PlateSolve 2 in Astro Photography Tool settings?

[bluesilver (Peter)]

Hi, Just a bit of a technical question i guess you could say.
I am referring to the program called Astro Photography Tool ( APT )
And inside that program i am referring to PointCraft.
Then inside that i am referring to PlateSolve 2

So in PointCraft settings, you have the option to use Platesolve 2


I have set up the settings in All Sky Plate Solver for my scope and downloaded the recommended maps using the wizard and my camera specs.

All is good and works a treat.

Now if i want to add a second telescope to me programs how do i actually go about that?

Do i just set up the wizard in All Sky Plate Solver for the second scope and let it automatically down load the maps it needs, just like i did for my original scope?

Then next time i use APT i just select the Focal length of the telescope that i want to use?

Am probably making this all sound very complicated and confusing everyone in what i am asking?

My scope is a Skywatcher Evostar 150ED, focal length of 1200mm
The second scope i am looking at is the Skywatcher Esprit 80ED,
focal length 400mm

So just basically looking at how i can have both scopes setup in APT and just select which one i am using.
As how i see it and could be wrong, but PointCraft uses Plate solve 2 to solve the images you want to image and to do that Plate Solve 2 uses All Sky Plate Solver.
Which then means that All Sky Plate solver need the maps for the Focal length of your scope plus the dimensions of your camera.

Dose this all make sense or am i just confusing everyone in what i am trying to ask help for?
Sorry if i have.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Peter.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

Peter, all you need to do is go to the Tools tab and enter the focal length of the scope and press Recalc and the next time it solves it will use those settings.

[bluesilver (Peter)]

Thanks for the reply, sounds simple enough.
I take it that i will have to use the wizard ( in all sky plate solver ) and download the maps / settings for the smaller 400mm focal length scope also as it would only have the map for the larger 1200mm focal length scope.
Or is All Sky Plate Solver only really just getting the maps / settings for the camera being used?

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

I use PlateSolve 2...it’s quick and works well. No change in maps necessary for PS2.

I never got ASPS to work reliably.

[bluesilver (Peter)]

Thanks again, appreciated.
Sounds fairly straight forward then
I have heard of people starting to use ASTAP in replace of Plate Solve 2 and All Sky Plate solver
I haven't tired it out myself yet, but might be worth while looking into also.
They say it is a vey fast solver.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

No worries Peter

I’ve used ASTAP in SGP, and it is indeed fast, but with a modern PC it might not be a huge difference.

IMO it’s always worthwhile having a belt and braces approach to this sort of thing so you never get stuck relying on a single algorithm.

[Craig_]

I image in APT with an Esprit 80 and an Esprit 120. All you need to do is, as described earlier, adjust the focal length when you switch scopes in the tools tab, and hit recalc. If you forget to do this, platesolving will fail, and you may pull your hair out for an hour trying to work out why... not speaking from experience or anything For me it will typically solve within 5-8 seconds, although a blind solve will take much longer.

[bluesilver (Peter)]

Thanks for the replies.
Very much appreciated.
Nice and simple unless as mentioned you forget.
Thanks again.
Peter.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

Yeah it's easy to set it and forget it