https://www.astrobin.com/full/xjomop/0/

Imaged with the 160EDF refractor on the Mach2 mount. The comet head was tracked using the Keypad Drift Model. I took one data point on the comet's nucleus (a 4 minute drift measurement), then turned on the Model to begin tracking the comet. I took a total of 40 images of 30 sec each thru LRGB filters over a period of about 1/2 hour until the comet dropped below my observatory walls. The background stars moved approximately 1/2 way across the frame during that time while the comet stayed stationary on the chip. Seeing was good but transparency was unfortunately poor with thin high clouds.

Tracking comets can be done two ways, with APCC Horizons and now with the keypad custom model. Using Horizons with emphemeris data takes a bit of doing, and is suited for permanent setups. The keypad drift model is very quick and quite accurate and can be done in a field setup in just minutes.

Roland

Great image.

APCC/ Horizons is not that complex to use in a field set up, in my opinion.

I have been able to use it last week with my mach2, and it was the first time I powered up the mount :-)

You do need to be keen on setting parameters, I have spent  half an hour because I didn't update the location in the NASA website.

this is something that we can do in advance of the session, because the "tracking plan "can be saved". 

 

So I think we just have two methods also for field use, and it is great!

Andrea

Andrea as a neophyte I would love to hear more of your prelim “tracking plan” workflow. Tom Fischer, INdy

On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 06:51 Andrea Lucchetti <andlucchett@...> wrote:

Great image.

APCC/ Horizons is not that complex to use in a field set up, in my opinion.

I have been able to use it last week with my mach2, and it was the first time I powered up the mount :-)

You do need to be keen on setting parameters, I have spent  half an hour because I didn't update the location in the NASA website.

this is something that we can do in advance of the session, because the "tracking plan "can be saved". 

 

So I think we just have two methods also for field use, and it is great!

Andrea

--

TJF MOBILE

Tom, I can't check here but it is something I realized while imaging.

First you connect to the NASA site and set the query as illustrated in the manual.

Of course you need to select the right object AND the right observing location (this is the point I missed).

In this regard, the explanatory text in the Horizon application could be more precise.

You also set the time window to cover the days you need.

After running the calculations, you copy/paste in Horizon panel and the Ephemeris values get populated.

From now you have different options in the lower right end part of the application:

you can test the tracking, track the target, or save the data for a later use.

In this way you can prepare everything ahead of time and using it later even without a connection.

I haven't really tried this because I was already there, but I am pretty sure it works.

PS: if you get the message: impossible to track because object is below the horizon, just check your location is not Mars or other funny place :-)

Andrea

Il giorno ven 24 lug 2020 alle ore 13:03 DFisch <manusfisch@...> ha scritto:

Andrea as a neophyte I would love to hear more of your prelim “tracking plan” workflow. Tom Fischer, INdy

On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 06:51 Andrea Lucchetti <andlucchett@...> wrote:

Great image.

APCC/ Horizons is not that complex to use in a field set up, in my opinion.

I have been able to use it last week with my mach2, and it was the first time I powered up the mount :-)

You do need to be keen on setting parameters, I have spent  half an hour because I didn't update the location in the NASA website.

this is something that we can do in advance of the session, because the "tracking plan "can be saved". 

 

So I think we just have two methods also for field use, and it is great!

Andrea

--

TJF MOBILE

I got some images of the comet at my favorite dark sky site.  I took 10-2 minute, 10-1 minute and 10-20 second images.  I was surprised that the 20 second images were the best.

https://pbase.com/rchozick/image/170903334

Robert Chozick

Robert Chozick

rchozick@...