Hi Everyone, Maybe this has been addressed before....I am able to build models using APPM and platesolving with ASTAP.  My flow is to close the camera through Sharpcap, bring up APPM, connect the scope and the ASCOM camera, use 2x2 binning and 1/2 x 1/2 subframe, 5 second duration with auto dark subtraction unchecked, and default all the ASTAP platesolve settings.  Everything works fine while the model is being built,  but if I slew to a part of the sky and try to use the "platesolve" or "platesolve and recal" buttons through the RUN page of APPM, I get a platesolve FAIL message and no other error message.  If it worked during the model build shouldn't it work as a standalone platesolve.  I feel like this is something very simple that I might be missing.  By the way, when I go back to Sharpcap and reconnect the camera, all my platesolves work fine.  Thanks in advance for any suggestions/solutions.  Steve

I had the same problem initially using ASTAP. I use Maxim for camera control and had to connect the telescope through observatory control, so that Maxim would add RA and DEC coordinates to the fits header. After that, ASTAP solved about anything in only a few seconds. So look at the fits header for the image your camera control app produces. If it doesn't have coordinates, you'll need to investigate what to do to get them added. or go with all-sky. If they are there, you have some other problem with your ASTAP config.

Thanks legendtrail, there is a check box on the "plate solve settings" drop down that you can check to "use Fits header for RA, Dec, and image scale".  Where exactly do I find the Fits Header, how do I find/see it, what am I looking for, are there coordinates in it, is it one line....?   Is it a file I can search using *.fits, or is it on a drop down menu on one of the apps I use?  I'm clueless on the Fits header!!  Like I said, all my platesolves work in seconds while building a model through APPM, but if I just try a standalone solve through the APPM Run page, it always fails.  When I go back to Sharpcap and start imaging or just slew around the sky and do a plate solve, ASTAP solves in seconds.  Thanks 

A fits file is a protocol for storing image data - your astronomical image. There are card records at the beginning of a fits file that describe attributes of the image data. This group of records is known as the fits header. ASTAP looks at these card records for the RA and Dec image coordinates so it has an idea of where in the entire sky it should try to assign the location of your image. If they aren't there (and they don't actually have to be there) ASTAP will start an "all sky" search, which can take a while. If you don't have the limit set long enough, the process times out. Whatever program you're using for image processing should have ability to view fits header information. Look for OBJCTRA and OBJCTDEC. I doubt non-native camera drivers would be doing this. Maybe someone else in here knows. Anyway, you probably should get away from the ASCII driver and start using something like NINA.