Array Sequence - Plate solve fail

I am working with the Array Sequence and DragScript. On the whole I am making great progress - and will post separately about that.

When precision pointing to the target, if the initial plate solve fails, the whole sequence is aborted. Is this correct? I had assumed that if the plate solve failed, Voyager would repeat it but it that doesn’t seem to be the case.

I have increased my plate solving exposure time to 20 seconds to avoid a failure but it will happen from time to time.

Pete

20s is really a long time for a plate solve. Are you using a narrow filter ?
Use bin2 for solving to remove matrix bayer if you have one, use ROI if the resolution is low, remove ROI if resolution is High and you need more stars. Use the brightest filter you have.

Voyager side you can manage the failover with a blind solve:
https://wiki.starkeeper.it/index.php/Plate_Solve_Setup#Plate_.26_Blind_Solving_Watchdog

You can also intercept the end of Sequence for error with IF ERROR block and retry it (look at multi target DragScript example in Voyager wiki).

All the best
Leonardo

Leonardo

thanks for your prompt response.

I agree 20 seconds is a long time. I am plate solving images using my guide camera on a spectroscope slit mirror. My FOV is quite small - 15 x 8 arc minutes - with aberrations at the edges so it can be challenging to plate solve in fields with few stars.

In practice, I can usually plate solve with 10 seconds using either TSX (with Gaia catalogue) or Pinpoint using the Atlas catalogue down to about mag 18.

Interestingly, I rarely have success with an All Sky plate solve in TSX - even when the regular plate solve works in 1 - 2 seconds solve time.

Anyway, this is my issue not a Voyager issue. I’ll see what I can do with TSX.

I am using “IF OK…GOTO Block” scripts - I might try the IF ERROR option instead. Its working most times now so I’m happy.

Cheers

Pete

Voyager just call for plate/blind solving to external tools, so do not execute directly.
If work from tools must work also from Voyager, if not the first things to check is if you have misconfiguration in your tools to allow external call and at what level, second thing is to check in Voyager if you have selected the real resolution of your system and not the nominal that in 99% of cases is not correct (focal lenght because the resolution is calculated based on focal length and camera pixel size). When you using a real high resolution this must be really near to the real one to avoid plate solve failure, third thing is to check the exposure settings in Voyager if are too short or too long.

TSX like plate solving is the best solution available actually, the blind solving is phenomenal.

All the best
Leonardo

Thanks Leonardo

It is definitely a TSX issue not Voyager

Turns out the minimum size for TSX All Sky blind solving is 10 arc minutes x 10 arc minutes. My FOV is just below that and when you take into account the off axis aberration I have, it makes sense that it fails regularly.

I might try Pinpoint with the expanded Atlas database. TSX is faster when it solves but I think Pinpoint is more reliable.

Pete

Hi Pete,

my experiences about this kind of problem go in an opposite way in terms of reliability of solving software at high resolution and small FOV.

Just for your info.

All the best
Leonardo

Leonardo

I’ve run some tests today - the results are the same as yours

So its TSX for plate solving with All Sky Plate Solver for blind solving as a back up

Pete