SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

PHD 2 has a new download available that gives users a Multiple Star tracking option. (You can chose it in advanced options.)
I finally got a cloud break last night to see how it works. Too soon to tell, but I think it is an improvement.
At least it does show a variety of stars available, and puts a box around the best one (circles around others).
For a long time, I've always used the Auto Select icon myself.

Anyway, if you are interested: https://openphdguiding.org/development-snapshots/
You want to download and install this: v2.6.9dev2

For me, it flawlessly installed over the old. Run the wizard. And under advanced settings (Brain Icon)>guiding>Guide Star Tracking>find the Check Box: Use Multiple Stars.

More here: On the Losmandy Users Group Site.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Hi SonnyE
Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

You're Welcome!
Brian V gives some particulars, like use the Auto Select.
If you manual select, it shuts off the Multi Star.
I guess you have to turn it back on in the advanced settings.

Not a problem for me. I'm lazy and always use the Auto Select.
It's nice, but my jury is still out. Time will tell.
Everything here is working very well now anyway.

When you click the Auto Select (Star), it pops a bunch of found stars on the screen, circled in green. And the choice one is in a green box. Then (like usual) you click the Begin Guiding button, and away it goes.
Anyway, give it a try if you'd like.

Looks like a week of clouds or more here. Poop!

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Yep I just took my scope down since it we will be having rain on and off for at least the next week.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Fratzen, Ratzen, ratzen-fratzen.
I guess the drought is over.

Marc G Loc: East Grinstead, West Sussex, England

Hi Sonny. This PHD2 update could void us with the lost star scenerio whilst guiding 🤔
Wonder if PHD2 is clever enough to automatically hop to nearest available star?

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Hi Marc,
I don't know any particulars yet. Except for the Multi Star shutting off if we chose a star for ourselves.
As for me, I've been using the Auto Select pretty much right along. (I'm lazy )
And come to think about it, once set, about all I pay attention to is if it starts flashing red. Which most often means some poop-stain cloud came along.
That happened the other night and shut me down by 21:15 hrs. I was only into my 2nd object 35 minutes (300 seconds X 7 images).

I have a new Guiding Camera (ZWO ASI290MM) and it is about twice as fine a definition as my SSAG was, so I'm seeing more stars in PHD.
My graph is pretty choppy right now, and I haven't figured that out yet. Still getting the best ever images from the telescope. So not concerned about the graph at the moment.
Too much science gets in the way of having fun imaging...
Did I mention I'm lazy?

Marc G Loc: East Grinstead, West Sussex, England

Yes you mentioned lazy.......

Define choppy? I think as long as you are within +/- 5" you should be good to go.
Large random deviations (spikes) are normally associated with gusts of wind
Frequent larger than normal deviations could be dithering or backlash or balancing issue
Sudden rises or falls normally mean you have a tethered cable

End of the day it is star shape that is important not so much what the guide graph looks like

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

RA and Dec corrections I guess. I tend to run my settings y: +/-2". I was use to deviations being +/- .5"
But the new guide camera has a much more sawtooth shaped graft.
I can't complain about my results though. I've been getting the best ever now that I can Polar Align with Sharpcap, and do ~12 star alignment.
Finally, bullseye slews. I need to figure out Plate Solving. Maybe by year ten?

My RMS errors are sub-zero's, and my RA Osc are >0.1X. I'm only beginning to pay attention to the figures.
I never did fuss much with the gibberish in PHD2, as long as I was getting better and better pictures.
About the time you think you've got it, the atmospheric conditions vary and it's like... huh?
I try to get all zero's in Sharpcap Polar Aligning, and I do get all zero's, but then it bob's or dodges. Still in the "Excellent" rating, but a bit wiggly at times.

Sounds a bit like a woman describing a noise her car makes...

Marc G Loc: East Grinstead, West Sussex, England

Plate solving is a must & so easy once set up mate.
I use plate solving on my non goto star adventurer, its priceless.

Im currently running Astap for plate solve beside APT & HNSky.
First 'blind' solve of a fresh piece of sky takes 30-45s, the RA/DEC coordinates are stored automatically in APT & sent to HNSky for framing check.
After framing adjustment via micro slews, sync cursor to mount in HNSky, I snap another sub & click 'solve' the solved image is usually solved in under 10s.

With my current software set up I'm currently working on predefined mosaics via EQMod Virtual scope

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

I do have ASTAP installed. I just need to get my butt in gear and work with it.
A Friend helped me when I was in trial with SGP. But I didn't like SPG's price, nor the way the developer got snippy with a retired photography teacher asking about formats like tiff. The guy literally told him to go get NINA if he wanted other formats.
I figured I was done with the SGP developers ego at that point.

Anyway, my friend walked me through plate solving with ASTAP. And I truly think it is high time I stop goofing around and get plate solving working.
We got my equipment to work with ASTAP. So it proved it can.
Now we just need to get the operator up to speed.

I've been working all along with Stellarium as my Planetarium program. Never heard of HNSKY before.
Since I'm getting repetitive with my Nebulae, I think I need to get my ASTAP into gear and do some plate solving.

Supposed to have clear skies tonight. YEAH!