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Stellarsolve and plate solve - inconsistent results

  • Posts: 3
  • Thank you received: 0
Hello,

Recently I am struggling a lot with KStars/EKOS 3.5.0 plate solving. I tested plate solve on a few images from previous sessions and in some cases it failed, but in many other cases I was able to get results in like 0.2s (which is AWESOME :) ). So I tried to plate solve the failed images using nova.astrometry.net and it worked fine. The issue is that in the field I was not able to plate solve ANY image and it ruined my session completely (which is frustrating even more because it was the first clear night since beginning of December).

nova.astrometry.net/status/4158413
nova.astrometry.net/user_images/4299132


Also, when I process the files from command line using astrometry it works too, however I had to remove some of the parameters which seem to restrict solving to e.g. some area - I do not know why the parameters are set:

astroberry@astroberry:~ $ /usr/bin/solve-field -O --no-plots --no-verify --crpix-center --match none --corr none --new-fits none --rdls none --resort --objs 50 --downsample 3 --odds-to-solve 1e+09 --odds-to-tune-up 1e+06 ~/Light/Light_1_secs_2021-01-16T00-52-03_002.fits Reading input file 1 of 1: "/home/astroberry/Light/Light_1_secs_2021-01-16T00-52-03_002.fits"...
Extracting sources...
Downsampling by 3...
simplexy: found 290 sources.
Reading sort column "FLUX"
Sorting sort column
mmapping input file
Copying table header.
Writing row 0
Done
Solving...
Reading file "/home/astroberry/Light/Light_1_secs_2021-01-16T00-52-03_002.axy"...
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4219.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4218.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4217.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4216.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4215.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4214.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4213.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4212.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4211.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4210.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4209.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4208.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-11.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-10.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-09.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-08.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-07.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-06.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-05.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-04.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-03.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-02.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-01.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-00.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-11.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-10.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-09.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-08.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-07.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-06.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-05.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-04.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-03.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-02.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-01.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-00.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4119.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4118.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4117.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4116.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4115.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4114.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4113.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4112.fits, field objects 1-10).
log-odds ratio 107.283 (3.91339e+46), 23 match, 0 conflict, 16 distractors, 28 index.
RA,Dec = (59.5502,77.2559), pixel scale 4.43712 arcsec/pix.
Hit/miss: Hit/miss: +++++++++++++++-+++--++
++
+(best)----+---+++
Field 1: solved with index index-4111.fits.
Field 1 solved: writing to file /home/astroberry/Light/Light_1_secs_2021-01-16T00-52-03_002.solved to indicate this.
Field: /home/astroberry/Light/Light_1_secs_2021-01-16T00-52-03_002.fits
Field center: (RA,Dec) = (59.558849, 77.259349) deg.
Field center: (RA H:M:S, Dec D:M:S) = (03:58:14.124, +77:15:33.656).
Field size: 3.05597 x 2.03301 degrees
Field rotation angle: up is -121.297 degrees E of N
Field parity: neg

Rosette nebula:

astroberry@astroberry:~ $ /usr/bin/solve-field -O --no-plots --no-verify --crpix-center --match none --corr none --new-fits none --rdls none --resort --objs 50 --downsample 3 --odds-to-solve 1e+09 --odds-to-tune-up 1e+06 ~/Light/Rosetta_Light_300_secs_2020-12-04T23-27-54_001.fits
Reading input file 1 of 1: "/home/astroberry/Light/Rosetta_Light_300_secs_2020-12-04T23-27-54_001.fits"...
Extracting sources...
Downsampling by 3...
simplexy: found 1815 sources.
Reading sort column "FLUX"
Sorting sort column
mmapping input file
Copying table header.
Writing row 0
Done
Solving...
Reading file "/home/astroberry/Light/Rosetta_Light_300_secs_2020-12-04T23-27-54_001.axy"...
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4219.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4218.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4217.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4216.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4215.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4214.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4213.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4212.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4211.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4210.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4209.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4208.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-11.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-10.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-09.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-08.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-07.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-06.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-05.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-04.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-03.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-02.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-01.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4207-00.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-11.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-10.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-09.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-08.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-07.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-06.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-05.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-04.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-03.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-02.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-01.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4206-00.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4119.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4118.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4117.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4116.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4115.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4114.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4113.fits, field objects 1-10).
Field 1 did not solve (index index-4112.fits, field objects 1-10).
log-odds ratio 197.354 (5.1258e+85), 22 match, 0 conflict, 20 distractors, 26 index.
RA,Dec = (97.9491,4.94984), pixel scale 2.22738 arcsec/pix.
Hit/miss: Hit/miss: +++++++-++++-++--++++----++
+-+
+(best)
+++
Field 1: solved with index index-4111.fits.
Field 1 solved: writing to file /home/astroberry/Light/Rosetta_Light_300_secs_2020-12-04T23-27-54_001.solved to indicate this.
Field: /home/astroberry/Light/Rosetta_Light_300_secs_2020-12-04T23-27-54_001.fits
Field center: (RA,Dec) = (97.949815, 4.949608) deg.
Field center: (RA H:M:S, Dec D:M:S) = (06:31:47.956, +04:56:58.587).
Field size: 3.05741 x 2.03132 degrees
Field rotation angle: up is 78.6142 degrees E of N
Field parity: neg



So the problem is that while I can easily plate solve M42 in 0.2s when I try to plate solve Rosette nebula it fails completely. Image quality is very similar in both cases.

I have put some test files, some of them solve fine, but other like Rosette or Light_1_secs, Light_3_secs fail:

drive.google.com/drive/folders/1S7Mn9SVH...dfGlnJaQ?usp=sharing





Thanks
Karol
3 years 2 months ago #66043
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Hi Karol,

I sometimes notice that solving an image just taken with my camera fails as well. In such cases I notice that disabling "Use Scale" in the options on the lower right of the Align tab and then selecting "Scale And Position" solves that for me. I don't know why, I just know that it does. I now have that option permanently disabled and have not had a single plate solving failure anymore.

HTH, Wouter
3 years 2 months ago #66046

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Thanks for reply Wouter.

I have discovered it too, however it does work only in the StellarSolver test application and not in EKOS. See attached screenshots, are your settings in EKOS the same?
3 years 2 months ago #66050
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Karol, yes the settings in Ekos are the same. Weird that it doesn’t work for you. Sorry, I don’t know the solution.
3 years 2 months ago #66055

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So, I just downloaded and tested The Rosette image you sent. There is incorrect scale information saved in the FITS Header. That is why it fails to solve. The FITS Header says that the scale is 4.9" per pixel, but when I solve the image it says 2.22" per pixel. That is too far off to solve with use scale checked. Unchecking use scale allows this one to solve. I expect this is the first image? The others seem to have correct scale info?

Then I tried the Light 3 image that you sent, The scale was correct in this image and caused no problems, but the position information is very wrong. The position saved in the FITS Header says it is pointing at the pole. If you notice, the DEC is just about 90 degrees. Unchecking use position allows this one to solve. Usually the reason this would occur is if the mount and KStars thinks it is still pointing at the pole when you are really pointing someplace else. If you restarted KStars or your mount, and had the option in KStars set to send the incorrect position information to the other one, or something like that, and then tried to plate solve while pointing at someplace other than the pole would cause this to happen. I hope this made sense?

I'm not sure I understand the "Light 1" Images. They have the wrong position information saved in the FITS Header, and unchecking the "use position" option allows them to solve, but I am not as certain about what happened to cause it as I am in the "light 3" image. Do you have more information about these 2 images? The first one the RA was off a bit. For the second, both the RA and DEC were off. But each image it is a different amount they are off. Did you move the telescope without using the hand paddle or KStars? Or maybe were these done after restarting everything and trying again?

The horsehead image has correct scale and correct position information. It solves right away.
3 years 2 months ago #66061

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