×

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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Take dark frames using specific filter slot

  • Posts: 26
  • Thank you received: 4
So, I've "wasted" a slot in my filter wheel with dark filter, i.e., something solid. Is there a way to tell Ekos to take dark frames with that filter and without asking me to cap the scope?

Obviously, this is something you only want to do during the night or when it's reasonably dark to avoid any file making it through to the camera, but since my setup is always a portable one and I often go weeks or more between imaging sessions, I find more often than not, I'm grabbing new calibration frames every time. Being able to put them into the imaging sequence would be nice.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Paul Muller
3 years 2 months ago #65574

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

  • Posts: 220
  • Thank you received: 27
when you select a filter for the dark sequence it should work.
(at least did last time when tested it. Maybe just luck?)

Paul
3 years 2 months ago #65592

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

  • Posts: 163
  • Thank you received: 26
I know it's not an answer to your question (I think above is a good suggestion) but if your setup has a cooled camera, make calibration frames during cloudy nights, maximizing your data gathering time :)

Cheers!
3 years 2 months ago #65599

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

  • Posts: 294
  • Thank you received: 54
I also use a "dark" filter for my darks and bias frames but, IIRC, as a filter is irrelevant for darks/bias as the telescope should be capped, you should select the dark filter via the INDI filter wheel tab prior to taking darks/bias as Ekos does not seem to change filters. That's what I do.

Maybe there should be an option in Ekos to use a dark filter instead of, or in addition to capping the telescope. This would make taking darks more automated for those who do not have an automated cap such as the Alnitak or similar.
3 years 2 months ago #65602

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

  • Posts: 1009
  • Thank you received: 133
In doubt, schedule a single light image with the 'dark' filter before the planned dark sequence, then it's in right place ;)
But +1 for having an option to chose lid-or-filter
3 years 2 months ago #65663

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

  • Posts: 183
  • Thank you received: 23
Great suggestion! I meant to include this as a feature request in the kstars Git.

TheSkyX has a similar feature, if a filter slot is given the description/name !shutter!, then TSX uses that filter slot as a substitute for a mechanical shutter when taking darks.

A great idea and one that would be awesome in Kstars/Ekos (not sure if INDI would end to change, I suspect not).
3 years 2 months ago #65667

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

  • Posts: 26
  • Thank you received: 4

I actually did select a filter, but without some feedback/documentation that it was going to do this, I didn't trust it.

I was hoping to just get my darks after the target was too low to image anyway and without having to wake up to come cover the scope. I still have to wake up to take flats, but I'm getting old, I like my sleep :-)

roland
The following user(s) said Thank You: Paul Muller
3 years 2 months ago #65690

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

  • Posts: 26
  • Thank you received: 4

MaximDL has such a feature, which is why I was looking for it in Ekos. In MaximDL, it's not a naming convention, but a filter wheel setup checkbox to use a particular slot for darks. I kind of like the explicit check-box rather than a magic name, but I don't really care how it works, so long as it does.

roland
The following user(s) said Thank You: Paul Muller
3 years 2 months ago #65691

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

  • Posts: 183
  • Thank you received: 23
It's a great idea - again how it's implemented is less of a big deal than that the Camera and Filterwheel driver are able to communicate. I'll take a look at the code for implementing shutters and see how easy it is to hack (suspect the naming convention will be a faster solution, that way the Filter Class doesn't need to be extended to add a checkbox, the camera just needs to snoop the Filterwheel driver to see if it's got a filter called "roblikeshissleep" ;-) (p.s. me too)
3 years 2 months ago #65732

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

Time to create page: 0.503 seconds