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Old 13-02-2014, 09:56 PM
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Spookyer (Brett)
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Ok, I want to plate solve HOW?

I have looked at Elbrus and cannot get the installer to download the files properly. I looked up the Pinpoint website but I gather you have to get a disc sent from the USA?

What are peoples recommendations for the software and how do I access the data I need?

thanks

Cheers
Brett
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Old 14-02-2014, 08:21 AM
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lazjen (Chris)
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Astrotortilla. Try that. http://sourceforge.net/p/astrotortilla/home/Home/
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Old 14-02-2014, 08:22 AM
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I am using Astrotortilla but I'm getting bad results sometimes.
Sometimes it just won't identify the star field.
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Old 14-02-2014, 08:29 AM
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Originally Posted by alpal View Post
I am using Astrotortilla but I'm getting bad results sometimes.
Sometimes it just won't identify the star field.
There's a few things you can try here that might help it help you:

* Change the search area - instead of 180, maybe 30 or 15 -20 depending on your initial accuracy
* Change your exposure time/ISO
* Ensure the scale factors are correct, or refine them. Sometimes making them a bit larger than required helps.
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Old 14-02-2014, 08:34 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lazjen View Post
There's a few things you can try here that might help it help you:

* Change the search area - instead of 180, maybe 30 or 15 -20 depending on your initial accuracy
* Change your exposure time/ISO
* Ensure the scale factors are correct, or refine them. Sometimes making them a bit larger than required helps.
Thanks Cris,
Yes - I have tried a few settings but sometimes it just won't solve.
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Old 14-02-2014, 10:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpal View Post
I am using Astrotortilla but I'm getting bad results sometimes.
Sometimes it just won't identify the star field.
Have you tried astrometry.net? If you are happy with the online solver http://nova.astrometry.net you can download and run your own. Runs on Linux and Cygwin, but you do need about 20GB for the indexes.
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Old 14-02-2014, 11:06 AM
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I looked up the Pinpoint website but I gather you have to get a disc sent from the USA?
You can buy the license only version and download the software and star catalog(s). You don't need the CD.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mithrandir View Post
Have you tried astrometry.net? If you are happy with the online solver http://nova.astrometry.net you can download and run your own. Runs on Linux and Cygwin, but you do need about 20GB for the indexes.
Astrotortilla uses the astrometry.net engine and catalogs.

I use Astrotortilla for blind solving (usually just for initial set up) and PinPoint for the bread and butter plate solving. Both work well for me. You do need to tweak the settings on Astrotortilla for best performance.

Cheers,
Rick.
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Old 14-02-2014, 06:55 PM
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thanks Chris and Rick
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Old 14-02-2014, 09:04 PM
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I use Maxim. It works pretty well.
Geoff
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Old 14-02-2014, 09:29 PM
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I use Maxim. It works pretty well.
Geoff
A "lite edition" of Pinpoint is included with Maxim and that's what you'll be using.
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Old 15-02-2014, 11:26 AM
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Hi all, I spoke with Geoff (Ozstronomer) last night and he helped me setup Pinpoint. I got the 60 day Pinpoint trial so if I can get it all working I will buy it. It solves previous images I have taken so hopefully I can get it working for real next time I can see stars.

Geoff also put me onto the back up blind solver Cygwin/Astotorilla/Astrometry net solution but I couldn't get through the installation process, I think maybe later versions of various bits you have to download need updating in the instructions. Will have to work on that. But I am told Pinpoint works most of the time anyway.
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Old 17-02-2014, 03:39 PM
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For my astro work - Digital Asteroid and SN hunting, I use ObsMrg which utilises Astro Art 5. This program beats Astrotortilla by a county mile. Only catch is, you have to buy AA5.
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Old 17-02-2014, 05:04 PM
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For my astro work - Digital Asteroid and SN hunting, I use ObsMrg which utilises Astro Art 5. This program beats Astrotortilla by a county mile. Only catch is, you have to buy AA5.
Can you explain in what way it beats Astrotortilla (for plate solving)?
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Old 17-02-2014, 05:29 PM
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Pinpoint worked for me last night, I plate solved an image from the other night and centred on it. Later I had to do a meridian flip and again is solved for me using SGP. I am talking with Andy Galasso over email to get the blind plate solver fallover backup working.
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Old 17-02-2014, 10:27 PM
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Can you explain in what way it beats Astrotortilla (for plate solving)?
Once you buy AA5 (it's not cheap) and d/load it and set it up to your system, you d/load ObsMgr V9.03 from the ObsMgr yahoo user group http://tinyurl.com/muc7yv5 You will also need the G16 folder.

Basically, once you have the scope/mount parameters set up in AA5, ObsMgr takes care of all scripting, GOTO's and plate solving automatically.

First it slews to the first object, take an image, waits, then takes a 60 sec. image to plate solve. If the image is not dead centre on the screen, it will read this and will take another after the program moves your mount so minutely, the next image is placed dead centre, all done automatically.

Wn its done with the first image etc, it moves on the next object and repeats same again, each time correcting your pointing GOTO so by the time you have done say, a dozen objects, the program not only parks the mount but it will wake it up at a preset time the next night and away it goes again, to your next list of objects. Each time plate solving!

So if you're into scripting your scope/mount for a night's work unattended with Plate Solving built in, then get AA5 and ObsMgr.

But if you're just doing casual imaging and not into scripting like I am, then perhaps AstroTortilla may be the one to use.

With AA5 and ObsMng controlling your system, it takes the cake, eats it while plate solving your images while you sleep!

Why not contact John Mallet in the Uk from the user group, as he wrote ObsMrg for AA5. Email him and he will tell you what you need to get going. John will even also talk with you via Skype if you need help setting it all up. John is very approachable and knowledgeable, when it comes to astronomical programming.

I use AA5 and ObsMgr with my EQ8, EQ6 Pro and Titan 50, mounts and soon will have the 6M sq. roll off roof programmed as well, thanks to John's input.

cheers,

Jim

Last edited by Star Hunter; 17-02-2014 at 10:53 PM.
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Old 18-02-2014, 07:44 AM
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Thanks for the explanation. I'm currently non-permanent setup, so it's not worth it to me compared to Astrotortilla (AT).

Just for comparison, AT does the same slew to object, solve, and repeat until in the centre. It's also very useful to me as it has a great PA assist in it as well, since I generally have to do this almost every session.

Eventually, if/when I get permanently set up, I'll look at programs like this - but I'm really hoping to ditch Windows by then and go fully Linux for all my astro needs (getting closer, but not quite there) - including any scripting/session planning that may be required.
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Old 18-02-2014, 08:11 AM
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I use Astrotortilla because it can do blind plate solves reliably on small fields without needing an Internet connection. Astrometry.net is great but not helpful if you're out in the bush without a cellular connection.

The only other blind solver I have tried is SkySolve (a Maxim plugin). It works OK for wide fields but rarely solves at 46x46 arc min.

ObsMgr appears to be an observatory control program like ACP, CCD Autopilot or CCD Commander. Looks like it doesn't plate solve at all. It uses the plate solving engine in AstroArt.

Cheers,
Rick.
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Old 18-02-2014, 10:52 AM
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I use Astrotortilla because it can do blind plate solves reliably on small fields without needing an Internet connection. Astrometry.net is great but not helpful if you're out in the bush without a cellular connection.
Rick, astrometry.net runs fine on my Win7 laptop. You only need about 25GB of free disk. Of course it runs better on Linux, but that's a midi-tower.
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Old 18-02-2014, 11:04 AM
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Rick, astrometry.net runs fine on my Win7 laptop. You only need about 25GB of free disk. Of course it runs better on Linux, but that's a midi-tower.
I meant the web service, Andrew. Astrotortilla uses the Astrometry.net engine and index files so I am already running it...

Cheers,
Rick.
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Old 18-02-2014, 12:25 PM
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Have you tried astrometry.net? If you are happy with the online solver http://nova.astrometry.net you can download and run your own. Runs on Linux and Cygwin, but you do need about 20GB for the indexes.
Yes that always works but I need a self contained setup as my ultimate
goal is to do imaging at remote dark sites.
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