ASTAP (native) data point

Sequence Generator Plate Solving
1

I did a quick experiment trying to determine why ASTAP (native) does not solve as well as ASTAP or the other plate solvers. I loaded 12 random images and found ASTAP (native) failed to solve 7 out of the 12 images. The other solvers ASTAP, PlateSolve2, Ansvr and Astromety.NET solved all 12 without issue. Below is the list of the 12 images showing 7 of the 12 that do not solve with ASTAP (native)

    Name              Camera      Focal Length   arcsec/Pixel    # of Stars    Solve
Flame Nebula          ASI071	    1960	       0.503315          33          No
M81                   ASI071        1960	       0.5033175         65	         No
M16                   ASI294        714	           1.360933          300         No
Leo (M65 & M66)       ASI071	    1960	       0.503512          50	         No
Jellyfish (IC443)     ASI071        714            1.40582           300         No
NGC 2903              ASI183        714            0.70672           65          No
NGC 2264              ASI294	    714            1.36223           274	     No
Ghost (VdB141)        ASI071        1260	       0.814163          296         Yes
Ghost (VdB141)        ASI071        1960	       0.499145          126         Yes
C5                    ASI071        1960           0.50323           208         Yes
C7                    ASI071        1960	       0.503267          121	     Yes
M101                  ASI294        714            1.36238           191         Yes

For all of the image solves using ASTAP (native) I used catalog D80. Not sure but maybe I should be using others? I was thinking the D80 was the preferred one to use. For ASTAP (native), besides only using D80 catalog the only other setting change was the “Speed/Accuracy” from Auto to Slow. But that setting did not make any difference. All of the other settings in ASTAP (native) were kept to their default settings.

Reference SGPro Version 4.4.0.1319 (32 bit)
Windows 11 pro

Mark

2

The real test here is between ASTAP and ASTAP (native). I think it’s safe to discard all the other data. If ASTAP solves and ASTAP (Native) does not solve, then there is a guaranteed configuration that will work for ASTAP (Native) using the same catalogs (unless you are somehow using different catalogs between ASTAP and ASTAP (Native)).

In all honesty, I don’t really understand what half of those parameters do or how they should be adjusted.

If you are inclined to file share any of the failed images, I can run them through here and see what happens.

3

Also… I’m tracking what may be an issue with the new ASTAP implementation here:

ASTAP vs Native ASTAP - Premium Support - Main Sequence Software (sequencegeneratorpro.com)

It may be that SGPro is passing the fov param to ASTAP incorrectly, but it is somestime “close enough” to work. If interested, you can check out the new beta rleeased today.

4

Hi Ken,

I downloaded and installed 4.4.0.1321 to test those images that failed previously on ver 4.4.0.1319.

4.4.0.1321 did not solve the images either. I can send you the 7 images that failed to solve using ASTAP (native). What is the best way to get you those images?

Update - I’m sorry but my mistake, I have 4 machines I thought I updated to the new 4.4.0.1321 but missed one machine and that was the one I stated testing on. after testing the other machines I found the other 3 machines solved each image. I went back to the one and discovered that machine was not updated. :frowning:

However, I can report that ASTAP (native) takes much longer to solve then ASTAP. I would say ASTAP solves all of those images under one second. ASTAP (native) is much slower, I would say on average 5 to 10 seconds. I didn’t time the difference, but ASTAP is much, much faster. I guess I’m spoiled with ASTAP solving everything so fast.

Mark

5

Any fileshare site is sufficient for this. I can test them here and play around with settings. Since ASTAP and ASTAP (native) are literally the same solver under the hood it seems like this is just a matter fo finding and tuning settings.

6

Hi Ken,

Here’s the link to the drop box with the 7 files that would not solve when using ASTAP (native) SGP version 4.4.0.1319. With the change you made to SGP version 4.4.0.1321 all 7 did solve. However, ASTAP (native) did have slower solves when compared with ASTAP.

Dropbox - ASTAP (Native) Test Images - Simplify your life

Mark