Hi,
I would like to request a feature that allows you to move the scope/mount to a predefined position other than Park. I have an LED panel for taking flats which requires the scope to be in a certain position. At present I have to manually move the scope to the correct position and set the sequence to take flats. I would like to be able to add flats to the end of a sequence and have the system move the scope to the predefined position, take the flats, and then run end of sequence routine. (ie. park scope, Warm camera etc). I have been trying to think of ways to do this with the current software, but have been unable to make it happen. If this feature is already available and I have missed it, or there is a work around that someone knows, please let me know.
Thanks.
This is not available from within SGP, and it is probably not something
that SGP will implement because SGP relies on the mount driver for things
like this. What mount are you using? Most mount ASCOM drivers allow the
mount to be parked in several pre-defined positions, or in a user-defined
position anywhere.
I forgot to mention that I have a flat panel mounted on my observatory wall, and I have defined a custom park position so that at the end of any sequence the scope is parked pointed straight at my flat panel, which makes taking flats during the day quite easy.
Thanks for the quick reply Joel. I am using a HEQ5 Pro and EQMod. As far as I am aware I can only define 1 park position within SGP. Manually in EQmod I can move to any of the custom park positions I have set, and then move to the close roof position after. I have a roll off roof and there is only one position the scope can be in to close the roof. Unfortunately it is very difficult to mount the flat panel in this position. I am not sure how PHD2 controls the mount, but when using the polar alignment tool, you can set predefined positions using an RA and Dec offset from zenith. I guess I was hoping there may be an easy way for SGP to do something similar. But hey you donāt know if you donāt ask. I will have to come up with a way to mount the panel so it aligns with the roof closed park position. Thanks again for your help.
I now have a controllable flat panel and would like this feature also. It amounts to going to a pre-set alt-az location and turning off tracking. For me the park location would be different from the ātake flatsā position. I can define the park position to be the take-flats position - but then I need to manually slew the scope to be able to shut it down and cover it.
Itās not a high priority but I can definitely see the value.
I may be able to make it work by invoking a script with the alt-az values embedded in it, prior to taking flats.
As long as the mount allows altaz slews, it seems doable.
Frank
I too would appreciate this feature for the purpose of using a flat panel to create flats in an automated way during an imaging session. Ideally one would be able to use this as an interstitial to a sequence - i.e. take lights with filter A, move to predefined position and take (untracked) flats, switch to filter B and move back to target object and take more lights, then move again to predefined position and take (untracked flats), etc.
Talk to your ASCOM developers for your mount driver. Most mounts Iāve dealt with (Losmandy and Celestron) have a āhomeā position you can set via the driver and then tell SGP to park to that location.
That is how the majority of us use flat panels.
Yes - mounts can redefine park to mean ātake flatsā - but then they lose the ability to have park mean āgo to the position to shut things down.ā SGP has the ability to automate both - but it isnāt possible if those two locations are different - unless you allow the specification of a special ātake flatsā alt-az position - and many mounts can do that - without changing the meaning of āpark.ā
Again it isnāt a high priority since you can manually move the mount to shut it down - but that would take away from sgpās ability to automate the whole process.
Frank
There are options to run pre event and post event scripts, could these be used to move to the flat position? For example:
Pre Flat script:
ā connect to scope
scope.Tracking = false
scope.SlewToAltAz flatAzm, flatAlt
ādone, tracking has been stopped and the scope has been moved to the flat position
Post Flat script:
ā connect to scope
scope.Tracking = true
ā done, tracking has been restarted so that normal slews will be allowed.
Chris R
Chris that was another option I was thinking of trying. My problem was I was unsure how to give an Alt/Azm location in a script, but I can see from your post above that it is quite easy. I think this could be a very good work around. Thanks for the help.
Why canāt your telescope just stay parked where the flat panel is located?
Scripts are a good option.
I guess that depends if I want to close the roof or not. LOL.