I wanted to know if the SGPro can use Carte du ciel

Sequence Generator
1

Hello guys,

I wanted to know if the SGPro can use Carte du ciel and other SW with star charts.
If so, could I have a list, I can not find the information.

Thank you

Dario from Italy

2

Dario, SGP is an image capture and automation software, it does not use
star charts etc. You can use CDC or other software separately from SGP to
point your scope etc, but SGP doesn’t interface with it.

3

Do not get angry!

I find it quite complicated the SW, and do not understand some things (definitely my fault because they are very poor with your language): how do I know if I bet and is positioned as the chosen object if I do not have references?

Among other things, I have to use 3 CCD ((1 BW + 1 Narrowband + guide (sometimes internal SBIG, or other 3rd telescope with CCD)), it is true that soon will handle many CCD? I hope exceed the barrier 2 CCD of the usual software … you would “see the green mice” (so to speak Italian) to concorenza.

To end, there would be a way to “fill in” your software in Italian? I have a friend that mother tongue could be for my to facilitate me.

Thank you

Dario

1 Like
4

Perhaps even I can help here. I am still new to SGP because we haven’t had any clear skies since I registered the software! I now use CdC as well. The learnng curve with SGP is steep for me because it can take days and days between tests. I use CdC to move the scope via ascom using CdC. I needed to be able to point the scope at a target for focusing and would then use frame/focus after centring it with CdC. So yes, you can use them both together. Once you are focused and on a target and synched then you can start a sequence with SGP.

Any star chart that connects via ascom to a scope should be usable.

Lawrence Harris

1 Like
5

Just to be clear, technically speaking a star chart is not necessary to use
SGP. Once you have plate solving set up and working properly you sync your
mount to the position in the sky using plate solving. The only thing I use
a planetarium for any more is planning what targets to image.

To get started, make sure you read the help files and search around for
"SGP the first week" and there are also some videos that members have put
together to help people get started. Sorry I don’t have links for those
right now.

1 Like
6

I don’t use star chart programs at all anymore unless it’s something with rapidly changing coordinates such as a comet. And then I have to ‘hunt’ around for the object with ‘center here’ a little bit.

Check out the Framing and Mosaic Wizard for developing your pictures and install/use plate solving. Between Plate Solve 2 and the local astrometry.net server you’re good to go.

Sorry if we come off as angry, that isn’t our intent :). I believe that v2.5 will support multiple cameras and there should be a beta out soon (if I’m reading the forums correctly).

Chris

7

I sometimes use Carte du Ciel next to SGP, just to be able to look around a bit & to check where it’s pointing at. To do so you have to share the connection to the telescope. I use the ASCOM POTH hub. Set up all connections to the POTH hub & you’re ready to go.

Having 2 setups in my observatory, I would like to see two separate SGP’s version’s running. Or just using two PC’s (like I do now) sharing a “save or unsafe” trigger, so I can use my automated roof robotic with 2 setups. But I guess that would be quite difficult to accomplish…

1 Like
8

Marcoverstraaten,

Sounds like a great setup. I think you could share your weather station data over a shared drive and allow it to access it (assuming your setup is like mine). With a powerful enough machine, you could easily virtualize two copies of Windows and do that. I know some programs (like Pixinsight) do allow multiple instances… I wonder if SGP could do something similar? You should put in a ‘feature request’ in a new topic. I imagine there is someone else who would like to see this too!

Take care,
Chris

9

I don’t think it would be extremely difficult. It just depends on what you plan on using as an “unsafe” trigger. For instance if you have a weather station that outputs a Boltwood file you can use the Boltwood Safe Monitor to read that file from both machines assuming you create a network share between the two. That’s a 5 minute task assuming you have the machines networked.

Jared

1 Like
10

That’s exactly what I was thinking too Jared! Do you know how to start a separate instance? Is that possible? I’ve just seen that option before with programs like Pixinsight. I’ve never had the need.

That would be really cool.

Chris

11

I don’t use a weatherstation at the moment, so I keep an eye on my stuff during imaging. Also the roof is not yet secured with safe/unsafe switches. Working on that. My scopes stick out above the sides, making mechanical parking sensors a must. I’m now using (www.felopaul.com) the ROR ASCOM driver.

All suggestions are welcome. This is one! Thanks!

My (old) pc’s are only running capturing software. Images are stored on a NAS & processed on other machines.

12

Marco,

I don’t use mechanical parking sensors but optical sensors. They’re pretty cheap on Ebay:

Omron photoelectric sensors. They come from China in a variety of setups. I have two wired in series and placed so that it forms an X-Y spot in my observatory so I know it’s safe for the roof to close. It was pretty easy to setup and only cost me about $50 total.

I don’t know how you track that your roof is open or closed, but this is my favorite component so far.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-ME-8108-Momentary-Rotary-Adjustable-Roller-Lever-Limit-Switch/111095385138?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D777000%26algo%3DABA.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131227121020%26meid%3D00127fdbee1b4128a8f497eca4e4e9b8%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D120895380326

It’s a safety limit switch. Cost is right and the ones I bought have been running through all kinds of weather for over 18 months now.

Take care,
Chris

13

@marcoverstraaten and @mads0100 the answer to your questions about running multiple instances of SGP is covered in detail in my latest post about supporting 2 Canon cameras powered on at the same time.
Yes, it works great, so long as 2 of the cameras are not Canon’s. And perhaps there is also a problem with 2 SBIG’s or any 2 of the same brand.

14

This is true. Because we do not support multiple simultaneous instances of
SGPro yet, only sbig has code to detect multiple cameras and ask the user
which to connect to. All other cameras will just connect to the first one
it finds. We will get there.

1 Like
15

So you can do multiple camera’s with multiple SGP’s running, but as I understand not with multiple setups. (?)
How about multiple PhD’s running? I think in the past you could run PhD1 and PhD2 together, but I don’t think you can run 2 PhD’s at the same time. (cannot try this at this moment)
So, if so, how to solve this?

16

I could stay with 2 pc’s, I don’t mind. I’ve got a lot USB stuff to connect and since my “newest” PC is a 2009 mini laptop, all connections have to go through 3 USB connections only. So sharing an unsafe/safe connection is preferable I guess.

17

@marcoverstraaten,

PHD2 can run multiple concurrent instances, each controlling equipment independently. See here or here for more info.

Andy

1 Like
18

Actually, my experience with having 2 Canon 6D’s powered on at the same time is that it does not work at all. SGP does not connect successfully to either one of them. Becomes very unstable.

1 Like
19

The Atik camera driver can specify which camera you connect to. This is in the setup dialog for the driver. There are also two instances of the driver - Atik Camera and Atik Camera 2 so two cameras can be selected and controlled independently.

Usually SGP would select one and PHD2 the other.

Chris

1 Like