nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Ok, It will work....just download the ZWO driver. Ken and Jared created SGP, Ken is on sabbatical.

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Here ya go! http://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/software/

Oknoder Loc: Western North Dakota

Hear, Hear. I could not have said it better myself Ed. The only issue I have had with plate solving was the figuring out the correct FOV, its easy like Ed states when you are only involving the camera and scope, the difficulty I ran into was when I used reducers. More aptly when I used reducers that were not spaced exactly where they were supposed to go, which changes the FOV. What I found is if for whatever reason I change the imaging train, to where my FOV is different than before I use the blind solve at http://nova.astrometry.net/upload to solve an image, from what I have found 16bit stretched fits work the best, and solve usually within 5-10s, which gives you your present FOV along with the accurate center of frame your scope is pointing towards. I normally use a plate solve for each subject I am imaging unless they are fairly close to one another, but lately it is a rare occurrence to get in two subjects in a single night, preferring to spend every available moment on my main subject for the night.

I can't say I have really given Astrotortilla the time I am sure it deserves, but since I tend to use Maxim for CCD and SGP for my Nikons, both have great plate solving built in so that negates me really needing to try anything new. I do wish I could figure out how to properly write an ASCOM driver since for some strange reason my main camera has an ASCOM driver for just the camera, not its integrated filter wheel, but in Apogee's glorious wisdom didn't include the filter wheels that are built into their cameras, only the usb powered ones, into their ASCOM driver, so I can only use SGP for Lums with that CCD. Not the biggest fan of Maxim, and have been trying to work out the kinks in the SKYX, but I have gotten to the point where wasting time screwing around with relearning new software is simply painful, especially when no real needed features are added.

Clear Skies,
Matthew

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Thank ya fellas , I still haven't got Alanna talked into purchasing SGP for me yet. I've found that with my rgb data that my target moved each time I switched a color and I've tried to align them but, dss doesn't do that . I've got a buddy that has a program that'll align them up. Matthew and Ed, plate solving is something that'll center my target? Correct?

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Yes! You will cease to do any alignments - no more spending 20 plus minutes running through a star alignment routine, only to bump your mount and have to start all over. Just select "slew to target" and then "center target" in SGP and it is done! Now you need to enter the targets RA and DEC manually or you can use a picture you took from a prior night to plate solve by (I usually do this) or you can go to say, Astrobin, find a target and copy the url into SGP (there is a place for that) and when your "slew to target" walla, you are there.

Cool cool cool. Astrotortilla does the same thing (free I might add) but a different routine is used. Still, no need for alignment!

TAKE YOUR FINDER SCOPE OFF - SELL IT ON EBAY - and LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD! :) :)

Now let's talk about Alanna - I assume she would like to spend more time with you (at night) well this will add another 20 to 30 minutes to snuggle time....you won't be aggravated - but thrilled that your are already imaging - my guess is your love making will be "up" like the "stars" in the sky :)

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Lighten the load , now you're cooking with grease Ed ! As far as Alanna is concerned she thinks that adding another software will just confuse me or I'll some how get everything twisted in my head . When I haven't been able to get a good focus , alignment or get things going on a consistent basis . I try explaining it's atmosphere , lp or turbulance but, that falls on deaf ears. She seems to think that it's like picking apples , you see an apple and PICK it. NO NO ! I say, It's not that easy everything has to come together or failure. I spend 4-5 hours some nights doing the same thing and some nights I come in with nada, griping the whole time , knowing that some nights " it just wasn't meant to be." Some nights balanced and aligned lickity split right to my target and then the moon is beaming killing it for me on the dso side , so I shoot the moon or planet instead. It doesn't do me any good to plan , no plan happens to be the only way to go. I've got a lot of huge old Oak trees that limit my fov and only can shoot at certain times on some targets if I miss my window of opportunity , oh well !

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Darn...that may be the sadist "up" story I have heard. Depressing! You deserve a good night shooting "up" with a plan that works. Seriously, I wish a few others that use SGP would also comment on it's ease of use...and how much of a time saver it is.

Now there is a downside to plate solving..... if you are the kind of person that really wants to learn the sky.....to be able to name stars when you see them. Using the Alignment process will help you in do that. If you use Plate Solving software to locate and center your target - you will save time but your knowledge of the sky will probably suffer.

Personally, I would rather take a sharp knife to the eye than spend a night of locating "up" targets with "setting circles" or alignment routines - 2+3 and more.

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Yes , I'm pretty sorry Ed ! I' ve spent 2+ yrs. learning stars and I use planetary programs though I forget to do a step here and there in my routine , I can pick alignment stars out , good at doing it through the ep and the camera only once . I forgot how I did it , I get all excited and forget to scribble notes down. I fell out of a tree on my head when I was 9 {30 ft.} , I don't give up , working with my handicaps just slows me down , I push on and on some nights I get that mojo going and get r dun. I nor anyone else never in a million yrs. thought that I could accomplish what I've done so far moon ,planets and bright dso's sort of . I go at my pace and someday I'll get there. It takes me too long to collimate ,balance and align when I take out and pack up every time and have tv night when I know it's going to be awesome seeing. I'll get SGP it's a matter of time, this month is her Bday and I 'll keep working on her and she'll give in . I've also got a 10in dob that I use for visual and lunar avi's that I pull out with my handtruck" that's my quicky setup" when I don't have the gumption to set up my astrograph. I enjoy all of it and it's my peace of mind.

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

We when all is said and done, enjoyment - peace of mind are the end goal for me too. We can all get there choosing different roads but the travel experience can be daunting at times.

Let's see, B-day for the wife - hummm, why not buy her a starter "up" kit and some software to go with it...as in SGP. Then you can "up look" and "up shoot" together :)

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

I was out last night in good seeing and I got some ole luna and my back and legs have made me pay for it today and it's killing me to the point where I won't go tonight. I hardly ever say that but, hopefully staying off my legs and resting will give me some revitalization .

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Send a prayer your way my friend, hope you get better - quickly!!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Well damn, Ronnie.
Hopefully we are headed to more clear nights, so you can pick and choose.
Sorry to hear your legs and back are acting up.

Clear skies, and less misery my friend.

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

I'm really going to pull for you Ronnie.
I can't be crawling around on the ground doing visual either.
So I'm doing mostly Photos now. I get to sit at the computer.
Craig

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Thanks fellas , I've got a system passing over me right now. I looked up last night @ 1130 and clouds were already rolling in . I don't feel so bad now but, once all is said and done the heat and humidity will be back "LOVELY" I hope it isn't too hot and humid, that would take forever for my tec to reach temp.