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Old 28-11-2014, 10:03 AM
themos
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Looking for testers of new Polar Alignment utility.

Hello,

I am new to this forum, I am usually found in the UK-based stargazerslounge.com

If you would like to volunteer to try out a new Polar Alignment method, please let me know. The requirements are:
  1. You can see the Celestial Pole region from where you usually set up.
  2. You can attach a camera to the mount and bring the JPEG image files to your computer.
  3. You can freely rotate the RA axis (this excludes some AstroTrac mounts and similar, I think).
  4. You have Internet connectivity (to connect to nova.astrometry.net for plate solving although other local plate-solving methods will be supported in the future, such as AstroArt).
  5. You can run Python on your computer (e.g. Anaconda for Windows, Linux, MacOS X)
You might be able to verify your Polar Alignment within 2-3 minutes. The software will be in the public domain. It does not require a GoTo mount, it can be used to polar align even a barn-door tracker.

This is the basic idea (excuse the use of Northern Hemisphere conventions)

After a rough polar alignment, I set the camera somewhere close to declination 90 so I can see Polaris in the field of view. Keeping the camera fixed to the mount, I slew in RA by a large angle (40 degrees say) and watch where Polaris goes. If it goes off the FOV, the RA axis is not close to Polaris. So I adjust the polar alignment, bring Polaris back into the FOV and try again (the details of this iteration need to be worked out). Once it's set so that Polaris stays in FOV after a large RA slew, we are good to fine-tune the polar alignment by PhotoPolarAlign. The first two images give us the position, in pixel coordinates, of the RA axis (the red cross). I take the first image at an RA position so that the sensor is taking a picture of the sky in "portrait mode" and the second image in "landscape mode", with the long side of the sensor horizontal. The plate solving tells me where the NCP is (allowing for precession since 2000), in pixel coordinates and what the scale is. Now that the camera is horizontal, x and y pixel offsets translate directly into instructions to move the mount RA axis up-down or right-left by so many arcminutes. After I adjust the polar alignment, I take another image and check for improvement. The RA axis pixel coordinates have not changed, only the NCP pixel coordinates move. With practice, it should take only 3-4 iterations to get it close enough (whatever close enough is for your imaging needs).

The thumbnails give you a taster of what it looks like up North. A newer version will be able to deal with Southern Hemisphere.


Please download the installer and run it, selecting your Documents folder as the destination (any folder where you have permission to write files will do).

Before running PhotoPolarAlign, you will need to have a Python 2.7 installation that includes all the modules it needs. (I used the Anaconda distribution)

You will also need to register with http://nova.astrometry.net/ and get an "API key".

AstroPolarAlign can be started by double-clicking the PPA.py file that the installer puts on your file system.

The first thing to do is to add the key you got from nova. Use the File -> Settings menu for that.

The second thing is to try out the supplied test image files (from the Northern Hemisphere). The two big buttons to the left of the Operations panel are used to select image files. Please select the file v.jpg for the top one and the file h.jpg for the bottom one. Hit the Solve button next to the big button, first for one image, then wait until the "Solved" label goes green, then do the second one. This will need an internet connection, of course. Once both "Solved" labels are green, you can hit the Find Polar Axis button and wait for the annotated image to pop up. Your polar alignment is also displayed on the main screen.

Then select the i.jpg file with the big button on the right side of the Operations panel. Click its Solve button and wait for a solution. Then click on "Show Improvement" button to see a new plot.

Then, exit the program and restart it to try it with your own images (the reason is that the scale is remembered in a single session but not across sessions and it's unlikely that your image scale will match the examples).

Thanks for your time, hope you will find it useful.

Themos Tsikas (themos.tsikas@gmail.com)
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  #2  
Old 28-11-2014, 10:23 AM
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bkm2304 (Richard Brown)
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Hi Themos,

Welcome to Ice In Space. This looks very interesting. Sadly my scope is on a pier and doesn't get to actually see the SCP due to the roll - off roof hogging that region! But I am sure there are plenty of people on Ice In Space who will give your program a go!


Cheerio and good luck,

Richard
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Old 28-11-2014, 10:40 AM
themos
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Thanks Richard!
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Old 30-11-2014, 07:33 AM
themos
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Hello,

Here is an update (v1.0.2) for the Southern Hemisphere. I add circles for Sigma and Chi Octans so that you can verify that the plate-solving makes sense (if the circles have stars in the centres). Also, a better installer (and uninstaller) have been used.

Example:
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Last edited by themos; 30-11-2014 at 08:04 AM.
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  #5  
Old 18-12-2014, 11:25 PM
themos
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Hello

Here is Version 1.0.3 with the ability to use a local astrometry.net solve.

When you first run it, the Local buttons should be disabled. You need to go to AstroTortilla and create two new configurations, called PPA_coarse.cfg and PPA_fine.cfg. You can just copy the one configuration that works for you to both these names (I use AT's File -> Load Settings... and File -> Save Settings...). If those files are present, PPA will, on restart, have the Local buttons enabled.

Personally, I created two "Backend config" files for astrometry.net's solve-field command: one with just the 4100-series indices that is good for widefield images and a second one with just the 4200-series indices. The first time you do a local solve in PPA, the PPA_coarse is used, in subsequent solves the PPA_fine is used. We only copy these AT settings:

Backend config, Downscaling, Scale minimum, Scale maximum, Scale units, Cygwin shell, Custom options.

In future, depending on feedback, we may only steal settings from one AT settings file.
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  #6  
Old 19-12-2014, 09:24 AM
cfranks (Charles)
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Hi Themos,

I will try and test it tonight. I'm having problems with my Losmandy G11 + Gemini2 and your system might help. I've never used Python nor AstroTortilla but I will let you know how I go.
Regards
Charles
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Old 19-12-2014, 09:26 AM
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Camelopardalis (Dunk)
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Any new method for getting good polar alignment sounds good to me

Does it require view of the pole?
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  #8  
Old 19-12-2014, 06:44 PM
themos
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Camelopardalis View Post
Any new method for getting good polar alignment sounds good to me

Does it require view of the pole?
Hello!, yes it does.
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  #9  
Old 19-12-2014, 06:49 PM
themos
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cfranks View Post
Hi Themos,

I will try and test it tonight. I'm having problems with my Losmandy G11 + Gemini2 and your system might help. I've never used Python nor AstroTortilla but I will let you know how I go.
Regards
Charles
Thank you Charles. I'd advise to try out the functions in the daytime, using the example images provided, just to make sure you're set up correctly.

Themos
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  #10  
Old 20-12-2014, 11:08 AM
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mswhin63 (Malcolm)
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I'll keep this in mind. I just set-up a good alignment just last night. I still have to get Internet connection to my set-up but when I do I will try it out.

What kind of computer can it run on? I have a very low processor and software (XP) solution.
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  #11  
Old 21-12-2014, 03:32 AM
themos
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Hello Malcolm,

It doesn't need a fast computer if you're submitting images to nova.astrometry.net for plate-solving. On Windows XP, there may be an issue that I have a fix for, so message me if there's any problem.

Themos
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  #12  
Old 06-01-2015, 07:41 PM
themos
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Hello again,

Version 1.0.4 is ready, Windows setup or Python file

Pathname blanks should be handled correctly,
dd:mm:ss display,
detects wrong parity (mirrors in optical train) and incompatible image dimensions,
local solver settings dialog,
local solver settings maintained in own settings file,
can import local solver settings from any AstroTortilla configuration file
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Old 17-03-2016, 11:39 AM
shamantanthew
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Quote:
Originally Posted by themos View Post
Hello

Here is Version 1.0.3 with the ability to use a local astrometry.net solve.

When you first run it, the Local buttons should be disabled. You need to go to AstroTortilla and create two new configurations, called PPA_coarse.cfg and PPA_fine.cfg. You can just copy the one configuration that works for you to both these names (I use AT's File -> Load Settings... and File -> Save Settings...). If those files are present, PPA will, on restart, have the Local buttons enabled.

Personally, I created two "Backend config" files for astrometry.net's solve-field command: one with just the 4100-series indices that is good for widefield images and a second one with just the 4200-series indices. The first time you do a local solve in PPA, the PPA_coarse is used, in subsequent solves the PPA_fine is used. We only copy these AT settings:

Backend config, Downscaling, Scale minimum, Scale maximum, Scale units, Cygwin shell, Custom options.

In future, depending on feedback, we may only steal settings from one AT settings file.
Hi Themos, I'd love to give your software a shot. I hope you're still around as I realize I'm digging up a rather old thread! I'm wondering if you can elaborate on the above for 1.0.4. I've installed AstroTortilla but I'm not familiar with it. How do I go about configuring the local files for your software? I'm using a Canon 6D and 200mm f/2.8 and 400mm f/5.6 lens, so nothing super narrow as far as field of view is concerned. I'm using an Astrotrac, and while you mention you're not sure it'll work with it I don't see a problem as I'm using the TH3010 head which allows free movement of the RA axis--I assume I just have to take two photos 90-degrees apart to make this work, correct?
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Old 17-03-2016, 04:22 PM
I.C.D (Ian)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bkm2304 View Post
Hi Themos,

Welcome to Ice In Space. This looks very interesting. Sadly my scope is on a pier and doesn't get to actually see the SCP due to the roll - off roof hogging that region! But I am sure there are plenty of people on Ice In Space who will give your program a go!


Cheerio and good luck,

Richard
Well Richard I thought that I was the only one who had done that Ian .C
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  #15  
Old 17-03-2016, 10:10 PM
themos
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Hello, I sent you a message, did you get it?

Themos
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Old 18-03-2016, 09:31 AM
lfc_star (Nalin)
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Photo Polar align

HI Themos,

I am quite new here. Are you still developing this software and is there any place I can download it to try ?

Thanks.
Nalin.
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Old 18-03-2016, 09:55 AM
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bojan
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I just tried it, it doesn't work on my machine (w'7 Pro), it just shows the cmd window for a fraction od a second and then exits.
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Old 18-03-2016, 03:26 PM
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Andy01 (Andy)
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I'm happy to give this a go, if it's mac compatible.

I can see the Celestial Pole region from where I usually set up.
I can attach a camera to my mount and bring image files to my laptop.
I can freely rotate the RA axis on my EQ6
I have internet connectivity

I don't have Python, is it also mac compatible?

Attached is a screenshot of my current PA, as seen through my mount, along with a phd graph.

Cheers

Andy
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  #19  
Old 18-03-2016, 08:29 PM
themos
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Hello

I am not developing it anymore as it does all I intended for it! There are a couple of ideas for making it friendlier to people with optical trains more complex than camera+lens (automatic detection of horizon and image parity correction).

The source is available at https://github.com/ThemosTsikas/PhotoPolarAlign

It assumes you have a Python 2.7 installation on your machine ( I recommend the Anaconda distribution https://www.continuum.io/downloads) and it has been tested on Windows, Linux and Mac.

Themos Tsikas

Quote:
Originally Posted by lfc_star View Post
HI Themos,

I am quite new here. Are you still developing this software and is there any place I can download it to try ?

Thanks.
Nalin.
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  #20  
Old 18-03-2016, 08:41 PM
themos
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Hello,

If you have a python installation on your machine, you can open a command prompt window, go to (cd) to the directory where PPA is and run "c:\path\to\python PPA.py".

On my machine, for instabce, I can do

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\PhotoPolarAlign"
c:\Users\Administrator\Anaconda\pyt hon.exe PPA.py

But I can also double click on PPA.py in the File Explorer or I can double click on a Shortcut I put on my desktop.

If you run it from a command line prompt, you will be able to see error messages to tell us what went wrong.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bojan View Post
I just tried it, it doesn't work on my machine (w'7 Pro), it just shows the cmd window for a fraction od a second and then exits.
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