Manual rotator protocol

Sequence Generator
1

I am using the F&M wizard and manual rotator and would like to know how to set it up so I can tell in advance how much and what direction I will need to rotate my camera/filter wheel/OAG unit based on the framing and rotation I created in the wizard. I have a limited amount of space in either direction before I hit the Alt/Az adjusters of my mount but if I know how much I will need to rotate in advance, I can set it up to work. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks,

Marty

2

I again ran into this problem last night. I tried to sync to zero but that didn’t do anything. I would appreciate some input here.

3

Marty,

From your description, I am not able to really tell what you are after or what problem you are having. But, taking a guess, just rotate the canvas until it is framed the way you like, create a sequence that uses that camera angle and then right click the target and choose the rotate option.

4

Ken,

Yeah I was afraid it would be difficult to explain the issue.

I am doing exactly as you say, and it works fine. I’ll try to explain again my issue.

For example last night I framed the Orion nebula in the FMW and it read the angle was 305 degrees. So I knew I would have to rotate the camera to 305 but I don’t know what that’s in relation to. When I start the center/rotate process is said my camera was at 261 degrees even though the sensor was set up square. I tried to sync it to zero but that didn’t do anything.

The issue is that I would like to know how much I’m going to have to rotate the camera beforehand because my filter wheel/OAG hits my Atl/Az knobs if I have to rotate too much. For example, If I set up square and have to rotate 180 degrees I will hit the knobs. If I knew in advance that I would have to rotate it 180 degrees I could set up the filter wheel 90 degrees in the opposite direction and I would be ok.

5

Right, so what I said in my last post would be appropriate. Create the sequence with the rotation you are after, right click the target, choose rotate and determine if you can support it prior to starting the sequence.

Sync is for mechanical focusers and not applicable to you.

6

I’m looking for that information before I’m outside. Rotating the FW is not an on the spot operation.
I guess I need to know if it’s possible to figure out what angle my camera is at without taking an image.

7

Maybe I’m understanding what you’re after. Whatever the MFW angle is set to when you create your sequence is also representative of the cameras angle. It is your responsibility to understand how a physically oriented camera coincides with the solved angle (which is what we use). My QSI, when placed “upright” physically, is solved at 270 degrees. Once you know yours, you can correlate these 2 things. All cameras are different though so SGPro can’t map this for you. Is this what you are after?

8

It sounds like you want to do this manually. Without the help of SGP. To do accurately then you’ll need to print out a ring with degrees on it and a pointer on your Camera. The ring stays put on the scope and you can then accurately rotate the camera by using that ring and pointer.

I think that’s what you’re after. Essentially sgp need to do the rotation when it’s dark with the plate solver. If that won’t work for you then you’ll have to devise a manual system like I’ve described.

The angle in sgp is the Sky angle which is relative to RA. So when parked at a counterweight down position, 0 degrees would mean your camera would be on its side.

Hope that helps
Jared

9

Ok I think I got it. I was under the mistaken impression that my pre-rotated camera angle would change depending on the target. So as long as I start with the camera in the same orientation to begin with and I know what that is for my camera then I can always use that angle as my starting point.

Thanks that makes is easy.

10

I am trying to figure out if it is possible to manually rotate my camera during the DAYLIGHT HOURS to get the needed angle for a mosaic . If I understand what I just read, it is.

Is this the procedure I would use :

My plate solve of my last image says the camera is at an angle of 28 degrees. My mosaic is telling me I need to have 92 degrees OR 272 degrees . So if I use my Ring with degrees printed on it and installed on my scope, would I just rotate the camera 64 degrees in one direction OR, if desired, 244 degrees in the opposite direction ?? If so SGP has made my portable setup a whole lot easier to use. BTW, I have an OAG I have to worry about hitting the mount.

Thanks,
Dennis

11

That’s correct. For an “added bonus” you could even use one of those magnetic angle finders and skip the ring all together. This assumes that you have something magnetic to stick it on…lots of aluminum on mounts. To do that accurately you would need to:

  • Level the scope (this is pretty important)
  • Record/zero the angle on the angle finder
  • Calculate the offset
  • Rotate the camera with attached angle finder + offset.

Probably easier with an example. Say you’re at 28 degrees and want to go to 92:

  • Level the scope (as in parallel with the ground, since this is reference here on earth)
  • Record angle with angle finder using reference surface…lets say it’s 14 degrees.
  • Calculate offset of sky angle 92-28 = 64
  • Rotate camera to offset + current (14 + 64 = 78)

Something like this:

Thanks,
Jared