ASPS failing to solve....

[Merlin66]

I installed ASPS a few years ago, tried and it worked....but haven't used it for a while.
http://www.astrogb.com/astrogb/All_Sky_Plate_Solver.html

I've been using Astrometry.net for plate solving....


I usually take an image from my 60mm, 227 fl eFinder to verify FOV, Astrometry solves in a couple of minutes - never failed.
I've gone back to ASPS, checked the Indexes are OK for the finder, but it just times out......
Any ideas?
(The attached finder image is typical, resized to allow upload.)

[The_bluester]

I have always found ASPS to be reliable but hyper sensitive to image scale. Does your software feed it scale information or is it relying on the settings in ASPS? Either way the settings assistant where you upload a file to confirm the focal length is a handy check.

[Merlin66]

Paul,
Understood.
Yes, used the setting assistance....that's where the 227mm fl length for the eFinder came from.

[The_bluester]

Are you sending it to ASPS from an imaging application or taking and saving the shot, saving it and and manually solving it? What file format if you are manually saving and solving it, just wondering if it is in a lossy format and upsetting it. ASPS does seem to be really touchy.

If you are using manual solving, have you tried ASTAP? It seems pretty reliable and quick once set up.

[Merlin66]

Paul,
I'm using FireCapure with the eFinder.
The image is a jpg, but I can/ could save in fits etc.
I then manually solve, and open the solved wcs file in CdC


I looked at ASTAP some time ago but thought it was overkill for what I need to do. I'll have another look.


For spectroscopy I just need to ensure the correct target star is in the slit plate FOV.

[The_bluester]

I have never had issues solving when I have had the pixel scale right, but I always solve using fits files.

It is a pity you can't use the likes of SGP at least for positioning, pointing via plate solving is really handy and quick. If your eFinder is aligned with the imaging scope it could probably be used to plate solve for pointing. I don't know if there is anything else out there that might do the job in an automated way, for free. Unless maybe you could use NINA (Which is free) to plate solve and point via the finder before presumably then using it to guide?

[Merlin66]

Paul,
At the moment I use CdC and EQMod to GOTO and find the target star.
The plate solve is just used when the GOTO seems to be a bit off...
Resync and all's normally good.

[Merlin66]

Downloaded and re-installed ASTAP to trial....
Fell at the first hurdle.....it was looking for a minimum of thirty field star to solve....
I think I'll stick with astrometry.net in the meantime.

[The_bluester]

Ah, that is a pity. None of my fields typically would have less than 30 so I never noticed that limitation.

[phomer]

Ken,
If astrometry works what made you change?
I run astrometry on a Raspberry Pi and it works fine, although they have added ASTAP, which may be the same as ASPS, but is supposed to solve faster.

Paul

[Merlin66]

I use an ol’ WIN 7 32 laptop in the observatory and would honestly prefer it not to allow it to use a connection to the internet......
Hence the interest in ASPS....

[phomer]

Ken,


I don't have any issues running astrometry locally, INDI allows you to choose local or remote, but I rarely use remote.


Paul

[Merlin66]

Does that work equally well under win 7????????????????

[Merlin66]

OK, problem solved with ASPS!
I had been using it manually without the option of connecting to the mount....once connected (EQMod) it offered the "near solve" based on a 4 deg limit. Solved and synced within 30 sec!!!
Note: ASPS did not automatically stop solving ---- I had to abort to get the result...strange!!??


Has anyone else had a similar issue with ASPS?????

[The_bluester]

That is still odd, I normally blind solve with ASPS so it does not get any hint. It typically solves within about 30 seconds.


I don't generally use ASPS much now, Voyager is using PS2 for near field solving and an Astrometry.net local server for blind solves.

[Merlin66]

Paul,
Unfortunately I was wrong!
The ASPS didn’t solve ....it was a previous solution in memory cache.
I have the latest astrometry installed but still have problems.

[The_bluester]

Per the PM, I can give it a run though mine to see if it solves. I will just need cam and focal length details and I might need to install a couple of index files.

[Merlin66]

Paul,
Dropbox link sent.
The eFinder FOV is 106 x 79 arc min. (1.77 x 1.32 deg)
Ken

[The_bluester]

Done, mine solves it in about 20 seconds, I already had the needed indexes installed. This is the group of indexes it wanted when I put the details into the index install wizard. I checked and the solved location is the same as the online solve produces, within one arcsecond.

[Merlin66]

Paul,
Thanks for that....
I've re-installed both ASPS and the indexes.....after four attempts I got #191320 to solve!
No such luck with #210837 - did this also solve for you???
Ken

[The_bluester]

Sorry, work took over, only just got to the second one. It solved too, that one in about 8 seconds.

[Merlin66]

Paul,
I really appreciate your help....


I can solve # 210837 with Astrometry.net and PlateSolve 2.28, both quickly, but after numerous trials just can't get it to solve in ASPS....
I'm obviously missing something...(other than sanity and hair)
Onwards and Upwards.

[The_bluester]

No problem, I hope you can get it sorted.

[Merlin66]

OK.

Finally, with some help from Dustin (Astrometry.net) I've managed to get ASPS to work for me.

It has successfully solved ALL the archived eFinder images I can find, so a fair test.

I'm not 100% sure what the actual "fix" was - combo of re-install and added indexes (4100 series)

I'm a happy camper!!!