nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

To begin with....I am not a partner with this software maker.

I use three mounts, a Celestron, Vixen, and iOptron. Both have a very good built in polar alignment software via the hand controller. But both seek to find a star along the meridian near the celestial equator....and because of my home "seeing" location, trees obstruct this view. So, if you don't want to drag out the chainsaw, then this will work as an awesome substitute.

A couple years ago I bought a software program called "Alignmaster"

http://www.alignmaster.de/ (he is hard to understand but the video does a pretty good job of "how to use" this software. You do not need EQMOD as this seems to indicate.

Of late, I have been using my 8 inch F/10 SCT. As those of you who use 8 inch and larger scopes know, longer exposures and better tracking are critical.

I have needed more exact polar alignments, PEC, and guiding. To get "spot on" polar alignments I am back using "Alignmaster". This software is just too good not to reshare. The support is poor, I doubt you will get an answer to your emails. But you cannot find fault with the software. This software works for me as it allows me to select alignment stars in either the East or West. Easy to use and setup.

Should you add this and want to know how I use it along with NexRemote...and either Solarium or SkySafari or Starry Night let me know....there are some com port nuances that have to be dealt with.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Well, so far anyway, I only have the Celestron AVX to contend with, and can usually find my bumbling way through alignment with it. :) ;)
If it picks an alignment star that is in one of my trees, I push 'Undo' and try the next offering. And so far, it has always gotten me out of my trees. :lol:
Once aligned, I use PHD guiding to keep me on target. And recently I found video's to help me fine tune and understand PHD in much deeper ways to get a lot more from it.
PHD is not "Push Here Dummy" as simplistic as you would be lead to believe. Fine tuning brings about accurateness's demanded for Astrophotography successes.

I will always use the 2 star alignment, and add 4 calibration stars. My simplistic reasoning is to give the "brain" in the NexStar hand control those extra points of reference to work with.
I feel that by taking the time to do a 6-star alignment, I should get a bit better aiming and hopefully a bit better tracking. And it usually does not add any great deal of time or bother to me in setting up. (And usually, the last several alignment stars come up close to centered in the eyepiece. That tells me I must be getting close to a good alignment.)
Even if I find my aiming or tracking off, I can go back to square one and get back to viewing or taking exposures in a short amount of time by doing another alignment.

So it is difficult for me to see how I need a third party Alignment program to do what is built in already to my mount.
I could definitely see a great deal of value if I did not have the capability already.
Could you elaborate about what you feel Alignmaster offers that is beyond what is available from the manufacturers current offerings?
I'm listening, but skeptical. ;)

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Totally agree with you on PHD and PHD2. I too have watched several video tutorials and there is lots I do not understand...probably never will.


I do not have any issues with getting good alignments....I too use the 2 star (when using AVX) and either 2 or 3 but rarely need 4 additional calibration stars. What I struggle with, especially the AVX is polar alignment and backlash. Although I have better results with the PEC procedure with iOptron (never use the Vixen)...I get ok results with PEC with AVX.

So my big issue is Polar alignment. When I am off site - All Star Polar Alignment is awesome. There is no need for any other software. But I like to image at my home. I have pretty good views from the North to East-South-East....then a row of huge trees block my views of the south and my house the western sky. By using Alignmaster, I can select stars in the EAST to do my polar alignment. It just works!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Oh, brain fart on my part, I am using PHD 2 now. Here, this made mine work very well for me... finally.
PHD Basics 1. It is 34 minutes long, but I kept pausing and applying it to my laptop and my desktop computers, tuning them to act and carry the same settings.
Still hungry for more, I went to the...
PHD Basics 2. Which is another 21 minutes long, but it all made me very happy with my copy of PHD 2.
I do play with the settings to get as smooth a graph as I can, and use the Auto-select Star, and the Guiding Assistant a lot.
And try to remember to playback the PEC.

Maybe that can help you like it did me. ;)

I will usually use the 2 Star in the AVX alignment because it defaults to that. Unless I'm doing something like the Planets, Moon, or Sun.
The reason I go for all the Calibration Stars is that since I'm there anyway, it also does a check-see how close the mount is calling up the additional stars. I'm an overachiever, and go-to all the advantages it will give me. ;) Only takes a little time and trouble.

For polar alignment, I went ahead and got the scope that fits into the AVX core. Pretty near as fast as I found out about it.
It isn't a rifle scope, and took some fiddling to get the reticle in it turned the right way, but now it works good for finding my polar alignment, I think.
Here is Celestron's page on it. Under "Support" is the manual for it.
I'm not experianced enough to figure out if it works great or not. But I can get good round stars in my images now.

Focusing is my bane. But I'm working on it.

And in spite of a lot of light pollution around me, I, like you, prefer to stay at home. My thinking is it is close to the fridge and bed. (Hot Chocolate, snacks, and comfort.)
But I have found some good spots very nearby. I live a short drive from a National Forest. I really like my Senior Advantage Pass. Too bad they only give it to old farts like me that prefer to stay home. :lol:
But at home, I can leave the mount set up and cover the head. I just take the telescope in, and my laptop.
Then set up is so much easier.

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Thanks for the links to PHD2 tutorials...I will watch!!

I too have polar scopes and after leveling mount I use them to get me in the ball park. The iOptron is brilliantly made and illuminated. iOptron also has an APP that gives real time location of the CNP that is identical to their polar scope. I wish the AVX had that...crap I just wish the AVX polar scope was illuminated. I use a small red light to shine down the polar scope to light up the icons. Still, my DEC history (phd2 graph) tells a story of woeful alignment. I got to the point where I rarely use the 8 inch. The Nikon 400 F/4 lens is very forgiving as is the Vixen 625 mm 81EDs with a .63 focal reducer.

When I had the idea to chase the supernova in M82 (before I found out I was a year too late) I decided to pull out the 8 inch and add the "Alignmaster Software" to see if I could improve my PA. I have been pleasantly surprised - tickled pink! I have had the software for a while and put it through it's paces last year...not too sure why I stopped using it. Lazy is the answer, one less thing to fiddle with...always in a hurry to start imaging.

Focusing - I struggled...struggled, cussed, quit and swore off "up" imaging time and time again. I bought a Bahtinov mask and that is brilliantly simple and it works. But, when I added two software programs, Backyard EOS for Nikon and/or Astro Photography Tool (APT) for use with my Atik CCD camera....I shelved the Bahtinov mask and now depend entirely on FWHM adjustments. Just takes a few minutes to get it right if not seconds. Both software programs will deliver you from focusing tantrums!!!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

You're welcome for the links. It sure made a huge difference for me and my PHD experiance.

:lol: I do the same thing with the AVX Polar scope, have to play my red LED headlamp into the front of it to see the danged circle. Getting the 8 O'clock position isn't too bad, but all things being dark is a real PITA.
It works great in the daylight. But when you need it in the dark it's flat on its face. :roll:
What were they thinking? :?:

I did look up the Alignmaster software, but holding off for now.

Tonight, 11/21-22, I had the presence of mind to get out my alignment eyepiece and used to to center each calibrating star as I was going along. It is a lighted eyepiece, and normally works great. But tonight the switch failed on it.
So I did the headlamp in the front end to use it.
Didn't matter about the LED in it, I got an amazing alignment.
And every DSO I went after I found and tracked better than normal for me.
Once found, I would put the subject dead center; then go to PHD and let it pick the star and begin guiding. Then started grabbing images.
It went so well, on one I took a 600 second image. The Eskimo Nebula, it was in a good position for me to image it. I had been collecting on the Orion Nebula, but it was going away behind a power pole in my FOV.
The only thing that made me pick the Eskimo was that Jim in Alba quirky shot it the other night, so I thought I'd try my hand at it. I shot a long series of exposures and saved them to play with. But the longer the time frames, the more DSO's came up.
I like using my CCD for my telescope (Orion ED80T CF) because of the cooling it has.
I have downloaded the APT on both computers to give it a whirl. My first impression is it's going to take me some time to adjust it. It appears it is quite user dependent to dial it in. So far I have the location and time set.... :shock: :roll: :lol: ;)
So, bumbling along which is par for me.
Jeese, near 3 AM. I think I will bid everybody a good night and go to bed. :P

Oknoder Loc: Western North Dakota

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LXFGRta98rs

This is the video I used to really learn about, and dial in my guiding. I believe it is a long video given by one of the creators of PHD2.

For focusing, I cheat, and use a motorized focuser with Focus Max, integrated within MaximDL. As I understand it it takes a series of images then decides the best focus based on its results. I do have to be relatively close to focus to begin with though.

Sadly I believe I am done imaging for a month or so, till we get all moved into the new house which was just finished. At least now maybe I can find some time for some processing. I am already planning the observatory to be built this spring.

Matthew

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Check this tutorial on APT out. It will answer a few questions and point you in the correct direction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxLwaLMGp4s

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Exciting! Cudos on new home! .....and upcoming observatory!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Congratulations on the New Home, Matthew!

And an Observatory.... http://www.emofaces.com/png/200/smilies/starryeyed.png

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

My "Observatory" consists of a 32 gallon plastic trash can covering my canvas weatherproof cover over my mount, sans telescope.
And a plastic storage bin inverted to cover my power and harnessing array.
It's a work in progress.... :lol:

Focuser... Oh.... there I go drooling again.
Soon, soon I hope... :mrgreen:

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Aye, that is a bit of a great tutorial 'elp, mate.
I'll be lookin in on it further along.

(Hey, my sir name is English... :roll: )

Thank You for the link!
I think it will be of a great deal of help to get me started. Video tutorials are of a great help to me as I can pause them, back them up, watch them over, and so-on....
Fortunately for me I can hook up right here in my home office and dial in the gear. I did that for my preliminary PHD and PHD2 learning and adjustments.
That gives me real world settings to get the equipment registered and working before I go sit in the night air. Then a few sessions and I begin to finally get some good use out of my equipment.
But I'm still a toddler at this, so learning each time the Sun goes down...