Is there Drift Alignment Software, like this

[Shawn]

Has anybody written a package that puts a set of user definable rotatable crosshairs in a transparent window, that you can use for conventional drift alignment using a camera. im aware there are alternatives, but I like the idea of this simplistic approach, peering through a barlowed 9mm illuminated, gives me a headache...

Shawn

[[1ponders]]

There are quite a few Shawn. I use K3CCDTools but you could also try Guidemate (http://www.astrocoolpix.net/blog/?p=240). Yeah I know it's in French, but the application itself shouldn't be. Download it from near the bottom of the page ;)

[rogerg]

Don't know sorry, but 2 suggestions:

If using goto & camera, this works well although I'm not sure on the accuracy vs drift method:
http://users.bsdwebsolutions.com/~larryweber/

Also I typicaly make my life easier when doing drift alignment than looking at it all the time:

I always let it drift for a specific interval, usually 5 minutes.I measure against the illuminated lines the distance of that drift. (so have only looked at it to set it going then once after 5 minutes).

I then make a correction to the alignment and start it going again, again for 5 minutes. I then measure the distance of drift again and know exactly from that (ignoring human error) how much to adjust it the second time to achieve perfect alignment. Again, Iv'e only looked through the eyepiece at the start of the 5 minutes and at the end of the 5 minutes.

I guess what I'm saying, is I tend to not look through the eyepiece much at all, when doing it the above way.

Roger.

[[1ponders]]

BTW it's free which is always good. Cross hairs aren't rotatable but you can move the reticle window to where ever you want it.

Oh and K3CCDTools V3 will give you a running readout of your drift error in arcsec when using drift explorer

[Shawn]

Thanks guys, Wouldnt rotatable be the bees knees though...

Maybe some guru could write it..:shrug:

S

[[1ponders]]

Why do you want it rotatable? If your camera is aligned square/orthagonal to your scope axis you shouldn't need the window rotatable.

[Shawn]

I know what your saying Roger, I do only check start and finish, but I have to climb a ladder for drift on the horizon, and crane my neck at odd angles..Also I could sell the illuminated, as it would get no other use ...;)

S

[seeker372011]

It looks like there is an exact solution that meets your requirement,,

I havent tried it but know someone who thinks it works very well:

http://www.andysshotglass.com/StarTarg.html

[[1ponders]]

DON'T SELL IT! Sorry, but don't sell it. Or if you do give me first bite. I can always do with a second reticle. eg. When you are trying to find a star to guide on it is much easier to center first with the reticle and then pop your guide camera in. I would be lost without a reticle, even with all the balloons and whistles and cameras I've collected.

[jase]

PolarAlignMax is fantastic. Relatively easy to use, though you may want to download some improved star databases. I downloaded the USNO-A2.0 catalog that has 526,280,881 stars. The catalog is approx 6Gb in size, but is great for astrometry plate resolve. ftp://ftp.nofs.navy.mil/usnoa/

Also recently got a copy of MaxPoint to improve the telescope pointing model. This also tells you how far off polar alignment you are.

Drifting is still the simplest, but I've always used software to assist or reconfirm alignment.

[Shawn]

Might just do that Paul, Its permenant installation , so as soon as Im happy with it, the retical will sit in the cabinet gathering dust...

S

[[1ponders]]

Once you get into imaging, either planetary or DSO, I'll bet it doesn't.

[Shawn]

Maybe Paul, :lol:.

Seeker , Startarg is it mate thats what I was looking for, 14.00 US, I can live with that, pity there is no freeware that is as well thought out and simple...
Nice website too,

Cheers

s

[[1ponders]]

I can't think of anyone I know that does astrophotography that has gotten rid of a reticle except to change it for something better. ;)

Except for maybe Striker, but then he seems to have a phobia with looking through eyepieces in general :lol:

[Shawn]

Yes your right Paul, but easier if you can just smash the camera in at any rotation , do a quick up down left right on the screen and rotate the crosshairs to suit, I guess Im lazy huh ?


S

[Shawn]

Im in Strikers catagory I think, but I have to go through the visual stage for a while till I know what Im doing...:lol:

S

[[1ponders]]

Ahh, but maybe you are creating work for yourself in the long run. I can't speak about the top end guiders and how they work, but I know that with my setup, if I get my guidecamera as close to square as possible to start with, I don't have to worry too much about the calibration stage and measuring the camera angle before initiating my autoguiding.

[Shawn]

Looking into this one too Jase looks good, The pier is a rock, so as soon its right should really not need to make adjustments for a while, Im considering deliberately introducing some error in alignment be it small so that guiding can be positive , as the LX200 in my opinion is inadequate in its fork tyne construction at 14" at 17 deg south polar mounted, flexure is allways going to be an issue. Im still trying to figure out what is going on with the systems innability to reliably piont, Ive identified two issues, thus far, firstly the forks flex more laterally than they do longtitudanaly, that is odd you would think the opposite on visual inspection...secondly, the whole alignment seems to be affected by temperature, yet to be pinned down...

Its a mission...

S

S

[RAJAH235]

Not sure if you're looking for this type but it's written by Joe Smith.(IIS).
> http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=12193&highlight=Cross+hairs

Prob not exactly what you're after.
:D L.

[Astroman]

Lastnight I was using K3CCD v1 with cross hairs and zoomed 200%, aligned the camera to the RA/Dec axis and I was away. Aligned on the eastern star very easily and kept it on the crosshairs for 5 minutes before any noticable drift, and by then it was only very slightly moved. Went to do same with Meridian star, but high cloud moved in and spoiled the show. I was using a Toucam too, small field but easy to drift.

[JohnH]

Have you looked into WCS? I find it gets me a good alignment in about 10-15 mins. It just set it going and get on with other tasks.

See: http://wcs.ruthner.at/index-en.htm

[Shawn]

Thanks a lot guys, given me a few alternatives to check out,,,

Cheers

Shawn

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