Drift alignment in software

[Zuts]

Hi All,

Has anyone used this program http://wcs.ruthner.at/index-en.php as aid in drift aligning. It works of your guide camera, Basically it tracks a star and tells you exactly what the drift error is visually on the laptop then you move the mounts adjustments controls the indicated amount and you are polar aligned.

First you would need a rough alignment i guess?

What do you guys think?

There is a 30 day trial, then the cost is 21 Euros, are there similar free programs?

Paul

[iceman]

Paul uses k3ccdtools I think, but i'd be interested in others too. I'm yet to do software-aided drift alignment, but after spending too much time kneeling down peering through a reticle, it's on my to-do list next time out.

[Zuts]

I will try this i think, when you read the manual it looks like you can get the job done in around 15 minutes, with no need for a barlow. Usually it takes about an hour for me to drift align.

Rough alignment first, 10 minutes.
Multiple passes between RA, DEC with and without a barlow waiting 5 minutes each time to look for drift and i am never sure exactly how much to move the adjustment knobs. Peering into a too highly magnified dim image and deciding when close whether the wobble is because of drift, PEC or what , 45 minutes :scared:.

If this works it will be the best 20 bucks I have ever spent :)

Paul

[Dennis]

For those damp nights on hard ground, I use a gardening kneeling pad which I purchased from Bunning’s for around $3.00. Keeps the knees dry and comfortable.

Cheers

Dennis

[iceman]

Fantastic Dennis! Just what I need to keep my knees dry! Thanks.

[iceman]

Andy's shot glass site has StarTarg (http://www.andysshotglass.com/StarTarg.html), another tool for software-based drift aligning.

Has anyone used that?

[iceman]

Just found a couple of other threads already discussing these:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=25282

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=19847

More food for thought.

[Tamtarn]

Like the idea of the kneeling pad Dennis. Off to Bunnings we go.

[Hagar]

I have used startarg for a while now and think it is great value at $20. It is an overlay for live camera image that comes with onboard instructions. The real key to using startarg is to initially make quite agressive moves and once you have the alignment close move to more fine adjustments. Only takes me about 10 minutes to get an aligment that allows imaging for a couple of minutes without significant star drift.

Love it....:eyepop:

Cheers
Doug

[ving]

wcs is good... i use it :)

[[1ponders]]

I wouldn't go anywhere without my K3CCDTools V2 or V3.

At a new site, without interuptions, I can be polar aligned well enough to start taking in under 30 min with a Dec drift reading of less than 0.5 arcsec/min. At home on the concrete where the tripod legs are marked, less than 10 min.

The caveat to this is I've been using K3 for a couple of years now with the same mounts so we are old friends and understand each others idiosyncracies. ;)

[Zuts]

Hi Ving,

I really want to try this software and was all set to go but..........clouded in :mad2:

Looking a 50/50 chance tonight so here is hoping. If i get it working i will post a newbs experience with it.

Paul

[JohnH]

I second that! BTW Guidemaster 2 (free) now has polar alignment routines built in - still in Beta but that works too...

[Zuts]

Hi Ving,

I used it last night and had a few issues.

(1) It gives a very dim image on my DSI, even with 2 sec exposures and high gain. The input on PHD is far better and i can see far more stars. Do you notice this?
(2) After every correction I had to restart as the software woold crash?

And a few questions

(1) Is there anything special you do for the Southern Hemisphere, like for DEC drift, when the correction is worked out, point north instead of south. Actually the DEC instructions are a bit confusing, do you have to slew the scope and find a star in the south or can you just make the correction on the original star?

(2) What about the DEC entry for azimuth adjustment. Say you were 2 degrees below the intersection of the meridian and celestial equator would you enter 2, 88, -2 or what?


Thanks Paul

[Zuts]

Hi Paul,

I have looked at the site but the software is not free. What does it cost as i cant seem to see a price anywhere?

Thanks Paul

[Zuts]

Hi John,

Do you know if Guidemaster works with meade DSI and GPUSB?

Thanks Paul

[[1ponders]]

The full version of the software is $50 US. If you go to the downloads page and click on the registration link you will see the various costs.

From what is included in the package I consider it great value for money; image capture from a range of cameras including control of DSLR exposures, autoguiding, drift aligning assistance, image processing.

There are plenty of other programs out there that are free that do one or a number of these actions, but I find having them all together in one package a real bonus. There is also a very active and supportive Yahoo group. That is where I learn the basics of drift aligning with it. There is a file in their file section that you can download and it takes you through it step by step. I've modified the process slightly for my own needs but the described on works well.

[JohnH]

Yes I do and no it does not...sorry.

[Zuts]

Thanks John, :)

[iceman]

What cameras does WCS support? TIS DMK's?

[Zuts]

I downloaded the DSI version, there is also a webcam version.

Quote from the site

'This program helps you to polar align your mount using the drift alignment method with CCD or webcam support. It supports any cam which can be installed as a Windows device (Meade LPI, ToUcam, NexImage, etc). There's also a version available for the Meade DSI cameras'

Paul

[ballaratdragons]

Yes it does. I have used it several times :thumbsup:

As for drift aligning, last week at Camp was my 1st time at proper drift aligning. Daniel (danielsun) taught me how, and we used Guidemaster for it. Worked perfectly :thumbsup: