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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Polar Alignment with the telescope returned to Park

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I find the Ekos Polar Alignment process excellent and I have benefitted hugely from the results I obtain with it. However I have a suggestion for a small improvement. If the final mechanical adjustments to the mount could take place with the telescope/guidescope already returned to the Park position, the image in the alignment frame would now correlate with the mechanical movements of the mount adjustments i.e. up means up and left means left rather than at some angle. I have gradually gained some 'instinct' so my adjustments are less by fumbling with the control knobs and a bit more directed than they were at first, but all simplifications in the dark would be welcome.
4 years 1 month ago #49339

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I know what you mean. I enjoy using the PAA, but the first twist on the az or alt knobs is just a shot in the dark as to which way the star will move. It is easy to figure out after a few adjustments but having the scope in the home position would probably make the movements more intuitive.
I've never tried it but as far as I know it is not mandatory to start the process with the scope in the home position. If one started with the scope all the way to the east or west(counterweight bar more or less parallel to the ground) then set the paa to move the telescope 45 degrees each rotation the telescope would end up at the home position. I wonder if that would work, has anyone tried it?
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4 years 1 month ago #49341

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This is what I do:
1) unpark my mount,
2) manually rotate to approximately 60 degrees west
3) start the polar alignment routine with 30 degree steps to the east
4) final image and loop are approximately at park position making azimuth and longitudinal adjustments more logical to my mind.

I agree that if this were automated, it would be much simpler.
4 years 1 month ago #49342

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I've not been able to get the Ekos Polar Alignment to work, the Park position for my mount is configured to point my telescope about 40 degrees below the horizon, and when plate solving fails for what ever reason the Polar Alignment decides to take the telescope way off the NCP and point it at the ground.

Not sure why it does this, should I program the Park position to be the Home position pointing at where the NCP should be?
4 years 1 month ago #49371

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With the EQMod mount driver I had the same problem. The solution was to reset the home position:

Put your telescope pointing to the pole and switch on the mount. Then goto the INDI mount driver, locate the home position section and press the default button, then save.

This is only needed to be done once.
4 years 1 month ago #49376

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I figured as much, I have a Celestron CGX - Park, Home and Switch mean different things to different mounts. Using Park is not too good for the CGX (Park in Celestron sense mean a move to a static state), Home/Switch means more in line with what the Polar Alignment tool is expecting.
4 years 1 month ago #49377

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Avocette,

I believe that may be a viable option for the NCP but there are very few bright stars around the SCP which would probablyt create more issues than are solved.

Paul
4 years 1 month ago #49386

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If you are saying that you can presently do your PA when the routine leaves the scope rotated 60° from the Park position because there are more stars visible in that position, then fine, carry on. In the case of the northern hemisphere, I am not using Polaris when I make the mount adjustments, but just some arbitrary star in the field of view of my guidescope. My issue is just that I would prefer up to mean up and right to mean right on the alignment screen. At present right (east) adjustment makes the chosen star move at 30° to the horizontal upwards and leftwards (west north west). I have now learned this but every new user suffers the same learning issue.....
4 years 1 month ago #49395

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I see merit in your request. For now you could just manually rotate the mount east by 60 degrees and then start the polar alignment routine with the mount moving west (or vice versa). Yes it is an additional step to be done manually but at least you'll get what you're looking for.
For me, personally, I don't care much for the orientation of the FOV during the polar alignment. And I have auto-park after the polar alignment routine finishes disabled so if your request is honored then I'd like to have an option somewhere to NOT do that. Just my $0,02

Wouter
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4 years 1 month ago #49401

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Hi Wouter,
I haven't had the clear skies yet to try this approach but it would certainly satisfy my initial need. I wouldn't want anyone to be negatively affected if the request ultimately leads to some changes!
Ed
4 years 1 month ago #49402

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So with clear skies here tonight (yippee!), I just tried out your idea RDBeck and Wouter and it worked very well! Two points of interest - up was down and left was right but we are used to telescope observations being inverted and flipped, and secondly, the 60° offset from Park turned out to be a little less at around 56° when I looked at the RA setting circle (which I had never needed to check before). Thanks both for the idea! Ed
Last edit: 4 years 1 month ago by Avocette.
4 years 1 month ago #49447

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This is a good idea. It will assume that your camera orientation is also orthogonal though.
Myself, I try to visualise the error line as the hypotenuse of a right triangle, with the two missing sides corresponding the RA and DEC traces. If that could actually be drawn, the process would be a simple matter of following one side at a time.
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4 years 1 month ago #49457

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