×

INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Mono imaging - cycling of L-R-G-B for imaging

  • Posts: 910
  • Thank you received: 86
Hello,
I've been using DSLR/OSC but recently acquired a complete mono setup (ASI294MM and EFW 8-position with LRGBHOS set of filters).
Completely new to mono.

I am wondering if it is possible with Ekos:

-- instead of shooting, say, 30 frames of L and then 10 frames of R, 10 frames of G and 10 frames of B

-- shoot 3 frames of L and then 1 frame of R, 1 frame of G and 1 frame of B and
-- repeat this sequence 10 times
?

Thanks!
-- Max S
ZWO AM5. RST-135. AZ-GTI. HEQ5. iOptron SkyTracker.
TPO RC6. FRA400. Rokinon 135 and other lenses.
ZWO ASI2600MC. D5500 modified with UVIR clip-in filter.
ZWO ASI120MM Mini x 2. ZWO 30F4 guider. Orion 50mm guider.
ZWO EAF x 2.
Last edit: 3 years 2 months ago by maxthebuilder.
3 years 2 months ago #65728

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 183
  • Thank you received: 23
Easy with the scheduler - simply setup a Sequence with your simple pattern (3/1/1/1) and then get teh Scheduler to "Repeat" the sequence 10 times.

Personally and from experience, I WOULD NOT recommend it for two reasons;
#1 Flats. In my experience unless you've got a very accurate filter wheel, the chances of it changing dust patterns between shots is high every time you move the filter position. at a minimum set your wheel to be unidirectional, helps to counteract backlash.
#2 Focus. Unless you're confident in your filters being parfocal, you're going to need to adjust focus for each change, again, this might require a lengthly refocus routine unless you have a very accurate focuser able to move between focus offsets (this becomes more important at faster f-ratios where the CFZ is tiny).

There is a good reason to take the approach you outlined and that is of course that you are more likely to get even sky coverage from shot to shot but this brings me to my final piece of advice;
#3 - shoot one filter per night, with multiple targets if you've got time to kill versus multiple filters one target - that way you get consistent elevations per target per filter, at the risk of being clouded over the following night. Having said that I know people who've been shooting the same target for years at a time, building up data as they go.

If this sounds like Mono+filters is more complicated and fiddly than OSC, it's because it is - shooting with filters is really rewarding but it's a more methodical mindset than OSC.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Bart
Last edit: 3 years 2 months ago by Paul Muller.
3 years 2 months ago #65731

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 910
  • Thank you received: 86
xthestreams,
Thank you so much - your reply is very helpful!
-- Max S
ZWO AM5. RST-135. AZ-GTI. HEQ5. iOptron SkyTracker.
TPO RC6. FRA400. Rokinon 135 and other lenses.
ZWO ASI2600MC. D5500 modified with UVIR clip-in filter.
ZWO ASI120MM Mini x 2. ZWO 30F4 guider. Orion 50mm guider.
ZWO EAF x 2.
3 years 2 months ago #65743

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 171
  • Thank you received: 7
Hi there,

Sorry for bumping this thread, but it's just was I looking for. Paul's tips are very useful, I agree. However, I'm trying to setup this kind of cycling shooting but I want to dither in every loop (this kind of imaging, by the way, can avoid wasting too much time for dithering). Is this possible? How can I dither between loops? If this is not possible natively, can I run a particular script in every loop? The idea is to run a python script to perform send a manual dither to phd2. I've been tinkering for a while but cannot find the way.

miguel
2 years 4 months ago #78000

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Perhaps set dithering to once every 4 frames in Guide options?
2 years 4 months ago #78005

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 171
  • Thank you received: 7
yes, that is the only solution that came into my mind. I have to test it and check if suits my needs. Thanks for the reply
2 years 4 months ago #78008

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 171
  • Thank you received: 7
Hi Jasem. Unfortunately, this does not work. Looping for example through 20 LRGB loops (scheduler, "repeat for"=20) and dithering every 4 frames, does not never dither. I have to dither every <4 frames. It seems that when it finishes a job (.esq), it doesn't take into account that another loop is coming.
any ideas?
2 years 4 months ago #78044

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 126
  • Thank you received: 16
The way I set this up is to create a sequence in the ccd section. I generally do 20 x L, 10 x R, G, B (each). After entering the first 4 entries, I select the first and hit the + button above the sequence. Then repeat this for the other entries. The + button duplicates the selected entry. Finally, I save the sequence for use in the scheduler.
I have no problem with flats, either dust is very sticky or the wheel rotates without issues. But I do have it set to use only one rotation direction.
Dithering is set to every 3 exposures. Also, no issue here.

Hope this helps
2 years 4 months ago #78119

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 171
  • Thank you received: 7
This thread leads me to another question. Since sequence settings apply only to a particular sequence, if I want to refocus every 30min in a scheduled job (with a duration of several hours) but that job is linked to a sequence of 15min duration (the sequence would repeat several times in the schedule definition), I guess it will never refocus. Am I wrong?
2 years 4 months ago #78155

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.644 seconds