Feature Tracking for DSO

[Lorix]

Hi Robin
is there the development of "feature tracking" for long exposure photographs? it would be very useful so that I can save myself from buying the guide telescope and the camera shortly.

Thank You
Lorix

[admin]

Hi,

true guiding on the same camera as the one breing used for deep sky imaging isn't possible - the deep sky imaging requires long exposures, but guiding requires short exposures to compensate quickly for any errors in the mount movement.

Adjusting the position between captured frames to counteract slow drift is possible - this is something you can do already if you are happy playing with the advanced sequence editor (use the plate solve, sync and re-goto step at intervals). It's also something I have planned for a future update for inclusion in live stacking.

cheers,

Robin

[Lorix]

Thanks Robin for your answer, I tried to read the documentation for "Advanced Sequence Editor" but unfortunately having never tried it I think I will be waiting for your Live Stacking update with the feature you announced to me soon

Clear skies from Italy!

Lorix

[MunichAtNight]

Hello!

I tried with ...

if you are happy playing with the advanced sequence editor (use the plate solve, sync and re-goto step at intervals)

the sequence editor. But I wasn't really successfully last night. I setup a sequence

sharpcap-plate-solve.jpg (380.81 KiB) Viewed 1094 times

I got every 10 frames with 8 s each, so after 80 seconds an additional 300 px. wide, black border on the right side of the stack. FIrst 300 px wide, than 600 pix wide and so on ...

STRETCHED_Stack_31frames_248s_WithDisplayStretch.jpg (287.61 KiB) Viewed 1094 times

I got the impression, that the sequence command "plate solve, sync and re-goto " didn't do a CENTER. But I am not 100% sure.

Sometimes, when doing manually the menu order "plate solve and sync" I got the "feeling" - I couldn't verify it by sure, but from time to time I think, I guess - the mount stays at it actual position, doesn't move the FOV, doesn't center at the end.

And this "Behaviour" happened yesterday, too when working with the sequence editor.

When doing the manual menu command "Plate solve only" followed by the the command in the window "Deep Sky Annotation result" where the object (here M27 is selected) Center in View - it's doing every time it's job. But this commands can't be selected in the sequence editor.

I was some how unsafe and confused, perhaps the command plate solve, sync and re-goto is being influenced in the "Plate Solving Tab" by a setting in the "Configure Plate Solving"

sharpcap-doc-01.jpg (141.5 KiB) Viewed 1094 times

I tried to puzzle it out and played around with different settings. But playing around isn't a good strategy to solve a problem. I could find no real context!

I will try next night again. In case somebody has an idea or see a problem in my sequence I would be more than happy for any hint !

It's also something I have planned for a future update for inclusion in live stacking.

Sounds terrific! Gorgeous! I would like to help and I am prepared for any beta-testing!

Servus - MuncihAtNight - Ewald

[admin]

Hi Ewald,

my suspicion is that the 'solve and sync' is using the stacked image, which is of course not moving at all, so it sees that the image has not drifted at all, and therefore performs no correction. One of the things I need to do to get periodic solving/sync into live stacking is to fix that issue.

I think a workaround would be to have your sequence close live stacking, do the solve + sync with live stacking closed, re-open live stacking and then resume live stacking (the stacking will re-open in pause). I think that might work.

cheers,

Robin

[MunichAtNight]

Hi Robin!

I think a workaround would be to have your sequence close live stacking, do the solve + sync with live stacking closed, re-open live stacking and then resume live stacking (the stacking will re-open in pause). I think that might work.

Thank you! This sounds for a good plan! I will try next possible night and will report how it works!

Servus MunichAtNight - Ewald

[admin]

Hi,

Also, give next week's update a try when it is available and you have some clear skies. I tweaked the code so that if live stacking is active you should get plate solving results from the most recent raw frame, not from the stack, which would fix this issue.

cheers,

Robin

[MunichAtNight]

Hi!

Great news! Thank you very much! I am very excited for the new update! Hopefully rain and clouds are synchronized with next update!

Servus MunichAtNight - Ewald

[MunichAtNight]

Hello Robin!

As I was able to recognize and solve my "real" major problems caused by using a not perfect recentered Starsense camera for alignment as I explained in the other thread. Finding and solving my problem tooks away the "strong" need to do an automated way to reposition the mount and In the moment I can use and live with the actual status.

Nevertheless I tried testing what you mentioned here in this thread ...

I think a workaround would be to have your sequence close live stacking, do the solve + sync with live stacking closed, re-open live stacking and then resume live stacking (the stacking will re-open in pause). I think that might work.

... and I wasn't successful in my first attempt. I am afraid I setup the sequence with wrong steps, so it could not work properly and correctly. I will check again as soon as possible by CLS the sequence and try to do it proper.

To keep the information loop closed for users which may read this thread in the future I add the following information and link to the other mentioned thread.

You mentioned in the other thread that you are planing and working for future features

I am also working on changes to allow the plate solve/resync to be automated while live stacking. This has turned out to be a challenging change to make (I threw away two attempts at the change as they became too complicated). I am still at the stage where I am checking for bugs in the newly re-written dither/guiding monitoring code. Once I have that working as it should, it will be much easier with the new code to add the plate solve/resync .

This feature which will be a way of "Software Guiding" without extra guiding camera and will be a great help for me and many other users too. I am very excited for it and keep waiting patient for it!

Servus MunichAtNight - Ewald