Does plate solving display the image scale somewhere?

[Borodog]

Forgive me if this is obvious somewhere but I haven't seen it. One of the standard outputs of a plate solution is the image scale. Is this displayed somewhere by SharpCap after plate solving? This is useful in calculating your exact focal length.

Thanks.

[admin]

Hi,

yes, this is shown in a notification (green message bar at the top of the screen) if you run the 'plate solve only' tool from the tools menu. Oddly it's not included if you use the plate solve and resync tool or the 'locate me' button on the telescope controls. I must fix that

Capture.JPG (37.65 KiB) Viewed 364 times

In either case, you will find the information in the log

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Info   	13:38:32.752916	#1 	Field solved to RA=05:43:00,Dec=+56:56:55, field Size {Width=1.92946, Height=1.44717}

cheers,

Robin

[Borodog]

Thank you, Robin. It would be nice if it showed the image scale in arcseconds/pixel and your focal length if SharpCap knows your pixel size.

[AstroNikko]

Just to add to the conversation here, SharpCap does log the image scale as it's performing the plate solve. I've used this in the past to calculate the working focal length of my optical train.

It can be found just before log entries indicating that the field was successfully solved. Here's an example from my own logs (pixel scale 0.712663 arcsec/pix). I used the "solve and sync" or "locate me" button under Telescope Controls in the Camera Control Panel.

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Info   	22:19:16.133368	#1 	Plate solving :   log-odds ratio 56.3358 (2.92634e+24), 11 match, 0 conflict, 4 distractors, 21 index.					in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.133368	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving:   log-odds ratio 56.3358 (2.92634e+24), 11 match, 0 conflict, 4 distractors, 21 index.				in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.134367	#1 	Plate solving :   RA,Dec = (298.238,34.6909), pixel scale 0.712663 arcsec/pix.											in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.134367	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving:   RA,Dec = (298.238,34.6909), pixel scale 0.712663 arcsec/pix.					in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.135366	#1 	Plate solving :   Hit/miss: +++-++++++--+-+(best)--++++																	in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.135366	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving:   Hit/miss: +++-++++++--+-+(best)--++++											in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.358229	#1 	Plate solving : Field 1: solved with index index-4202-13.fits.															in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.358229	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving: Field 1: solved with index index-4202-13.fits.									in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.359228	#1 	Plate solving : Field 1 solved: writing to file /tmp/28404312-98ec-4674-803f-81de5cdfc7d5/frame.solved to indicate this.					in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.360228	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving: Field 1 solved: writing to file /tmp/28404312-98ec-4674-803f-81de5cdfc7d5/frame.solved to indicate this.				in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.569098	#1 	Plate solving : Field: /tmp/28404312-98ec-4674-803f-81de5cdfc7d5/frame.png												in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.570099	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving: Field: /tmp/28404312-98ec-4674-803f-81de5cdfc7d5/frame.png						in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.571099	#1 	Plate solving : Field center: (RA,Dec) = (298.2, 34.69) deg.															in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.571099	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving: Field center: (RA,Dec) = (298.2, 34.69) deg.									in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.572098	#1 	Plate solving : Field center: (RA H:M:S, Dec D:M:S) = (19:52:57.092, +34:41:26.820).									in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.572098	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving: Field center: (RA H:M:S, Dec D:M:S) = (19:52:57.092, +34:41:26.820).			in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.573096	#1 	Plate solving : Field size: 8.01978 x 4.55699 arcminutes																in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.574097	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving: Field size: 8.01978 x 4.55699 arcminutes										in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:16.574097	#1 	Plate solving : 																										in Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)+(object s, SolveProgressEventArgs a) => { }
Debug  	22:19:16.575096	#1 	Notification (Status=Warning): Solving: 																				in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Warning	22:19:16.687026	#1 	StdErr from plate solver : Read file /tmp/tmp.ppm.FNF4QN: 676 x 384 pixels x 1 color(s); maxval 255
Using 8-bit output
					in async Task<SolveResults> SharpCap.ImageProcessing.AstroTortillaPlateSolver.SolveImpl(string imageFile, RADecPosition approxPosition, CancellationToken cancellationToken, double searchRadius, double minScale, double maxScale)
Info   	22:19:16.719008	#1 	Frame Orientation : Up is 13.8 degree E of N																			in double? SharpCap.ImageProcessing.ExternalPlateSolverBase.ParseOrientationFromWCSData(Dictionary<string, string> fields)
Info   	22:19:16.758982	#1 	Mount reports JNOW, converting results position from RA=19:52:57,Dec=+34:41:26 (J2000)									in async Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)
Info   	22:19:17.789347	#1 	Conversion result is RA=19:53:46,Dec=+34:44:54 (JNOW)																	in async Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)
Debug  	22:19:17.791345	#1 	Notification (Status=OK): Plate solve succeeded, position found to be RA=19:53:46,Dec=+34:44:54 (JNOW, offset of 0.31 degrees)				in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:17.792343	#1 	Field solved to RA=19:53:46,Dec=+34:44:54, field Size {Width=0.133663, Height=0.07594983}								in async Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)
Info   	22:19:18.808718	#1 	Before Sync mount is at RA=19:53:45,Dec=+35:03:21																		in async Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)
Info   	22:19:20.032963	#1 	After Sync mount is at RA=19:53:46,Dec=+34:44:54																		in async Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)
Info   	22:19:20.042956	#1 	Frame center calculated at RA=19:52:57,Dec=+34:41:27 (J2000)															in void SharpCap.Models.PixelPositionProvider.SaveData(RADecPosition frameCenter, MappingData mappingData)
Info   	22:19:20.166880	#1 	Frame center converted to JNOW : RA=19:53:47,Dec=+34:44:55																in void SharpCap.Models.PixelPositionProvider.SaveData(RADecPosition frameCenter, MappingData mappingData)
Info   	22:19:20.175877	#1 	Plate solve info with center at RA=19:53:47,Dec=+34:44:55 recorded against mount position RA=19:53:46,Dec=+34:44:54				in void SharpCap.Models.PixelPositionProvider.SaveData(RADecPosition frameCenter, MappingData mappingData)
Debug  	22:19:20.176875	#1 	Notification (Status=OK): Mount synced to RA=19:53:46,Dec=+34:44:54, re-centering on target at RA=19:53:45,Dec=+35:03:21 (offset of 0.31 degrees)				in void SharpCap.UI.NotificationViewModel.DisplayMessage(NotificationMessage message)
Info   	22:19:21.189249	#1 	Before Slew mount is at RA=19:53:46,Dec=+34:44:54																		in async Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)
Info   	22:19:22.264586	#1 	After Slew mount is at RA=19:54:23,Dec=+34:35:37																		in async Task<bool> SharpCap.ViewModels.PlateSolveAndResync.SolveImpl(bool gotFrame, string tmpFile, CancellationTokenSource tokenSource, IMount model, SizeF? imageSize)
Info   	22:19:22.265585	#1 	Toolbar/Menu input : SharpCap.ViewModels.Actions.SolveAndResyncAction  complete											in async Task SharpCap.ViewModels.UIAction.Execute()