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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Guider questions:Loading guide flats / calibration restarting / effects settings

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I'm very slowly learning to autoguide my mount (Stellaremate OS / EQ6-R Pro / Stellarvue refractor).

When using flats in the guider, I understand it will save flats in the flats folder and from what I read, it should pull one out (up to the validity day limit). How do you load one of these pre-made flats to use for guiding? In the folder it says "double click to open" but it just highlights the part of the file info currently pointed at. Do you select on and hit the OK button? I don't see it loading, and it still tells me to cover my scope for flat.

I understand the flats will help with noisy images, so if you run a filter that clears the image up a little more (median seems to improve it for example) does the guider use that cleaner image for guiding or is this just for the advantage of the user to watch the guiding?

I also have it seem to run the guide calibration often even in the same chunk of sky that I'm currently in. I didn't clear the guiding, but it does it itself. Is there a setting to keep the current guide calibration or is this something it need to do often? It is pretty quick to run, but just annoying when it does it so often.

Thanks in advance. I'm very happy with Ekos/Kstars and the non-Microsft world, just climbing a learning curve. :)

Tom
Last edit: 4 years 1 month ago by Tom Gwilym.
4 years 1 month ago #50015

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Re: guiding re-calibration... the behaviour has changed recently. Have a look at guide options, they now contain a setting called "Reset guide calibration after each mount slew". Uncheck this box and you should be fine.



This box should remain unchecked per default IMO.
Last edit: 4 years 1 month ago by Alfred.
4 years 1 month ago #50016
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I was looking all over for a checkbox like that, but mine doesn't have that. I'm running version 3.4.0 of KStars / Ekos.

4 years 1 month ago #50018
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Previously this box was located in Ekos/Scheduler preferences and named "Always reset guide calibration".



If you are not on nightly builds, have a look there. This setting affects re-alignment globally (not only when operating the scheduler) that's why it has been moved to a more appropriate place. More info: indilib.org/forum/ekos/6059-what-means-a...libration.html#49930
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Last edit: 4 years 1 month ago by Alfred.
4 years 1 month ago #50022
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Ah! There it is. They tucked it away in a totally different area than the guider options. I'll turn that off and see how it goes. I usually do a re-calibrate often, but when I'm on the same one and for some reason I have to stop the guiding, it's a pain to have to redo that.

Thanks!
Tom
4 years 1 month ago #50039

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Thanks for the help with that first question I had.
Next question: Anyone know how to load a flat frame for the guider? I did create a small library of them and would like to load one to clean up my autoguide image. Seems that when the "Dark" box is checked it would create one if there wasn't something saved already? I try that and it keeps asking me to cover the scope an take another.
How do I load a dark that is already made and use that?

Tom
4 years 1 month ago #50043

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It shouldn't ask you unless you change binning or exposure, otherwise it would re-use the captured dark frame.
4 years 1 month ago #50051

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So if there is a flat in the folder that is the same time/binning it should just use that once the "[ ] Flat" box is checked? It kept telling me to cover my scope and I never saw it look different once it took it. I do have maybe 5 files in my flat's folder, but not sure how to tell it to load one of the flats. Nothing changed on the file, still 3 seconds and 2x2 binning.
4 years 1 month ago #50055

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Darks have to meet certain additional criteria like age and temperature in order to be re-used. Have a look at Ekos/Dark Library in main settings. A "Dark validity" of x days and a temperature threshold of y degrees are being defined there. (In addition to exposure time and resolution) these settings have to be met by previously saved darks in order to be re-used, too.

Last edit: 4 years 1 month ago by Alfred.
4 years 1 month ago #50059
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This is the handful of darks I managed to capture last night when trying to figure this out.
Could my temps be varied too much? Seems pretty close. I'm not super picky about how accurate the darks are yet, I'm just trying to figure out how to make my autoguiding run realiably. I'm close, It will be going fine for a while, then a random spike of 10-20 arcsecs that has me banging my head on my dome! It then settles down again for a while. I'll have to graph my data and see if it's random or repeating. Another topic for a different thread.

4 years 1 month ago #50060
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I suggest you increase the temperature thereshold to at least 5 degrees.

Your temperature threshold is set to 1 degree which means Ekos will not re-use any of your existing darks unless the actual temperature is no more than +-1 degree different from the temperature existing darks had been taken at. For example, should the temperature be 4 degrees (or more) when you take pictures next time, none of your existing darks could be re-used.
4 years 1 month ago #50062

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Good idea. I'll add more "slop" to my temperatures. I guess when I run the camera for a bit, it would heat up slightly. It's an ASI120MM Mini.
4 years 1 month ago #50065

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