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Re: GOTO accuracy for stars vs DSOs

David
 

Rodd,

If you use a computer, it should never take more than a couple minutes.  You need to check out some program like Sequence Generator Pro.  Its what I use when mobile imaging, and its so simple.  I simply align with the RAPAS, which takes about 1minute, get the scope roughly in focus to start, and then I simply point the scope somewhere in the eastern sky and click “Solve and Sync”.  This shoots a short length image, typically a couple seconds, and automatically plate solves the image, and syncs the position to the mount.  Done.  Thats it, its that simple.  Now pointing works great all across the sky.  

Also, you can do your framing ahead of time in SGP with the framing and mosaic wizard that sets up the sequence with exact coordinates.  When starting imaging, you simply set it up to plate solve the initial position and it moves the mount until the framing and positioning is perfect and away it goes.  It should never take an hour to find a star to focus on.  Not to mention, if you also have an electronic focuser, SGP (and many other programs) will do an automated focus run for you and put your setup in perfect focus automatically.  I used to struggle a little as well, but plate solving and an automated focus routine is the best thing for speeding this up.  

David



On May 2, 2019, at 3:58 PM, rodddryfoos@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:

Thanks Rolando.  No--I use a computer.  Right now I use CdC as a planetarium platform--seems to work ok.  I haven't learned how to plate solve.  I frame manually--kind of a pain but it works.  I don't mind that as much as hunting for a star that is out of the FOV--because you don't know in which direction to look--so it can be frustrating.  Learning new things is hard due to the very limited clear sky time I get--losing imaging time trying to learn something drives me crazy--so I muddle through to get the data.  Its really at the beginning and after a flip--fortunately with broadband I can generally focus in the FOV--I zoom way in and choose a bright star (most stars in field are not very bright--so its a relative term)  and use a B-Mask.  The mount is still guiding so framing is not lost.  

Rodd
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