Performing a Manual Meridian Flip for DSO

[mgCatskills]

Tomorrow, if the weather forecast holds, I'm trying to capture a target that will be 30 minutes before transit at Astronomical Dusk, and will then have about an hour after transit until it falls below some trees. I'm trying to capture it in a single live-stack on both sides of the meridian. Given the season and the long term forecast here in the Catskills, this may be the last opportunity this year to capture the target.

I expect that the "correct" way to do this is to use the sequence editor. But I've never used it, and worry that I'll end up with technical glitches and lose the half hour prior to transit anyway.

So I've been trying to figure out a way to do this "manually" using software I've used before and find reliable. BTW, I have an AM5 mount, so I can't capture past the meridian at all, really. I've read a bunch of posts on this forum, but they predate 4.1. Since the GoTo coordinate tool in SharpCap now closes any open live stack [maybe not to close could be made an option for the future?] I don't believe I can use the GoTo Coordinate tool built-into SharpCap.

But I have used Stellarium at times, so I'm thinking about the following:

• Use Stellarium to slew to target.

• Hit the platesolve and sync button to make sure I'm on target

• Start live stack and capture until just before transit. Then pause live stack.

• Slew home. Wait until a few minutes after transit

• Use Stellarium to slew back to target, on the other side of the meridian

• Hit platesolve and sync

• Hit resume to continue live stack

Any reason this shouldn't work?

[admin]

Hi,

it sounds reasonable - I would suggest the following additional checks/steps

* before this, go to SharpCap live stacking, and in the settings tab on the right untick 'Start new stack when re-opening after closed for 1 minute or more' - this will ensure SharpCap does not clear your stack when you restart stacking

* Save the stack before the flip anyway - if it does all mess up then you can at least have two short stacks of 30 and 60 minutes and combine them later

* Consider setting the 'Flip (after dark/flat)' control to 'Both' after the meridian flip - that should put the image back in the original orientation, which may just help a bit (although live stacking *ought* to cope with the 180 degree rotation anyway)

* Setup to save raw frames when live stacking to allow a restack later if necessary

Basically, a 'belt and braces' approach...

cheers,

Robin