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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

another ekos plate solve and/or alignment problem

  • Posts: 171
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Hi,
I've noted that sometimes plate solve does not work as expected. Well, I would say that is an alignment issue rather that plate solving.
Plate solve works pretty well always. But sometimes the corrections applied are very very small. Let's say I have an error of 1400 arcsec. After a "capture and solve -> slew to target" action, it applies such a small correction that the next iteration the solver returns 1392 arcsec of error, for example. And over and over, in very small steps.
I don't note this behavior always, but sometimes. Although (I'm not sure), it seems to behave likes this after a meridian flip. Then, I have to manually clean the model and capture and solve again. Then, it works.

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The following user(s) said Thank You: R Dan Nafe
1 year 5 months ago #87138

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I think I am having a similar issue. When I cross the meridian, my mount goes completely stupid.
I am going to try dumping the model and start out on the West side of the meridian.
1 year 4 months ago #87822

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Hard reboot of computer and mount , followed by returning the mount to parked position by de-clutching, then reseting the parking position is the only way that I can solve it.
1 year 4 months ago #88066

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What seems to be happening is as follows:
1) Slew to a target
2) Hit "Capture & Solve" with "Slew to Target" selected
3) Ekos captures a picture (lets call it M00.fits) and solves it, reporting 1,234 arc seconds off target
4) Mount slews (a little bit, as target was only 1,234" away)
5) Ekos tries to capture another picture, but ends up using the first picture, "M00.fits" and plate solves with that, and thinks it only has to slew a little bit.

Plate solving is occurring on the 2nd to the last frame, "M00.fits", rather than "M01.fits". (?)
Or, maybe plate solving is taking too long to complete, and returns the results for the solve of "M00.fits" to the request to solve "M01.fits"

In this case, a bogus entry is made into the mount model records and the mount is very confused about what it is pointing at.

I have been working around this by going over to the Photo tab and taking a photo at a different shutter speed or ISO/Gain setting. That causes Ekos to capture that picture "M02.fits". Then you can go to Alignment tab and hit Capture & Solve (with "Sync" selected, not "Slew to Target"!!!), and Ekos will capture and solve M03.fits, then sync the mount to the solved coordinates. Then I joystick my way over to the target, Capture, Solve, and Sync again, and again, and again.

Is there a way to force the "plate-solving queue" to wait until the all solves are done before capturing a new frame and solving that, and/or kill it off when we know the mount has gone stupid.
1 year 4 months ago #88105

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