Ron

https://ap-i.net/skychart/en/documentation/observatory?s[]=horizon

Bryan

 

Very excited about these features! 

---

From: ap-gto@... <ap-gto@...> on behalf of Hemant Hariyani hemanthariyani@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...>
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2017 8:50 AM

To: ap-gto@...
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] APCC + SkySafari?

 

 

Ray,

Perfect!! Thanks a lot. This will be great!

Regards

Hemant

On Fri, Oct 13, 2017 at 7:37 AM, 'Ray Gralak (Groups)' groups3@... [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:

 

Hi Hemant,

Although that's one way to do this, there are a couple other ways that have been planned to handle this:

1) We will embed in APCC a server that SkySafari can directly connect via wifi as if it were the mount.
2) We will provide a ReST API to allow other applications to connect and use APCC.

I expect these features to be available by the end of this year if nothing major comes up to affect progress.

Best regards,

-Ray Gralak
Author of APCC (Astro-Physics Command Center): http://www.astro-physics.com/index.htm?products/accessories/software/apcc/apcc
Author of PEMPro: http://www.ccdware.com
Author of Astro-Physics V2 ASCOM Driver: http://www.gralak.com/apdriver
Author of PulseGuide: http://www.pulseguide.com
Author of Sigma: http://www.gralak.com/sigma

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
> Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2017 8:39 AM
> To: ap-gto@...
> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] APCC + SkySafari?
>
>
>

> This turned out to be really simple. I used python and pySerial example code tcp_serial_redirect.py
> (https://github.com/pyserial/pyserial/blob/master/examples/tcp_serial_redirect.py).
>
> All I needed to do was to launch the example code and connect it to one of the virtual serial ports created by
> APCC. The example starts a TCP server that SkySafari worked flawlessly with. I configured SkySafari for AP
> GTO and set the IP address to my Windows PC, port to what the example was listening to. I did have to
> disable firewall or create an exception.
>
> The connection was very stable and when it dropped because of wifi issues, it would come back up without
> any problem at all.
>
> I guess we could also use something similar to connect the hand controller to a physical port on the PC and
> then redirect it to an APCC virtual port. Does any one see any problems with that?
>
> I believe something like this could be used to setup a robust remote setup as well. Next thing I intend to do is
> to run APCC pro as a server on the machine connected to the mount and connect APCC to the physical com
> port on the remote machine. I can then launch another instance of APCC on a remote machine (after taking
> care of licenses of course) and connect it over ethernet to the server. I am not sure if this will lead to any
> problems or not.
>
> Ray, do you think this will work? Also, in the longer run, it will be great to support client/server model. I feel this
> is much more efficient way of remote operation and allows APCC to be the single interface to the mount.
>
> Regards
> Hemant
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Sep 25, 2017 at 5:44 PM, 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@...om [ap-gto] > gto@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Having APCC between Sky Safari Plus/Pro and the mount is an interesting idea.
>
> You would need a way to make the PC look like and respond like the CP4's WiFi/Ethernet connections.
> Basically to offer incoming mount control connections on TCP and/or UDP port 23 on the PC's IP address.
>
> This would be a request to Ray to add that capability to APCC.
>
> It would have network security concerns for your PC running APCC.
>
>
>
> -Christopher Erickson
> Observatory engineer
> Summit Kinetics
> Waikoloa, HI 96738

> www.summitkinetics.com <http://www.summitkinetics.com/>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
> Sent: Monday, September 25, 2017 7:45 AM
> To: ap-gto@...
> Subject: Re: [ap-gto] APCC + SkySafari?
>
>
> Hello Christopher,
>
> Thanks a lot for your response.
>
> >As has been discussed in great detail recently, WiFi on the CP4 isn't currently a fully-reliable
> connectivity option. Of course WiFi is NEVER going to be a fully-reliable connectivity option for anything.
> That's just the nature of WiFi anyway.
>
> >If you want 99.999% reliable communications with your mount, use RS-232 or Ethernet connectivity.
> Don't use WiFi or USB.
>
>
>
> I completely agree and understand the limitation of wifi connection. I use RS-232 between my PC and
> my mount. I believe the problem with wireless connection in this case is that I am not able to re-connect to the
> mount. The mount wifi is up (I can open it in my browser) and so is my phone's. Restarting phone does not
> help, restarting mount does. This tells me that GTO CP4 is somehow left in a state that does not allow this
> connection anymore. Serial connection to the mount continues to work fine when this happens. If there is a
> way to collect logs, I will be more than happy to provide it if that helps.
>
> My main point however was more in terms of being able to use APCC Pro as the point of interface
> between SkySafari or any other mobile software/hand control and the mount. Seems like this should be
> possible. I was wondering if anyone had tried it or have any suggestions.
>
> Regards
> Hemant
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, Sep 24, 2017 at 2:50 PM, 'Christopher Erickson' christopher.k.erickson@...om
> christopher.k.erickson@gmail.com> [ap-gto] <ap-gto@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> As has been discussed in great detail recently, WiFi on the CP4 isn't currently a fully-reliable
> connectivity option. Of course WiFi is NEVER going to be a fully-reliable connectivity option for anything.
> That's just the nature of WiFi anyway.
>
> If you want 99.999% reliable communications with your mount, use RS-232 or Ethernet
> connectivity. Don't use WiFi or USB.
>
>
> -Christopher Erickson
> Observatory engineer
> Summit Kinetics
> Waikoloa, HI 96738
> www.summitkinetics.com <http://www.summitkinetics.com/>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: ap-gto@... [mailto:ap-gto@...]
> Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2017 7:27 AM
> To: ap-gto@...
> Subject: [ap-gto] APCC + SkySafari?
>
>
> Hello all,
>
> I use Sky Safari to control my GTO mount. I have tried two ways of connecting Sky Safari to
> GTO:
>
> 1. Using GTO's IP address (port 23) and setting mount type to Astro-Physics GTO
>
> 2. Using The Skyx (My PC's IP address and The Skyx server port) and setting the mount to
> Paramount+TheSkyx
>
> When I connect directly to GTO, the connection works most of the time but disconnects
> occasionally and the only solution then is to power cycle the mount. Not sure if anyone else has faced this
> issue. Also, using this method, we probably cannot use the APCC pointing/tracking model.
>
> When I connect using The Skyx, the slew rate is good in one axis but not in the other. Moreover,
> the connection does lock up at times and I have to restart The SkyX. May be this is because the only
> connection option available with The SkyX is Paramount. I am guessing this can be made a generic interface
> but I guess that is a topic of discussion in a different forum.
>
> What would be really nice to have is APCC providing a TCP server that Sky Safari can talk to. Is
> there a way to do this today? If not, is this something that can be considered? Not sure if one of the virtual
> com ports can be used somehow.
>
> Regards
> Hemant
>
>
> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-
> email&utm_content=emailclient> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-
> signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

 

NGC 247 – Interesting void within an intermediate spiral Galaxy

NGC 247 is an intermediate spiral Galaxy located in the constellation Cetus. It is a member of the sculptor group and is located approximately 11.1 million light years away. The most striking feature of this Galaxy, the void, contain stars that are different from those around. They are older, redder and colour, and much fainter. This suggests that the star formation within the void has been arrested. It is believed that star formation slowed a billion years ago.  We are still unsure how the void has formed.  Recent studies suggest it might have been caused by gravitational interactions with another galaxy, or even a recent interaction with a nearly dark subhalo that collided with the disc. 

The centre of the Galaxy is visible as a bright whitish patch surrounded by mixture of stars, gas, and dust.  Silhouetted against the background of stars the dust and gas has formed interesting filaments.

The best month for viewing NGC 247 is in November when it is at its highest altitude.  It has an apparent magnitude of 9.9, and an apparent size of 21'.4 × 6'.9.  NGC247 is also known as ESO 540-22, C 62, IRAS 00446-2101, MCG -4-3-5, PGC 2758, UGCA 11.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/97807083@N00/24330831247/

Image Details

Center (RA, hms): 00h 47m 19.577s

Center (Dec, dms): -20° 43' 59.305"

Size:                 47.8 x 31.8 arcmin

Radius:                 0.478 deg

Pixel scale:         0.804 arcsec/pixel

Orientation:         Up is 118 degrees E of N

Instruments:

10 Inch RCOS fl 9.1

Astro Physics AP-900 Mount

SBIG STL 11000m

FLI Filter Wheel

Astrodon Lum, Red, Green, Blue Filters

Baader Planetarium H-alpha 7nm Narrowband-Filter

Exposure Details:

37 X 900 Bin 1X1 Lum

21 X 450 Bin 2X2 Red

21 X 450 Bin 2X2 Green

22 X 450 Bin 2X2 Blue

13 X 900 Bin 1X1 Ha

Total time: 20.5 hours

Location

Australia, Central Victoria

Imaged from May-June 2017