×

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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Auto meridian flip in Capture module?

  • Posts: 643
  • Thank you received: 62
Hi!

I'm trying to understand how to use the "meridian flip" setting in the Capture Module. I can check so it makes a meridian flip if the hour angle is above a certain value. What is the value I am to put here? The maximum allowed angle for the capture duration, or what? I've not been able to find a description that I can use...

Magnus
7 years 11 months ago #7649

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Please check the capture module documentation . If it's not clear, please let me know.
7 years 11 months ago #7652

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 643
  • Thank you received: 62
Hi!

I think what I don't understand, is how I calculate the hour angle limit. I know the limits for the scope, that is, how many degrees east of the mount it can move. But how do I transform that to an hour angle limit?

I guess I simply could calculate the time when the object crosses the meridian and use 0 as the hour angle limit - but then again, how do I find that?

Magnus
Last edit: 7 years 11 months ago by Magnus Larsson.
7 years 11 months ago #7874

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 643
  • Thank you received: 62
Hi!

Yes, well, I guess I am just confused here. Sorry for producing confusing posts too. But I simply cannot make the mount do a meridian flip with the capture module. So: is it supported for the Losmandy Gemini? I note that the instructions say something about if the mount supports it, and maybe the driver for the Gemini lacks this function?

Attached is log files (verbose output) for an attempt to produce a meridian flip

Magnus
7 years 11 months ago #7888
Attachments:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

IF your mount passes the meridian, and then you ask it to go to the same location it is currently tracking, does it perform a meridian flip or not?

Last edit: 7 years 11 months ago by Jasem Mutlaq.
7 years 11 months ago #7897

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 643
  • Thank you received: 62
Hi!

Ok, I've been experimenting. Today, when the star crosses the meridian and exceeds the hour angle, the capture module says it should do a meridian flip. Then immediately (7 seconds later) it says it is completed and takes a new picture. The scope does not move.

I've attached log files below.

Magnus
7 years 11 months ago #7915
Attachments:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Magnus,

Please read this Losmandy Manual . Page 33, Section 3.3.4

And then in 5.3.10.2.6

So if you set your Set GoTo to 95 for example, you must be the Ekos Meridian Flip HA to be issues after 95 degrees is passed. 1 Hour = 15 Degrees. For 5 degrees = 0.33 hours. To be safe, set the Ekos HA to 0.35 or 0.4 even. When Ekos issues a GOTO when the mount HA is 0.4 hours (6 degrees west of the meridian), the mount should flip because it is passed the Set GoTo limit of 5 degrees passed the meridian.

I hope this clears it.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Magnus Larsson
7 years 11 months ago #7917

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 643
  • Thank you received: 62
Hi!

Great!! I hadn't noticed that in the manual.... You really are amazingly helpful, Jasem!!

So: I set the SetGoTo to 90, and then run a seris of exposures on a star crossing the meridian. And now it works! It initiates a meridian flip!

Hrm. Update: it is a bit funny. I'm doing a series of experiments, targeting a spot precisely before the meridian and running a capture to get a meridian flip. At times it waits until the picture is taken, but not always. Mostly, it does the flip in the middle of an exposure. And in the session here, with the logs below, it did the meridian flip in the middle of the exposure, and then after the exposure, reported in the capture window again that is iniitated a meridian flip - so twice for the same session. The scope moved the first, but not the second time (as the flip was already made).

In either case: it starts the next exposure directly, without waiting for the flip to be finished.

Is there anything going on here that I can do something with?

Magnus
Last edit: 7 years 11 months ago by Magnus Larsson. Reason: Update.
7 years 11 months ago #7919
Attachments:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 107
  • Thank you received: 4
Hoi Mlarson, Jasem

Did you already fixed this issue, I am running against an simalar issue, See tread indilib.org/forum/development/1406-drive...html?start=468#34273
I discovered de following in relation to my mount the OnStep. I can define the degrees when the flip starts in my mount. For example I define 5 minutes passing the meridian.
I discovered for my situation that the HA must be lower than the 5 minutes. If i define HA on 0.00 i see that it waits to finish the exposure and after that Ekos start the Flip. However i am running in a situation that the flip is not finished will ekos times out, does a retry and initiate the next capture which cause the still running flip to stop. :-( My slew speed is to low if you compair that with the video of Jasem. I think we need extra setting beside the HA which define the time a flips need and that dat differents between mounts. I am also aware that in worse case scenarios for example my max exposure with this setting is 5 minutes is the exposure start starts 1 second before HA 0.0.0

I see here some more development needed and this function is essential for astrophotographers, i am move from the FS2 to OnStep because FS2 has no flip and park and EKOS looks the the ultime program to run unattained for photography , i am not programmer so iam relay on the programmers in the forum.

For me it's not clear how we get attention to this and are we the only ones having this problem

Chris
The following user(s) said Thank You: S
5 years 1 month ago #34326

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 107
  • Thank you received: 4
Hoi there will be a update soon in Kstars zie link indilib.org/forum/development/1406-drive...html?start=468#34273

Chris
5 years 1 month ago #34486

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.611 seconds