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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

EKOS Align Doesn't Seem to be Working for Me

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I can't seem to get EKOS Align to work consistently.  I have likely messed up my configuration since my last successful session in January/early February (off recovering from surgery).  I have successfully solved near Polaris and at M81, but I haven't been successful near RA 07:39:30 and DEC -2 degrees or at the Rosette Nebula.

I have attached the log from last night if that helps.  It looks to me like there are sufficient stars that it should solve.
 

File Attachment:

File Name: log_21-17-06.zip
File Size:245 KB


Since I have likely screwed up my settings please offer suggestions for settings.  I'm using an ASI 1600MM Pro on an 80mm f6 scope. 

Thanks,

Richard
3 years 22 hours ago #69342
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Hi Richard,

I have a rule when things start to be weird, I reimage my SD card. I always take regular backups from good updated images and keep the last few of them. I did need to do so twice last year. This will help you quickly be on track and don't waste a clear night.
3 years 20 hours ago #69347

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Mohamed,

If I were running a RPi, I would have reimaged the SD. I am using a NUC and upgraded to kubuntu 20.10 yesterday morning. The upgrade process removed kstars-bleeding. I installed it (and indi-full) new after the upgrade process was completed.

I think I have a stellarsolver configuration issue...

Thanks,

Richard
3 years 20 hours ago #69352

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Richard,

I'm just trying to point you to a future easy way to do it. Even on NUC/MAC/PC/Laptops, there are plenty of disk cloning applications that can save the day. for Linux based systems, it can start with simple dd up to a full disk backed up on removable media including but not limited to www.linuxlinks.com/DiskCloning/

I'm sure you will get over the solver issue, so my advice is always to keep a backup...
3 years 19 hours ago #69357

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Mohamed,

Alf shokr and fair enough.
3 years 18 hours ago #69363

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Richard,
Did you try increasing the exposure length?  or change the binning.  I use an 80mm f/6 and use one second exposures and 4x4 binning and it seems to work fine.  Hope you are feeling better from the surgery.
3 years 17 hours ago #69366

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I was using 3x3 binning and 2 seconds at gain of 200 (I think that's what it was). I tried up to 5 seconds at gain 300 and binning 2x2 on my last night out.

The log indicates to me that there what I thought should be a sufficient number of stars, but the messages about stellarsolver terminating didn't seem to be very helpful.
3 years 17 hours ago #69368

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Richard, the logs popup in the Ekos start window contains several log level settings for astrometry. Maybe increase the level and see if that sheds more light on why things are not working for you?

 

Wouter
3 years 11 hours ago #69374
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Hi Richard,

I found that you are using the latest version of KStars 3.5.2, BUT your solver is trying to remotely connect and authenticate to somewhere else. Keep in mind that the default option of remote is disabled, and I have been using the new StellarSolver with success...

The following is from your log...
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.399 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Image received."
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.462 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Automatically downsampling the image by 2"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.481 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Evaluating Installed RAM for inParallel Option.  Total Size of Index files: 2.44583 GB, Installed RAM: 15.5053 GB, Free RAM: 12.0155 GB"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.482 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "There should be enough RAM to load the indexes in parallel."
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.482 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.482 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Starting Internal StellarSolver Sextractor with the 4-SmallScaleSolving profile . . ."
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.557 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Stars Found before Filtering: 182"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.558 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Removing the stars with a/b ratios greater than 1.5"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.558 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Keeping just the 50 brightest stars"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.559 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Stars Found after Filtering: 50"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.559 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.559 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Configuring Online Solver"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.560 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Authenticating. . ."
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.931 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Reply Received"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.934 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "{\"message\":\"authenticated user: \",\"session\":\"gzzlsuj5d8vnv855260yzqumuy6tz0yb\",\"status\":\"success\"}"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.937 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Authentication to astrometry.net is successful. Session: gzzlsuj5d8vnv855260yzqumuy6tz0yb"
[2021-03-26T21:22:38.940 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Uploading file..."
[2021-03-26T21:22:39.106 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Reply Received"
[2021-03-26T21:22:39.109 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "{\"hash\":\"41acc6883c7f7ddaf80027a861523d6816f6be8e\",\"status\":\"success\",\"subid\":4348365}"
[2021-03-26T21:22:39.112 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Upload complete. Waiting for astrometry.net solver to complete..."
[2021-03-26T21:22:39.114 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Waiting for Processing to complete..."
[2021-03-26T21:22:41.225 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Reply Received"
[2021-03-26T21:22:41.227 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "{\"images\":,\"job_calibrations\":,\"jobs\":,\"processing_finished\":\"None\",\"processing_started\":\"2021-03-27 02:22:40.496105\",\"user\":2633,\"user_images\":}"
[2021-03-26T21:22:43.225 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Reply Received"
[2021-03-26T21:22:43.227 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "{\"images\":[10383427],\"job_calibrations\":,\"jobs\":[null],\"processing_finished\":\"2021-03-27 02:22:41.691268\",\"processing_started\":\"2021-03-27 02:22:40.496105\",\"user\":2633,\"user_images\":[4489266]}"
[2021-03-26T21:22:43.229 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Waiting for the Job to Start..."
[2021-03-26T21:22:51.231 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Reply Received"
[2021-03-26T21:22:51.234 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "{\"images\":[10383427],\"job_calibrations\":,\"jobs\":[null],\"processing_finished\":\"2021-03-27 02:22:41.691268\",\"processing_started\":\"2021-03-27 02:22:40.496105\",\"user\":2633,\"user_images\":[4489266]}"
[2021-03-26T21:22:51.348 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Online Solver aborted."
[2021-03-26T21:22:51.350 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Solver Failed."
[2021-03-26T21:22:51.369 CDT INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.align] - "Solver aborted after 12.81 seconds."

So I believe that astrometry.net is not responding with correct plate solving for whatever reason (parameters could be one of them).

Do you want to try the built-in StellarSolver instead?
Last edit: 3 years 11 hours ago by Mohamed.
3 years 11 hours ago #69375

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Wouter -- Will look for the dialog and will increase logging level on my next outing.

Mohamed -- I tried multiple ways to get plate solving to work. My attempt at online solving was just one of them. None worked. Hopefully, Wouter's suggestion on logging level will help next time out.
2 years 11 months ago #69387

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Hi Richard

Can you share one of the images that failed solving?
2 years 11 months ago #69437

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I didn't save any of them. I forgot to mention that on a load and slew, the solver did solve the loaded image.
2 years 11 months ago #69440

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