Keeping a Planet Aligned while Imaging

[sandconp]

Is there a way to keep a planet 'centered' while taking a video with Sharpcap Pro? I find myself doing small nudges to keep the planet centered before it rolls off of the imaging window.

I know that Firecap has an option 'Align Box' option that keeps it centered.

[Silent-Shrill]

Polar alignment needs to be correct. Then use st4 or any tracking program to track a nearby star. You will need a finder-scope with a ccd camera hooked up to your pc. Use that as your tracker, and the planet should remain where you want it on the screen. I am assuming you have a goto system. If you have no tracking equipment, then get the polar alignment pretty good.

[admin]

Hi,

SharpCap 4.0 has two ways that might work to do this

1) Planet/disk stabilization. Keep your camera at full resolution and it moves the planet into the centre of each frame by offsetting the image. See https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.0/#!2!Pre-processing

2) Feature tracking in Camera ROI/Centre of Mass mode - see https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.0/#Feature%20Tracking

be glad to hear any feedback on whether these meet your needs and/or which works best.

cheers,

Robin

[c_future81]

Perfect! Feature tracking seems to be exactly what I need. Just found this thread

..will test it today with Jupiter

[kaymann]

Question can I use both Feature Tracking and ROI:

I want to use ROI for better frame rates and smaller files
I want to use FT to keep my extremely high FL view of planets in the FOV

If I select a ROI and then turn on FT will I get the best of both.

[c_future81]

Question can I use both Feature Tracking and ROI:

I want to use ROI for better frame rates and smaller files
I want to use FT to keep my extremely high FL view of planets in the FOV

If I select a ROI and then turn on FT will I get the best of both.

This is mentioned by the documention, yes

https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.0/#Feature%20Tracking

[sandconp]

I noticed that if I do a 3 star Alignment versus Solar Alignment (or Planet) alignment the planet stays centered much better. I did try the Sharpcap tracker and ROI and it seemed to help somewhat but I was not perfect.

[kaymann]

Question can I use both Feature Tracking and ROI:

I want to use ROI for better frame rates and smaller files
I want to use FT to keep my extremely high FL view of planets in the FOV

If I select a ROI and then turn on FT will I get the best of both.

This is mentioned by the documention, yes

https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.0/#Feature%20Tracking

I see/saw nothing in the documentation that indicates once FT is turned on that ROI can then be used or ROI then FT
I did see that ROI can be used to within limits keep an object in view by moving the ROI around to keep the object in view. However as stated, the ROI can come up against the real FOV and stop moving with the object then leaving the scope FOV and therefore leaving the ROI as well. This has happened to me in the past.

[c_future81]

You mean that part I highlighted in the screenshot?

It didn't clear up early enough yesterday night, so I couldn't test it

[admin]

Hi,

just a note that some of the links posted above are to the old, SharpCap 4.0, version of the documentation, so are out-of-date.

The correct link to the latest version of the documentation is https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.1/#!2!Feature%20Tracking - note that even this was updated over a year ago, so might be missing a few things compared to the actual implementation in the latest version of SharpCap.

cheers,

Robin