Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

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chris_g United States of America
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Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#1

Post by chris_g »


I was out imaging tonight on one of the few clear skies in the last couple of months when I ran into an issue. My meridian flip failed for no apparent reason that APT was telling me, just an exception error. I tried slewing to different locations, some worked while others didn't. I eventually figured out it was an altitude limit in the mount that was set to 70 degrees. So why would Stellarium report a different altitude that what the mount's software is showing? For example, IC 444 currently shows an altitude of 64 degrees while the Syn Scan Pro App shows 73. I've confirmed location data in both Stellarium and Syn Scan Pro. I learned my lesson about location the hard way more than once, and as my father-in-law liked to say, location, location, location.
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
Processing: PixInsight, DSS 4.2.6, Adobe PS CC, Astronomy Tools Action Set, Star Spikes Pro
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#2

Post by turboscrew »


And also time, time, time...?
- Juha

Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5

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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#3

Post by seigell »


Do you perform the Star Alignment Procedure that your Mount/Handcontroller requires?? Or do you rely on Plate Solving and Syncing via PC??
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#4

Post by chris_g »


seigell wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 12:34 pm Do you perform the Star Alignment Procedure that your Mount/Handcontroller requires?? Or do you rely on Plate Solving and Syncing via PC??
I polar align then I do a 1 Star alignment with the mount's virtual HC. I may not have dune that last night, I was having issues with the software I use to polar align, it almost crashed the scope in to the tripod, I had to turn the mount off to stop it and start over. I'm going back out tonight, I'll see what happens.
Last edited by chris_g on Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#5

Post by chris_g »


turboscrew wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 10:27 am And also time, time, time...?
Time on the mount is synced with the PC by the mount's app. I use a virtual HC.
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
Processing: PixInsight, DSS 4.2.6, Adobe PS CC, Astronomy Tools Action Set, Star Spikes Pro
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#6

Post by turboscrew »


chris_g wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:22 pm
turboscrew wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 10:27 am And also time, time, time...?
Time on the mount is synced with the PC by the mount's app. I use a virtual HC.
If times are right and places are right, it DOES call for little head scratching.
- Juha

Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5

I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#7

Post by turboscrew »


And these are right...?
Stellarium_loc.png
Stellarium_time.png
- Juha

Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5

I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#8

Post by chris_g »


turboscrew wrote: Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:04 pm And these are right...?

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Yes... Perplexing it is!
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#9

Post by turboscrew »


Just to check if the stellarium actually uses the right time and right location. Sometimes it is configured to get the information elsewhere. Like, the clock may have different timezone or locality (UTC versus local, etc.).
- Juha

Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5

I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#10

Post by chris_g »


Why would these be different? This makes no sense to me. Time and location are the same in both Stellarium PC and the mount PC. Stellarium indicates that the target has passe d the meridian and is descending while the mount has not. I go and look at the mount and it's pointed almost straight up like the HC says it is, not in the direction Stellarium says it is, so this an issue with Stellarium. Any clues from anyone?

SynScan_1893.jpg
Stellarium EQ6-R Location.jpg
APT.jpg
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#11

Post by JayTee »


I don't use Stellarium for this and other reasons. Cartes du Ciel and StarTech X are better free programs for scope control, for that matter, so is N.I.N.A. You may want to start thinking about a switch now while you are in the early phase of your AP career.
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#12

Post by chris_g »


JayTee wrote: Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:14 am I don't use Stellarium for this and other reasons. Cartes du Ciel and StarTech X are better free programs for scope control, for that matter, so is N.I.N.A. You may want to start thinking about a switch now while you are in the early phase of your AP career.
@Lady Fraktor gave me an idea as to what might be causing the issue, I'm going to try a three-star alignment instead of the one-star I normally do with the HC and see if that resolves it. Either way, I'll start looking at other options for a planetarium app.
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#13

Post by chris_g »


Update, found the issue with Stellarium. I did a three star alignment as @Lady Fraktor recommended, that definitely helped the accuracy of goto commands. I was within a couple of pixels of my target, however, it didn't solve SAtellarium's issue. I noted that the target in Stellarium was at the same RA/DEC within a couple of arc minutes, different database answers that. I then noted that the altitude of the target in Stellarium matched the altitude the HC was showing. Pesky stellar coordinates, I still don't fully understand them, at least not yet. Stellarium's telescope plugin was configured to J(Now), the same as I had configured APT. I changed the telescope plugin to J2000 and the scope reticle position now match's what is in the HC.

Problem solved.

Clear Skies!
Image Cam: Canon 6D (Ha mod), 600D (Stock), SVBony SV405CC
Image OTA: EvoStar ED80, WO Z73, C8-A XLT
Mount: EQ6-R Pro Pier, AZ-EQ5 Pro Pier
Guide OTA: Orion 60mm, WO 32mm, ZWO OAG, SV501P
Guide Cam: ZWO 120mm, 290mm mini
EAA OTA: Orion ST80
EAA Cam: SVBony SV705C
EP: Baader Hyperion Modular Set
Filters: L-Pro Canon EOS C, L-eNhance, L-Pro, Optolong Ha 7mm, Optolong Oiii 6.5mm, Optolong Sii 6.5mm, ES H-Beta
Session Control: Mini PC/Win11 Pro, APT 4.1, PHD2 2.6.10
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Re: Why would Stellarium show a different altitude than a mount

#14

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Excellent, good to hear you have it figured out.
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