×

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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Plate Solving with a Star Adventurer 2 Mount

  • Posts: 12
  • Thank you received: 1
I have been guiding with PHD2 (Astroberry / RPi4) with good results and am now looking to do some plate solving with EKOS. All the information that I can find appears to be when using a GOTO mount where the solving is used to slew the mount to a selected target but nothing for a mount like the Star Adventurer. I did have a go last week but kept getting "Not Enough Stars" coming up when pressing solve and using the internal solver and also nova.astrometry (RPi4 was connected to wi-fi). I tried different gains and exposure times with no apparent success. I was using a Redcat 51/Sony A7iii and a ZWOMM Miniguider at the time. I did try both scopes to solve but kept getting the same response. In the end I just manually pointed to the target and guided with no issues. It would be good to get the plate solving figured out though and was looking for some advice on the correct settings to try next time.
Thanks all in advance.
2 years 11 months ago #70289

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

  • Posts: 1309
  • Thank you received: 226
Speaking from experience. It definitely will work and is a pleasure to use.
For platesolving to work well, a few conditions must be met.
1. Accurate focal length set and camera selected.
2. A mount driver. For The Star Adventurer, use the Telescope Simulator. I have not had success getting the 'Star Adventurer' driver to connect. *You can create a custom Simulator Mount called Star Adventurer in the device manager if you wish.
3. Install all the recommended Astrometry Indexes.
4. Avoid blind solves and greatly speed up solutions by syncing the mount roughly where you think you are pointed on the sky map. *Expanding the search radius can help.
5. It's best to have accurate time and location setup.
6. Be in focus! And don't under expose your plate solve frames.

Naturally the Star Adventurer will not GoTo. But once you get solving to work, you will see the solved FOV box displayed on the Sky Map. At that point it is just a matter of making manual adjustments to the position and doing another platesolve until you are satisfied.
 
The following user(s) said Thank You: JIm Frost
Last edit: 2 years 11 months ago by Andrew.
2 years 11 months ago #70300

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

  • Posts: 12
  • Thank you received: 1
Many thanks for your reply. I'll go back and double check my settings again to make sure I'm set up correctly. As I said it was the first attempt so very likely that user error was high on the possibilities!
Thanks again.
2 years 11 months ago #70320

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

Time to create page: 0.497 seconds