Stellarium v0.19.3 released

[Premordial]

This feature got my attention with the latest release of Stellarium:

"Direct ASCOM support for Telescope Control plugin on Windows"

No need to use Stellarium Scope anymore :D

[Startrek]

Thanks for the advice on the latest version of Stellarium
Ive used EQMOD , StellariumScope and Stellarium for 3 years
StellariumScope provides slew ( CTRL 1 ), sync ( CTRL 3 ) and cancel ( CTRL 5) functions via the keyboard for EQMOD
The original Stellarium telescope control plug never had a “Sync” function to provide a sophisticated pointing model for goto like EQMOD. From memory it only had a basic slew and cancel function
If I choose the Ascom in lieu of StellariumScope, how do I utilise the Sync function for EQMOD ??

[Premordial]

I normally plate solve and sync in APT. Perhaps others can chime in with more info...

[Startrek]

Looking back in my old notes it suggested that Stellarium Scope was originally developed as a program to enable the use of Stellarium as a planetarium when controlling the mount via EQMOD ie: EQASCOM
Obviously Synta mounts only ( Skywatcher and Orion )



This is probably why most people chose Cartes Du Ceil as their planetarium when controlling the mount through EQMOD as it was supported by ASCOM and no need for 3rd party programs.Looking at my notes a lot pf people had trouble with Stellarium Scope in the early years , but fortunately I didn't have any trouble once I sorted out the procedure



When Stellarium Scope is opened and the "Select Mount" button is pressed, the "Ascom Telescope Chooser Box" is launched. You can then select your mount type ( eg: EQMOD Ascom EQ5/6 ) and the Ascom Set Up Window appears. Once all settings are confirmed you can connect to the mount via your EQ Direct cable press OK and this opens the EQMOD driver window ready for controlling your mount via Stellarium


Looking at the latest version of Stellarium 0.19.3 the manual ( section 15.6 ) mentions there is no need to use Stellarium Scope in order to use your ASCOM telescopes with Stellarium anymore , and they encourage users to switch to the ASCOM option


There is no mention in the manual if your controlling your mount with EQMOD and using Stellarium as your planetarium ( with Stellarium Scope configuring the functionality )


I welcome other more experienced IIS members who use EQMOD and Stellarium Scope and Stellarium to add any further advice or comments on the above in particular, the latest version of Stellarium for Telescope Control


Thanks in Advance

[morls]

I'm still at a very early stage towards integrating computer and mount. For instance, I still haven't fully grasped how the different pieces of software work together for GOTO and tracking. I've downloaded v0.19.3 and so will start playing around with it. It'd be great if the ASCOM option means I can use Stellarium as a standalone mount controller, and then APT or similar for imaging.

[morls]

I've got a connection between Stellarium and NEQ6. If I select Skywatcher mount in the Ascom Telescope Chooser dialogue box it doesn't detect the mount, but the EQMOD ASCOM HEQ5/6 option works. I'm not sure what the difference is here, but I can control the mount with slew controls in EQMOD window... I'll attach a couple of screenshots of the setup.

[Startrek]

Stephen
Thanks very much for the information, appreciated

How do you perform the following functions ( like I do with StellariumScope) -
1/ Select a target for auto slew to target
2/ Sync stars for precise Goto accuracy
3/ Cancel a slew
What keyboard buttons do you use ?

With StellariumScope I clicked the target in Stellarium and used CTRL + 1 for slew to target, use CTRL + 3 to sync points around the target for accurate Goto and finally CTRL +5 to cancel a slew

Or do you only have telescope control via the EQMOD window control pad NSEW movement at various speeds, in other words manual control only via the EQMOD control pad

Sorry to confuse you

[morls]

In Stellarium:
To slew to a selected object: ctrl + 1
To cancel slew: ctrl/alt/shift + 1
Haven't done sync to stars for GOTO


The shortcuts can be modified in the configuration section


EQMOD control panel also works, but I imagine this would confuse stellarium as to where the scope is pointing

[Merlin66]

Guys,
I don't know Stellarium....
But why would the latest version not just work the same as Cartes du Ciel?
It becomes the "front" interface to EQMod.
When set up - telescope connected - select a target on the map - slew to target???

[morls]

That's how it works for me...

[Startrek]

Ken
The most important function for me is the ability to “Sync” points ( Stars ) around the night sky as I navigate towards my intended target. The more points I “sync” in EQMOD via my StellariumScope CTRL +3 function the more accurate my Goto becomes due to the sophisticated algorithms and pointing model created in EQMOD
Finding objects ( even the dimmer galaxies ) using EQMOD with the sync function is relatively easy , and in “some cases” the objects appears perfectly framed ready to image, thats how accurate it is
StellariumScope is the in between program which allows slew, sync and cancel functions when using Stellarium by intercepting the Goto commands coming out of Stellarium’s tcp Port and maps them on to a few selected Ascom commands
I believe StellariumScope was created to allow EQMOD users to navigate using Stellarium, whereas Cartes Du Ceil was the preferred planetarium being supported by Ascom
All I need to know is how to “sync” points using Stellarium Ascom and I’m happy to jump ship and no longer use StellariumScope
So confusing hey ......

[Merlin66]

Just to confirm...
Select a star in CdC, right click, click "telescope" and select from the pop up.
(The screen grab was faster than my fingers! the telescope listing also includes Sync etc.)

Can a user of the new Stellarium release show a similar "screen shot".......

[morls]

Hi Ken,
Just tried in Stellarium 0.19.3
There is no right-click menu. The procedure for slewing to a star is:
left click to select then ctrl + 1 (my scope is saved as 1) to slew to star

[Merlin66]

Stephen,
Is there a means to “Sync” on the selected star?

[morls]

Ken,
According to the manual:


ctrl + 1 sends scope 1 to selected object.
shift/ctrl + 1 to sync scope 1 to selected object.


I haven't tried this in the field...

[morls]

here's a grab from the manual (first keystroke omitted, on previous page...)

As to how accurate sync is, I don't know.

I'm also not sure how the sync works - how does stellarium know where the scope is actually pointing? If the only communication between the mount and stellarium is via USB, how can the two be aligned?

[Merlin66]

Hmmmmm,
Don’t know!!

[morls]

Maybe this where the auto guider port on the NEQ6 comes into the equation?

[Merlin66]

The guide port is only an ST4 port.
+/- RA and Dec corrections, no feedback.

[Startrek]

When you run EQMOD with Stellarium you have to ensure the Ascom set up window for EQMOD have the same latitude and longitude co ordinates as Stellarium
I think I’ll stick with StellariumScope for the moment as it’s been operating flawlessly for 3 years , even though the developers of Stellarium recommend you change to the latest Ascom supported Stellarium
Finding objects is a joy using my current set up so “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
Great post and thread !!
Thanks

[morls]

Ok, thanks.
Just been reading on another forum...the procedure described there (in 2017) is to align scope and get a star centred before connecting to Stellarium, after which you select the star and the choose 'sync' in Stellarium to let it know where the mount is pointing.
As I'm very new to all this I could well be missing something.

[Startrek]

Sounds about right
When I use EQMOD you align your first star on Stellarium and then sync ( CTRL +3 , then select a second star say 50 degrees away and then slew to it, you end up being very close to that second star , then you sync again and so and so on. The more you sync objects theaccurate your Goto becomes , particularly if you sync 3 stars around your final intended target in a triangular formation , the accuracy is excellent , almost perfectly framed. EQMOD has sophisticated pointing algorithms which form it’s accurate pointing model when syncing

[morls]

So does EQMOD provide all the reference maps and algorithms, while Stellarium is just the interface? (the maps in Stellarium aren't used as reference for GOTO and mount control)

[Merlin66]

Stephen,
No not really...
The EQMod is the "drivers" for the SW mount motors (to replace the "smarts" in the Synscan)
The instructions can either be sent directly from the EQMod interface - basic motor movements - up/ down/ left/ right/ and slew at various speeds..
It also, using the motor indexes, knows where the mount should be pointing.
This allows it to move the mount and provides basic tracking....
OK, but not exciting....

Connect to EQMod via CdC and the interface becomes more interesting.
Using CdC to can select a star and get the mount to slew to it. You can also improve the GOTO accuracy by "syncing" stars as you go.

That's the basics.....

[Startrek]

Stephen
EQMOD was developed for advanced telescope control on Synta mounts ( mostly Skywatcher and Orion brands )
EQMOD consists of an application called EQASCOM which provides the mounts functionality and acts as the Ascom server allowing client applications like the planetarium Stellarium to drive the mount
EQASCOM is the mounts control driver , the other applications build upon this driver platform and can be thought of as plug ins
Essentially EQASCOM replaces the Synscan handcontroller but does much more
with advance alignment , advanced Goto’s , advanced tracking, PEC training, park scope function, object data base via your client application like Stellarium, advanced pointing models using Sync function , auto guiding etc..etc...

[morls]

Thanks Ken and Martin, it's a bit of a learning curve for me.

[CalvinKlein]

Very interesting ! I've been using EQMOD / StellariumScope / Stellarium since I first bough my EQ6-R nearly two years ago. It just "works" for me. (though I've been dreading the day that a Stellarium update decides it doesnt want to talk to StellariumScope any more).

I never thought to my first star alignment just using EQMOD - rather I just usually do a 1 or 2 star alignment straight from Stellarium (using CRTL-3) and using Sharpcap to centre the star in the camera frame.

I have no intention of changing away from using StellariumScope unless forced to. Nor do I intend using CdC and its ancient Windows 3 - style interface.

[Merlin66]

Don't know about the Windows 3 interface......
but the latest V4.2.1 Cartes du Ciel works well for me.
UCAC4 catalogue (down to 18 mag), BeSS and Miles VO catalogues for my spectroscopy

[Xeteth]

I managed to get StellariumScope up and running a while back, but actually found that plate solving in APT works really well. Is there a benefit to using Stellarium for GoTo control over plate solving? Or is it just whatever works best for the user?

[Startrek]

I’m running EQMOD with StellariumScope and Stellarium 0.18.1 and can’t see me ever using anything else for the immediate future as it’s so quick and accurate
Never plate solved so can’t comment or compare
The day StellariumScope fails to launch EQMOD and interface with Stellarium will be a sad day but no doubt it will happen one day

[Premordial]

Hi Martin,

I recall you asking about what keys to use to Sync. I stumbled onto the thread below saying to use CTRL-SHIFT-1. See the bottom of the thread...

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/345863-stellarium-v0193-has-been-released/

HTH

--Max

[Startrek]

Max
Thanks for the info
I’ll keep for future reference if I decide to change from Stellarium Scope to Ascom
Cheers

[Startrek]

Stephen
Just enquiring whether you have used the new Stellarium 0.19.3 and eqmod to navigate across the night sky yet ?
A quick question - with the new Stellarium version , how do you launch the Ascom telescope chooser ?
I normally open Stellarium Scope and press the button “ select mount” and the Ascom telescope chooser box pops up , then I select “EQMOD HEQ5/6 and this launches the EQMOD Ascom Set Up window ( which all fields are preset for my location )
From there I switch the mount on , press the binocular icon and the port is found ( scope now connected to laptop ) , then press ok. Then press OK on the Ascom telescope chooser and the EQMOD control panel is launched ready for Goto
Stellarium Scope is left open but minimised, and now the Goto and Sync commands of StellariumScope are preset on the keyboard Cntrl 1 Slew, Cntrl 3 Sync and Cntrl 5 Cancel ready for use.
I have 2 Skywatcher EQ6-R mounts , a 2 year old mount at my weekender and a new one in Sydney which has the latest new USB port on the mount. Skywatcher are not very descriptive about how to use or connect this new USB port . I’m assuming it just replaces my existing EQ serial USB cable ( USB2EQ5 ) from laptop to the hand controller port on the mount.

I’m still keen on knowing about the sync command of Stellarium 0.19.3 as that’s how I navigate and find objects very accurately through eqmod ( I don’t plate solve )

I think most EQMOD, StellariumScope and Stellarium users are a bit nervous about the future reliability of StellariumScope !!!

Cheers
Martin

[morls]

Hi Martin,


I haven't had the scope out for a while, so haven't can't offer any in-depth reports. I've gotten 0.19.3 up and running with mount and eqmod, but that was a while ago and I have only just been able to set up again. (things were in storage while the house was open for inspection etc...)
Yes, the USB port on the hand controller replaces the serial/USB cable. There is a setting (in utilities section of synscan) for "PC Direct" which needs to be selected when connecting the USB.
I'm getting things back up and running now, and will be experimenting with APT I think. I've now got a filter wheel, camera and mount to control so I'll start to look into getting it all together soon, in time for Planet Season :P.
Cheers

[Startrek]

Stephen
Thanks for replying
I don’t use the PC direct method , I currently use EQ direct ( laptop to mount , hand controller unplugged not used )
I read Gion Kunz thread on CN regarding Ascom on Stellarium 0.19.3 so sort of got my head around it now but one procedure I can’t work out and that is when you open Stellarium and select EQMOD 5/6 in the “Ascom telescope chooser” and then press ok , this should launch the Ascom Setup to find your port to connect the mount. When this is done you hit Ok at the bottom and go back to the Ascom chooser window and hit ok. After this I normally hit connect button on the StellariumScope window which then launches EQMOD
So how does Stellarium launch EQMOD now
Hope my sequence makes sense