For Auto Focus, provide option to Stop auto guiding

Sequence Generator Feature Requests
1

I’ve been using a SCT at F10 2350mm FL recently. I’ve enabled “pause auto guider” option to pause PHD2 prior to auto focusing.

The problem is that by the time auto focus completes, the star that was being guided on is lost by PHD2 which then generates a exception and the fail over process 100% of the time.

I also tried not pausing guiding (by disable the pause option) but that would too often cause the guide star to be lost and the inevitable exception and fail over.

Please provide the following option:

    • option to stop auto guiding and then on resumption PHD2 will auto pick a guide star.

TY

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2

+1 on this. Specifically for me, I don’t have this problem. Usually it keeps the guide star just fine through the auto-focus routine. Probably because my system tracks well unguided, so when guiding restarts, it still has the guide star. Why can’t PHD2 keep track of the guide star during the focus routine? Maybe it does.

But more generally, I would love to see PHD2 auto-pick a guide star any time it loses the guide star. Also to have it avoid making any significant corrections because it is chasing what it thinks is the guide star it was using. What I have had happen is it would lose the guide star, then start making largish corrections. I would much prefer it just quit guiding while it looks for a new guide star. If the time it takes looking for a new guide star and/or some measure of maximum allowable correction could be configurable, that would be wonderful. My system works quite well not guiding at all, so any largish corrections for me are likely bogus.

3

In PHD2 brain settings go to Guiding. In Search region increase the number of pixels. I have mine set to 40px but it may be different for your system.

You will see that after autofocus PHD2 will pickup the star within the box and resume perfectly.

I had this same issue when switching to OAG and its been fantastic now.

4

You have to be careful with the search region size - if there are nearby stars it’ll mess up your guiding. The best option is simply to supply the option to stop and/or pause guiding prior to auto focus and then let PHD2 pick the best star. This is beneficial as post focus, the current star may no longer be the best star available.

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