Could we have a facility that, at the click of a button, the current telescope position (from ASCOM) is transferred into the RA/Dec sequence target settings.
I have recently purchased SGP. Previously, I have used CdC to slew the mount to a target, then used Astrotortilla, which plate solved the actual mount position and then slewed the mount to the required point. I’d like to be able to use CdC to identify my target and perform the initial slew then have SGP take over and use its automated plate-solve using the Center Now facility. The only thing missing is getting the current co-ordinates from ASCOM into target location RA/Dec fields.
There is already a facility in SGP to set the Target Markers to the current telescope position, so could this be also done to set the sequence target coordinates?
You can do this already. If you know that your scope is pointed exactly
where you want it, take an image and then right click anywhere in the
image. Choose plate solve and when the solve completes there is an option
"use these coordinates for target xxx". If you select that option the
coordinates will be populated in the target reference.
The procedure you’ve described isn’t what I’m asking for. I won’t have the scope pointing exactly where I want it, which is what I’ll want SGP’s Centre Now function to perform.
Say for example I want to image the crab nebula. I would locate M1 in CDC then slew to it with CdC. This will point the scope in roughly the right place but probably not spot on due to inaccuracies in the mount etc… ASCOM will have the required coordinates however, which I would like to have automatically transferred over to the target in SGP. I could then proceed to use the Centre Now facility to get the plate solving to get the scope pointing exactly at the target.
As I mentioned, you are already doing this for the Target Markers function, so can this also be made available for the main target coordinates?
@NGC6888 You can already achieve what you wish in a variety of ways if you amend your workflow.
Assuming you have plate solving set up (using Plate Solve 2 for example), you can use a plate solved image of M1 found on the web in Astrobin for example and the co-ordinates can be transfered to the target; or you could use the Framing and Mosaic Wizard which will populate the co-ordinates of your target.
With ‘Centre Here’ your mount will then slew and centre using plate solving within an accuracy you can set and in a set number of iterations if needed.
The help documents and manual are really helpful and you will find detailed explanations of the above, how to set up equipment profiles and plate solving which are essential.
The Framing and Mosaic Wizard is also a wonderful tool. I didn’t buy this at first since I thought it would only really be helpful for mosaic planning. I now use it for every image - including single frame images. Frame up the image as you want it using this tool - then let the tool create your sequence. From now on your mount will slew to the target and then centre to an accuracy of a few pixels.
I have also wished this was an option at times ie. simple click of button in planetarium program of choice, to transfer coordinates (and object name if one was relevant?) to SGP. I have a lot of obstructions in my back yard and rely on my planetary program (SNPP7) to help identify targets - it has a photo-realistic “horizon” overlay.
Of course, there are other ways to go once target identified in planetarium (go to F&M Wizard, look up object on Astrobin, look up object on Google and copy coordinates etc.). But none of these would be as efficient/elegant as linking/transferring directly from planetarium program. Framing and Mosaic wizard is great, but not so critical if not using camera rotator, and only using one panel.
I’m guessing a feature like this would not be straight forward, as it would require coordinating with the many planetary programs out there?
Hi Dave,
I can’t imagine it being too difficult to accomplish as SGP will be getting the coordinates from the ASCOM mount rather than the planetarium program itself.
Also, as I mentioned in my OP, the application is already acquiring the mount’s coordinates for the Target Markers function, so it should be just a case of replicating this for the sequence target.
If you are connecting to the planetarium (CdC, Stellarium, TheSkyx) to the mount via ASCOM everything you are saying is already happening or am I missing something?
What I will do is connect both SGP and Stellarium to the same scope and slew to a star filled part of the sky, Do a plate solve, then go to my target. Plate solve syncs with Stellarium and everyone is happy.
