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Re: Keypad not beeping

Jeff B
 

Well, I hate to suggest this but, for me, I can no longer hear the beep due to failing hearing.  I need my hearing aids.

Jeff

On Sun, Sep 5, 2021 at 2:11 AM Geoff Smith <ghsmith45@...> wrote:
I have noticed that when doing a recalibrate the keypad no longer beeps. Is there a beep on/off function somewhere. If so, I haven’t been able to find it.
Geoff

Keypad not beeping

Geoff Smith
 

I have noticed that when doing a recalibrate the keypad no longer beeps. Is there a beep on/off function somewhere. If so, I haven’t been able to find it.
Geoff
Re: Strange numbers in APPM model #APCC #Mach2GTO

Dean Jacobsen
 

On Fri, Sep 3, 2021 at 07:12 AM, David Johnson wrote:
Mount tracked extremely well last night again.  Results here. The mount tracks so well unguided that I think I’ve forgotten how to guide.
Nice shot David. 

I have been doing unguided imaging with the Mach2 for more than a year now and I couldn't be happier with the mount and the software tools.  The guide scope and guide camera have been sitting on the shelf collecting dust.

I also imaged the Sharpless 2-155 area.  My view is a little wider than yours though  --> https://www.astrobin.com/udzsan/E/
 
--
Dean Jacobsen
Astrobin Image Gallery - https://www.astrobin.com/users/deanjacobsen/

Re: hi, may i know how many mach2 could be produced every year? #Mach2GTO

Chris White
 

Since it could be a while before you could purchase a new mach2, you might look for a used mach1 or 900gto.  Both are excellent mounts and will be a huge step up from your cem60.  You might find you don't even need a mach2 after running one of these. 
Re: Strange numbers in APPM model #APCC #Mach2GTO

Chris White
 

 If so, would I have major issues if I tried to do regular tracking correction away from the two arcs? 

I dont think so. I believe that if you move to a location beyond your dec arcs that it reverts to all sky for correction, and I assume that if an all sky model is not present that it would just revert to standard sidereal tracking...
Changing the mount motion rate... #Guiding

robert.saint.jean@...
 

Hi,
I am using a AP 900 GTO mount, CP3 and keypad. The project I am involved in ask that I do a scan of the Sun with a spectrograph at various speed. Using the keypad or the ASCOM interface, I currently scan the Sun at 1X and 12X. Is there a way to get the mount to scan the Sun at 6X or 4X ?

Thanks !

Robert
Re: Strange Artifacts -

Eric Claeys
 

I would bet it’s reflections off some straight surface.  Satellites will usually be much longer.  Meteors tend to be dim on one end and bright on the other, and wider where they are brighter.

It looks like the artifacts on the right are brighter than the ones on the left, as if they are dimmer the farther away from a light source.  If you have a bright light source on the left, are the artifacts on the right dimmer than the ones to the left?

 

Eric
Re: Strange Artifacts -

Wayne Hixson
 

That’s exactly the OAG I have too. 


On Sep 4, 2021, at 12:57 PM, Luca Marinelli <photo@...> wrote:


I had a very similar artifact from the edge of the Optec Sagitta OAG with a FLI ML16200 sensor. Moving the prism up the stalk away from the center of the sensor just a few mm took care of it. 

Luca 

On Sep 4, 2021, at 3:06 PM, Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...> wrote:

 Thanks Roland - I’ll bet it’s the OAG prism. I’ll take a look. 


On Sep 4, 2021, at 11:48 AM, Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:


These kind of reflections always come from some part very close to the focal plane. They cannot originate further up towards the objective lens. Since they are straight lines, they probably originate from some straight part near the chip. I have seen something similar coming from the bottom of an off-axis prism that was refracting (not reflecting) a bright star into the focal plane (similar to diffraction from a Newtonian spider). If not that, then are you using square filters by any chance?

Remove the camera body and look up into the optical train and look down into the camera. Do you see any linear (straight line) obstructions at the edges?

Roland



-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Sep 4, 2021 1:06 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Strange Artifacts -

Hi Robert, I should have mentioned these appear on almost all the subs, so it doesn’t appear to be more random events like meteors. I suspect it’s reflections somewhere. 

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

Re: Strange Artifacts -

Luca Marinelli
 

I had a very similar artifact from the edge of the Optec Sagitta OAG with a FLI ML16200 sensor. Moving the prism up the stalk away from the center of the sensor just a few mm took care of it. 

Luca 

On Sep 4, 2021, at 3:06 PM, Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...> wrote:

 Thanks Roland - I’ll bet it’s the OAG prism. I’ll take a look. 


On Sep 4, 2021, at 11:48 AM, Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:


These kind of reflections always come from some part very close to the focal plane. They cannot originate further up towards the objective lens. Since they are straight lines, they probably originate from some straight part near the chip. I have seen something similar coming from the bottom of an off-axis prism that was refracting (not reflecting) a bright star into the focal plane (similar to diffraction from a Newtonian spider). If not that, then are you using square filters by any chance?

Remove the camera body and look up into the optical train and look down into the camera. Do you see any linear (straight line) obstructions at the edges?

Roland



-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Sep 4, 2021 1:06 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Strange Artifacts -

Hi Robert, I should have mentioned these appear on almost all the subs, so it doesn’t appear to be more random events like meteors. I suspect it’s reflections somewhere. 

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

Re: Strange Artifacts -

Wayne Hixson
 

I think the OAG prism is the problem. The prism is extended quite a way into the optical path. Also, the bottom edge of the prism is not quite parallel to the long edge of the chip. It was rotated 5 degrees or so which would extend the corner of the prism on one side even further into the optical train. I’ve adjusted both and will check it out when I get clear skies again. 

Thanks!

Wayne


On Sep 4, 2021, at 12:06 PM, Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...> wrote:

Thanks Roland - I’ll bet it’s the OAG prism. I’ll take a look. 


On Sep 4, 2021, at 11:48 AM, Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:


These kind of reflections always come from some part very close to the focal plane. They cannot originate further up towards the objective lens. Since they are straight lines, they probably originate from some straight part near the chip. I have seen something similar coming from the bottom of an off-axis prism that was refracting (not reflecting) a bright star into the focal plane (similar to diffraction from a Newtonian spider). If not that, then are you using square filters by any chance?

Remove the camera body and look up into the optical train and look down into the camera. Do you see any linear (straight line) obstructions at the edges?

Roland



-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Sep 4, 2021 1:06 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Strange Artifacts -

Hi Robert, I should have mentioned these appear on almost all the subs, so it doesn’t appear to be more random events like meteors. I suspect it’s reflections somewhere. 

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

Re: Strange Artifacts -

Wayne Hixson
 

Thanks Roland - I’ll bet it’s the OAG prism. I’ll take a look. 


On Sep 4, 2021, at 11:48 AM, Roland Christen via groups.io <chris1011@...> wrote:


These kind of reflections always come from some part very close to the focal plane. They cannot originate further up towards the objective lens. Since they are straight lines, they probably originate from some straight part near the chip. I have seen something similar coming from the bottom of an off-axis prism that was refracting (not reflecting) a bright star into the focal plane (similar to diffraction from a Newtonian spider). If not that, then are you using square filters by any chance?

Remove the camera body and look up into the optical train and look down into the camera. Do you see any linear (straight line) obstructions at the edges?

Roland



-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Sep 4, 2021 1:06 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Strange Artifacts -

Hi Robert, I should have mentioned these appear on almost all the subs, so it doesn’t appear to be more random events like meteors. I suspect it’s reflections somewhere. 

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics

Re: Strange Artifacts -

Roland Christen
 

These kind of reflections always come from some part very close to the focal plane. They cannot originate further up towards the objective lens. Since they are straight lines, they probably originate from some straight part near the chip. I have seen something similar coming from the bottom of an off-axis prism that was refracting (not reflecting) a bright star into the focal plane (similar to diffraction from a Newtonian spider). If not that, then are you using square filters by any chance?

Remove the camera body and look up into the optical train and look down into the camera. Do you see any linear (straight line) obstructions at the edges?

Roland



-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...>
To: main@ap-gto.groups.io
Sent: Sat, Sep 4, 2021 1:06 pm
Subject: Re: [ap-gto] Strange Artifacts -

Hi Robert, I should have mentioned these appear on almost all the subs, so it doesn’t appear to be more random events like meteors. I suspect it’s reflections somewhere. 

--
Roland Christen
Astro-Physics
Re: Rookie Question

M Hambrick
 

Thanks Mike

My mistake. I haven't used the Icron in a while and forgot the cabling arrangement. However, when I am using the Icron, the USB cable from the Icron plugs into the USB port on the laptop where I normally plug in my wireless mouse. The mouse then plugs into one of the four ports in the Icron.  If I am using my motorized focuser, the USB cable from the Focuser Boss plugs into one of the other USB ports in the Icron. My cameras are always connected to the other two USB ports on the laptop.

So it sounds like I would have two options for connecting the mount via ethernet cable or one of the USB ports on the Icron.

Mike
Re: Strange Artifacts -

Michael 'Mikey' Mangieri
 

It does appear to be some sort of reflection. I would check your image train and see if there are sections inside that are not painted black. 

It also appears that you are not in focus as the stars appear as halos. 


On Sep 4, 2021, at 2:06 PM, Wayne Hixson via groups.io <wayneh9026@...> wrote:

Hi Robert, I should have mentioned these appear on almost all the subs, so it doesn’t appear to be more random events like meteors. I suspect it’s reflections somewhere. 

Re: Strange Artifacts -

Wayne Hixson
 

Hi Robert, I should have mentioned these appear on almost all the subs, so it doesn’t appear to be more random events like meteors. I suspect it’s reflections somewhere. 
Re: Topaz DeNoise

Mike Dodd
 

On 9/4/2021 1:33 PM, Robert Chozick via groups.io wrote:
I am going back to fix some of my old images with Topaz DeNoise.
Topaz DeNoise AI performs very well for me. A friend told me about it back in October During the Mars opposition, and I've made it a standard part of my DSO processing workflow. I also have Topaz Gigapixel AI to resize images, but it takes a L-O-N-G time on astro images, so I do most of my resizing in Photoshop or PixInsight.

--- Mike
Re: Rookie Question

Mike Dodd
 

On 9/4/2021 1:33 PM, M Hambrick wrote:
* The ethernet connector is used for an Icron Ranger 2304 to provide
an extra USB port for a Focuser Boss controller.
I don't understand this. I had an Icron Ranger 2304, and the local unit (LEX) plugs into a _USB_ port, not an Ethernet port. Also, the REX remote unit has _four_ ports. Why so you imply just one ("an") extra port? I'm confused.

True, the LEX and the REX connect with a CAT5 cable, but that does not use an Ethernet port on the PC.

I now have an Icron Raven USB 3.0 extender that connects similarly --
USB3 port on the PC, LEX-REX via a CAT6/7 shielded cable.

I suppose that I
could use one of the other USB ports in the Icron to connect to the
mount. Is this recommended ? I ask because SBIG recommends against
plugging their cameras into USB hubs - even powered ones.
The Icron USB extenders are more than powered hubs. They provide full-spec USB2 ports on the REX -- the Ranger can supply up to 600 mA of +5V on each port concurrently.

I connect to my 1200 mount via RS-232 serial, but I have no doubt the Icron Ranger would provide a solid reliable USB2 connection.

--- Mike
Re: Rookie Question

Robert Chozick <rchozick@...>
 

I use a USB 3 hub at my mount and plug in cameras, focuser, serial to USB converter for the CP3.  I also use a GPUSB for guiding since I have a Mac.  I know this is old school but I still want to use my Mac.  I just bring one USB plug into my computer.

Robert

On Sep 4, 2021, at 12:33 PM, M Hambrick <mhambrick563@...> wrote:

I hope it's OK for me to jump into this conversation because my situation is very similar to Mark's in that I have until now been running my 1100 mount with the keypad, but I would like to start using APCC.

The problem is that I am running out of connections on my laptop:
  • The three USB ports on the laptop are all being used for the mouse, main imaging camera, and guide camera.
  • My laptop does not have a serial port with the DB9 connector.
  • The ethernet connector is used for an Icron Ranger 2304 to provide an extra USB port for a Focuser Boss controller. I suppose that I could use one of the other USB ports in the Icron to connect to the mount. Is this recommended ? I ask because SBIG recommends against plugging their cameras into USB hubs - even powered ones.
  • There is also a HDMI port on my laptop that is not being used.
How about the wireless connection to the mount ? Is this pretty reliable ? The manuals recommend the USB or ethernet connections as being the best.

Mike

Topaz DeNoise

Robert Chozick <rchozick@...>
 

I am going back to fix some of my old images with Topaz DeNoise.  Below is an example with M101.  The data was not as good as I would like but the improvement is good.

Old Version:


New DeNoise version:


Robert
Re: Rookie Question

M Hambrick
 

I hope it's OK for me to jump into this conversation because my situation is very similar to Mark's in that I have until now been running my 1100 mount with the keypad, but I would like to start using APCC.

The problem is that I am running out of connections on my laptop:
  • The three USB ports on the laptop are all being used for the mouse, main imaging camera, and guide camera.
  • My laptop does not have a serial port with the DB9 connector.
  • The ethernet connector is used for an Icron Ranger 2304 to provide an extra USB port for a Focuser Boss controller. I suppose that I could use one of the other USB ports in the Icron to connect to the mount. Is this recommended ? I ask because SBIG recommends against plugging their cameras into USB hubs - even powered ones.
  • There is also a HDMI port on my laptop that is not being used.
How about the wireless connection to the mount ? Is this pretty reliable ? The manuals recommend the USB or ethernet connections as being the best.

Mike
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