Sequence Generator Pro and CCD Commander

[alistairsam]

Originally Posted by Octane

I had just started Focusmax, and clicked the first light wizard, and it started to rain out of nowhere!
H

[technofetishism (Nick)]

you can also run a local version of the Astrometry.net database with SGP if elbrus is a pain.

[Octane (Humayun)]

I might look at SGP later on down the track. But, for now, I think I'm sold on CCD Commander.

I hope this thread has been helpful for anyone else in the same situation.

H

[allan gould]

Note that if Elbrus fails in SGP then it will automatically roll over and use astrometry.net (local or Internet) to get a plate solve. Really nice and the other thing is that the authors of SGP are now beefing up PHD2 to make it more integrated into SGP ie auto start find star stop, flip etcetc.
SGP doesn't work with pinpoint LE. By the way.
Sorry didn't reply earlier but in China at the moment. Talk about pollution as you can't see more than 200 meters in front of you and that's from Beijing to xian.
Allan

[alistairsam]

hi H,

Does CCD commander have the ability to create a session plan on another machine, and then load it to your PC connected to the scope?

This would be useful if you wanted to work on a target plan over a few days and then just load it in your Obs Machine on the day.
I tend to take time choosing a target based on its height, time, filter sequence (stepped RGB) rather than doing it on the night which wastes time.

Cheers
Alistair

[troypiggo (Troy)]

G'day H,

I have CCD Commander and MaximDL and did experimenting with them. I've since bought SGP and I believe it's a better solution than the more expensive CCDC/Maxim combo.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Yes, but, I don't want to give up MaxIm DL for guiding or PinPoint LE for solving...

I think CCD Commander will do all I need, for now.

H

[Octane (Humayun)]

Alistair,

Sorry for not replying earlier.

I've only been playing around with the software in the last week, or so.

But, I think the answer to your question is: yes!

You build a script by using the Actions menu, which then just places actions into the script, such as:

Set the temperature
Move to RA/Dec
Plate solve to confirm pointing
Focus (if you use AcquireStar in FocusMax, it will take a pointing reference exposure, plate solve, go find a suitable star to focus on, focus, and, then; come back to the position it started at, take a pointing reference exposure, then, by performing another plate solve, confirm, or, slew to the reference location)
Take images
Set the temperature
Park scope

You can then save this sequence in a file. I see no reason why you can't then open that file on the observatory computer.

If you like imaging based on time/altitude, you will love CCD Commander. It has a wait time, and, wait altitude feature. As well as a bunch of other things, like, skipping ahead at time or altitude. So, say, you set up the automatic flats action for dawn, it will automatically, at civil twilight, trash your current exposure (or, complete current exposure (soft skipping)), and, then, go and do flats (and, take dark frames for the flats, too).

It is a whole bunch of fun watching it work.

If you have other questions, please ask. Happy to help. I'm learning as I go on my automation journey.

H

Originally Posted by alistairsam

hi H,

Does CCD commander have the ability to create a session plan on another machine, and then load it to your PC connected to the scope?

This would be useful if you wanted to work on a target plan over a few days and then just load it in your Obs Machine on the day.
I tend to take time choosing a target based on its height, time, filter sequence (stepped RGB) rather than doing it on the night which wastes time.

Cheers
Alistair

[Octane (Humayun)]

I should also mention, that, I purchased a full PinPoint license in order to use AcquireStar in FocusMax. And, I'm using the full PinPoint plate solve rather than the LE in CCD Commander.

It said in the manual that plate solving with PinPoint LE/MaxIm DL can be finicky if you're using the computer for something else at the time. This is likely because PinPoint LE pops up a dialog box, whereas PinPoint full does everything in the background.

I now need to buy a higher resolution monitor. My Dell 2405FPW has served me well for almost 10 years, but, the 1920x resolution is simply no longer adequate with all the windows that are open everywhere!

H

[alistairsam]

Thanks H.

does it also abort the exposure if the guidestar is lost, say when clouds roll in?
so abort and park?
maybe keep taking 20sec exposures every 5 minutes, then slew back and continue? now that would be cool.
have you tested the auto meridian flip?

Cheers
Alistair

[Octane (Humayun)]

Alistair,

If the guide star is lost, I think it moves to the next item in the action list. I'm not 100% sure -- I can't find anything in the manual, and, I haven't encountered this problem yet.

The good news, though, is, that last night, I encountered my first automated run meridian flip. It worked beautifully.

Woke up this morning to find the scope parked. It then, woke up and went and did automatic sky flats at dawn, shut down the cooler and re-parked itself.

H

[alistairsam]

Nice, do you point to a certain spot to do sky flats and do you keep tracking on or off for flats?
do you do flats for all the filters?
I'm guessing you'll have to move the focuser to the focus position for each filter and take flats if they're not parfocal,
I don't know how the change in temp affects sky flats as the temp would be very different and so would the resultant focuser position.
Does it record the focal position for each filter?

Cheers
Alistair

[Octane (Humayun)]

Hi mate,

It automatically points to the anti-solar point (point with least gradient) which is 90 degrees azimuth, and, 270 degrees altitude. I believe it turns tracking off -- I'll double-check the next time it does this.

In the past, I have followed Jason Jennings' method of just using luminance flats for all filters, but, because I've jumped on the automation bandwagon, I wish to be a bit more methodical about it, and, take flats for each filter. Furthermore, due to the crack in my sensor, it's now even more imperative to take flats for each filter, as the focus will affect the size of the crack. Last night/this morning, I only did flats for my hydrogen alpha filter, as that is what I was imaging with last night.

And, yes, you are able to record filter offsets for the flats. I have an issue with my RoboFocus/FocusMax at the moment, in that my centre point (best focus position) number keeps changing. There's no mechanical slippage that I can see, but, I suspect it has something to do with raising the duty cycle on the RoboFocus motor. It's currently at 0%; I've read that if I change it to 50%, it might help with this issue.

The camera was set to -20 degrees (CCD Commander sets the temperature, and waits for it to stabilise before proceeding).

I think you'll need to note down your filter offsets, using your luminance as your reference centre point. Then, just input them into CCD Commander, and, let it do the rest.

For now, once I've finished collecting all my data for each filter, I will manually go out and use my lightbox to collect flats for my current project (I'm loathe to play around with my RoboFocus settings while it is somewhat working at the moment -- I'm getting repeatable focus, so, will leave it as is). After this project is complete, I will use dusk/dawn flats.

H

[White Rabbit]

It should turn tracking off or at least dither between flat frames so that any stars poking through will be subtracted.

[alistairsam]

Originally Posted by Octane

Hi mate,

It automatically points to the anti-solar point (point with least gradient) which is 90 degrees azimuth, and, 270 degrees altitude.

was this 90 deg altitude and 270 azimuth? basically 90 degr altitude above West?