I had major issues yesterday and the SGP even crashed the first time ever (separate log, not this one). So this is the log after the crash which started when I got an error message about two consecutive focus points, this before the first one was even downloaded. From here it went worse and I got my usual nowadays failed plate solve. What I don’t understand why the SGP wants to terminate the sequence after this if I don’t check the box asking it to continue? This sort of makes the recovery function meaningless. After I have asked the SGP to continue the second plate solve succeeded immediately as usually and after that things were OK for awhile again. Why does my 1st platesove fail now 90% of the time when for years I had no issues?
Aprox time of issue:
Link to Logs
Useful Info
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Ver: 3.1.0.454 .NET: 4.8
I’m still trying to understand why I suddenly have Platesolve issues. I thought I’ll check everything possible one more time and noticed this; the mount coordinates do not match the coordinates the SGP shows for the mount. I’m assuming that this is not correct, even when the mount is currently parked (Park 3 - pointing Polaris for Mach1) .
SGPro is designed to run unattended, so most will never see that question. Though if you are present and you’d like to continue, despite the error, you can. If you don’t continue, the sequence will fail and enter recovery mode.
I don’t know for sure, but 99% of the time this issue can be resolved by one or more of the following:
Increase exposure time of the plate solve frame
Verify that the scale value in the camera tab is correct (and represents 1x1 binning)
Perform a more precise initial sync of the mount
Do you see PS2 open and attempt to solve?
It also may be that somehow, PS2 settings were changed accidentally. To reset them to default, open the log directory in SGPro and locate and delete the file PlateSolve2.ini. Then open PlateSolve2 by clicking the settings button in SGPro and tell PS2 where your catalog(s) are installed. Try again.
Thanks Ken. The exposure time cannot be an issue as the Platesolve works just fine after the Blindsolve. Same is true with the reinstalling. Scale is correct and I have never performed any kind of initial sync for the mount. Yes the window is open and the solve goes through the regions.
What about the coordinates mismatch? And I see that the SGP uses J2000 but not sure what AP uses, cannot find it.
Again thanks. BTW I’m by no means saying that the SG Pro is faulty of this all. As a matter of fact, I’m thinking there might be something wrong with my mount. Anyway, just trying to get to the bottom of this all.
If I open an image from last night and ask SGP to Platesolve it, it does it just fine. So my plan for tonight is if I have an opportunity; Try one more time a normal start-up. If it fails i’ll retry from a previous image and ask the SGP to center there and then start the sequence. I might also try a whole new target to make sure that the targets are not the issue here. And finally, i’ll probably try ASTAP and see how that goes.
I tried yesterday all the options I mentioned on my previous post and I’ve come to a conclusion that my Mount is not working correctly and I doubt there is nothing wrong with the Platesolve or anything else. The fact is that the Mount is so much off after the first slew that the Platesolve just cannot solve the image. After the Blindsolve steps in and tells the Mount where it actually is, the Platesolve succeeds and things start to progress. So in order to solve this problem, I need to get the Mount fixed or served.
A quick update to my plate solve problem. Rolando from A-P recommended to use “unpark from the last position” instead of “unpark from park #3” and yesterday when I tried that, the Mount pointed immediately where I expected it to point and the first image was plate solved in seconds as before this whole incident started.
I still don’t understand what has changed and why suddenly now after two years I cannot unpark from #3 anymore. I hope someone can explain this to me.
Anyway, the good news is that there is nothing wrong with my plate solve or the SG Pro. Thanks Ken and others for the help.
