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Plate solver crashes (Mac OSX)

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  • Thank you received: 1

Plate solver crashes (Mac OSX) was created by Anders Misfeldt

I struggled a bit with the online solver yesterday so I decided to install the offline solver on my Macbook (running Mojave). I downloaded the index files and installed Python and astropy (homebrew was already installed). Tonight it was cloudy so I wanted to try out the simulator to learn more about Kstars/Ekos.

I "slew" the simulator to Polaris and tried "Capture and Solve". It "captured" an image but the solver crashed right away. I tried a couple of times with various stars, but all with the same crashing of the solver. The log wrote:
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.235 CEST INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.fits] - Loading FITS file  "/private/var/folders/n5/8qb0jyc17959d9zyxwk0nznh0000gn/T/fitsEZjuqo.fits"
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.396 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Image received."
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.559 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Solver iteration #1"
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.589 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "export PATH=/Applications/KStars.app/Contents/MacOS/netpbm/bin:/usr/local/opt/python/libexec/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin"
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.621 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Starting solver..."
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.667 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "/Applications/KStars.app/Contents/MacOS/astrometry/bin/solve-field -O --no-plots --no-verify --resort --downsample 2 -3 211.221 -4 64.2888 -5 30 --config /Applications/KStars.app/Contents/MacOS/astrometry/bin/astrometry.cfg -W /private/var/folders/n5/8qb0jyc17959d9zyxwk0nznh0000gn/T/solution.wcs /private/var/folders/n5/8qb0jyc17959d9zyxwk0nznh0000gn/T/fitsEZjuqo.fits"
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.917 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Reading input file 1 of 1: \"/private/var/folders/n5/8qb0jyc17959d9zyxwk0nznh0000gn/T/fitsEZjuqo.fits\"..."
[2019-08-04T00:39:49.968 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Error starting solver: Process crashed"
[2019-08-04T00:39:50.005 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Solver failed. Try again."

Running from the terminal just gave:
$ /Applications/KStars.app/Contents/MacOS/astrometry/bin/solve-field -O --no-plots --no-verify --resort --downsample 2 -3 211.221 -4 64.2888 -5 30 --config /Applications/KStars.app/Contents/MacOS/astrometry/bin/astrometry.cfg -W /private/var/folders/n5/8qb0jyc17959d9zyxwk0nznh0000gn/T/solution.wcs /private/var/folders/n5/8qb0jyc17959d9zyxwk0nznh0000gn/T/fitsEZjuqo.fits
Reading input file 1 of 1: "/private/var/folders/n5/8qb0jyc17959d9zyxwk0nznh0000gn/T/fitsEZjuqo.fits"...
Illegal instruction: 4
$

I tried installing the latest Kstars (3.3.3) for MacOSX but that didn't help. I also tried other fits files that I have. All gave the same "Illegal instruction: 4".

What am I missing?
SkyWatcher ED80 Pro
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod with EQDIR cable
ZWO ASI294MC Pro imaging camera
QHY5L-II-C guide camera on 50mm guidescope
DeepSkyDad AF3 autofocuser
Raspberry Pi 4 4GB running Kstars/Ekos
4 years 8 months ago #41633

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Replied by Rob Lancaster on topic Plate solver crashes (Mac OSX)

Can you try this solution?

www.indilib.org/forum/ekos/5259-test-on-....html?start=24#40216
4 years 8 months ago #41648

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Replied by Anders Misfeldt on topic Plate solver crashes (Mac OSX)

Hi,

That stopped the solver from crashing. It solves fine now (at least in the simulator).
Thanks!

However, is it normal that satisfying accuracy for alignment (30") can't be achieved in the simulator around Polaris and other stars in that constellation and for stars in the Big Dipper? They all got around 45" accuracy. Polaris was WAY of (7' and 15" at best). Is this normal behaviour?
SkyWatcher ED80 Pro
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod with EQDIR cable
ZWO ASI294MC Pro imaging camera
QHY5L-II-C guide camera on 50mm guidescope
DeepSkyDad AF3 autofocuser
Raspberry Pi 4 4GB running Kstars/Ekos
4 years 8 months ago #41650

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Replied by Rob Lancaster on topic Plate solver crashes (Mac OSX)

Yes plate solving in the simulator near the pole is like that. More error. It is normal. Anywhere else is fine. In real life I don’t think there are issues with it though.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Anders Misfeldt
4 years 8 months ago #41654

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Replied by Anders Misfeldt on topic Plate solver crashes (Mac OSX)

Ok, thanks.

I’ll look forward to trying it in real when the weather becomes better.
SkyWatcher ED80 Pro
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod with EQDIR cable
ZWO ASI294MC Pro imaging camera
QHY5L-II-C guide camera on 50mm guidescope
DeepSkyDad AF3 autofocuser
Raspberry Pi 4 4GB running Kstars/Ekos
4 years 8 months ago #41655

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  • Posts: 77
  • Thank you received: 1

Replied by Anders Misfeldt on topic Plate solver crashes (Mac OSX)

Plate solving works now.

Thanks!
SkyWatcher ED80 Pro
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod with EQDIR cable
ZWO ASI294MC Pro imaging camera
QHY5L-II-C guide camera on 50mm guidescope
DeepSkyDad AF3 autofocuser
Raspberry Pi 4 4GB running Kstars/Ekos
4 years 8 months ago #41684

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