

Hi Robin:

Sounds like a plausible explanation. Thanks. That is what I think as well.

Dan Kahraman
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Re: plate solving

#20

Post by efsix »

Hi,
I had the same: Sharpcap could not find solve-field. It simply did not exist! However, after reinstalling Astrotortilla and cygwin the installer finally asked for a computer restart. Then after opening Sharpcap with camera and mount the longed for “Plate Solve and Sync” button appeared immediately.
Sharpcap found it somewhere else: path C:\cygwin\bin\solve-field. (A small shell script; can be opened with notepad.)
Clear Skies, Esdert.
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