deep sky simulator

Anything that doesn't fit into any of the other forums
Post Reply
Bob_in_PC
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2021 1:10 pm

deep sky simulator

#1

Post by Bob_in_PC »

I'm having an issue running the deep sky simulator camera as I learn the plate solving routine. I can't seem to successfully plate solve. I've downloaded All Sky Plate Solver and the index files for my FOV. Here is the logfile. Any help is most appreciated.
logfile.txt
(48.64 KiB) Downloaded 50 times
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:52 pm
Location: Vale of the White Horse, UK
Contact:

Re: deep sky simulator

#2

Post by admin »

Hi Bob,

from the log it looks like you have index files 4208->4212 installed for your plate solver - that's a bit of a narrow range and would be kind of OK for an image with a 3 degree field of view, but probably won't work well for narrower fields of view.

The usual recomendation is to go from the FOV of your image down to 1/10th of it (based on the ranges shown here - http://astrometry.net/doc/readme.html#g ... ndex-files). So, if you had a 1 degree FOV, you would want 4210 down to 4203 (might get away with 4204).

Based on the fact that the plate solving seems to be running fairly quickly through the indices that you have and then trying other objects in the image, my guess is a lack of index file coverage.

It also looks like you are using the 'blind plate solving' option from the menu, which scans the whole sky. If you connect to an ASCOM mount (probably the ASCOM simulator, since you are testing stuff) then use the plate solve button in the mount controls, SharpCap limits the search area to 15 degrees away from the current mount pointing location, which can speed things up (but make sure the mount pointing actually matches your image!)

cheers,

Robin
Bob_in_PC
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2021 1:10 pm

Re: deep sky simulator

#3

Post by Bob_in_PC »

Thanks Robin - I added the additional index files you suggested and pointed the simulator mount at the coordinates I got from Stellarium - plate solved M42 in 20 seconds or so. I appreciate your quick response!
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:52 pm
Location: Vale of the White Horse, UK
Contact:

Re: deep sky simulator

#4

Post by admin »

Hi Bob,

glad it worked - plate solving is a bit of a dark art - magic when you can get it to work, but lots of pitfalls to catch out the unwary. Particularly the size of some of the smaller scale index files tends to scare people off from installing them without realising they might need them :)

cheers,

Robin
Post Reply