Little (Big) Steps in AP

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Juno16 United States of America
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Little (Big) Steps in AP

#1

Post by Juno16 »


Hi Everyone,

This is not really an observation or AP report, but just a report of a learning exercise that was a bunch of fun.

I was lucky enough to have a partly cloudy sky to get out to play around in last night. No observing or imaging planned, just wanted to get familiar with a few more features of my new imaging application.

I recently bought a used Nikon D5300. The D5300 is supported by AP imaging apps, whereas my D3300 is not (no SDK). I’ve been plugging along with the D3300 and having a great time. I just got the D5300 a few weeks ago and I’m trying out my first full featured astro imaging app, Astrophotography Tool.

APT is the first full featured imaging application that I have tried and I am very impressed. The near full featured trial version has no time out period, but at $22 US, it’s a great deal.

We have had awful skies here, but I had it out once for testing before last night.

My first night was very successful by getting familiar with setting up imaging plans, focusing, and doing goto’s from APT. Very cool. The high point on my first night was Dithering. Work great! I can see the moves in the few images that I snapped. Much better than the ramshackle dithering that I was struggling with before.

Last night, with a full moon blaring, my goal was to figure out focusing with the APT batinov mask tool and try out plate solving.

Well, no luck with the batinov mask tool. Need to do more work there. I’m sure that I will get it. Using the focus tool got me close to good focus.

Plate solving with an old image was unsuccessful before I went outside, and remained that way until I figured out that my focal length was set incorrectly in APT. Once I set the fl, BOOM! Blind solving successful! Wow, that is some really amazing stuff!

I went to M51, M101, M13, and M12 and all solved well. Before solving I set up the mount using a one star align (first time for that too). Saves a bunch of time.

I did have a few times where blind plate solved timed out, but I used near plate solve and the image was solved and the target was centered.

Next time out I will try out the automatic meridian flip feature.

I don’t know if any of this will improve my imaging, but it will streamline the set up process immensely (probably improve it some too).

The ascom Poth hub enabled me to have PHD2, APT, and Cartes du Ceil all talking to the mount.

It’s really amazing the tools available to the amateur AP’er.

Yes, I am like a kid in a candy store! Almost as much fun an imaging itself!

Thanks for reading my excited ramblings.

Jim
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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bobharmony
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Re: Little (Big) Steps in AP

#2

Post by bobharmony »


Nice work, Jim - good to see you making progress.

APT is one of the tools I am looking at at the moment. Do you know if it has the capability to set up a sequence with multiple targets. I haven't dug in deep enough to figure that out yet, and if you've already done the legwork, I'm happy to take advantage of that :)

Bob
Hardware: Celestron C6-N w/ Advanced GTmount, Baader MK iii CC, Orion ST-80, Canon 60D (unmodded), Nikon D5300 (modded), Orion SSAG
Software: BYE, APT, PHD2, DSS, PhotoShop CC 2020, StarTools, Cartes du Ciel, AstroTortilla

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Re: Little (Big) Steps in AP

#3

Post by Juno16 »


Hi Bob,

I haven’t run across multiple target sequences in APT. Maybe someone can comment on that. Would really be a nice feature to have.
I would Like that feature because I have a limited sky window and I could collect data on multiple targets for multiple nights.

Thanks,
Jim
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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helicon United States of America
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Re: Little (Big) Steps in AP

#4

Post by helicon »


Excellent Jim on your AP progress, your enthusiasm really shows through.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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Juno16 United States of America
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Re: Little (Big) Steps in AP

#5

Post by Juno16 »


helicon wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:09 pm Excellent Jim on your AP progress, your enthusiasm really shows through.
Thanks Michael!

It is really exciting stuff! Plate solving is amazing. I came from DigicamControl with the D3300 and it gave me a really nice and simple start (thanks DigicamControl). Now that I am more familiar with the basics, it’s great exploring new features and having success!

How’s your AP progression going? I thought that you mentioned that you were looking into starting AP.

Thanks,
Jim
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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Re: Little (Big) Steps in AP

#6

Post by Juno16 »


bobharmony wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:44 pm Nice work, Jim - good to see you making progress.

APT is one of the tools I am looking at at the moment. Do you know if it has the capability to set up a sequence with multiple targets. I haven't dug in deep enough to figure that out yet, and if you've already done the legwork, I'm happy to take advantage of that :)

Bob
Bob,

I posted a question concerning sequential target imaging on the APT forum. I just got this answer.

Hi APT Team,

Outstanding software!

I am really enjoying APT. So far, I have only been exploring features and testing. No serious AP yet.

Just curious if there is a way within the software to set up an imaging session (plan) for multiple targets. If not, are there any plans or desire to implement that feature in the future?

Tried plate solving last night and both Blind and Near worked great (after I entered the correct scope fl!).

Thanks again,
Jim
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Unread post Wed Jul 17, 2019 3:08 pm

Hi Jim,

Welcome to the APT Forum.

Yes there is. In fact you could say it's a fundamental feature of APT. :-)

What you do is create a Light Plen, using the Plan Editor (https://ideiki.com/astro/usersguide/pla ... 3D&mw=MzIw).

In a Light plan you define the exposure formats you require (exposure, iso, number, etc.), as you'd expect.

But there is also a comprehensive set of instructions you can create to do things like selecting targets, issuing GoTo++ (a, special GoTo that slews to the target and then uses Platesolving to very accurately home in on it to within a few pixels), etc. (https://ideiki.com/astro/usersguide/scr ... 3D&mw=MzIw)

Cheers, Jimw)

Cheers, Jim


So, it does look like sequential target imaging is available in APT. Sounds good. I’ll have to look into that and make some notes for when I am ready to give it a try.

Hope that this helps you.

Thanks,
Jim
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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helicon United States of America
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Re: Little (Big) Steps in AP

#7

Post by helicon »


8-) I haven't started yet but it's on the drawing board. Hopefully I'll be starting towards the end of summer.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
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