Plate solve accuracy fail?

Voyager Plate Solving
1

Dear colleagues,
We have a 10 micron mount, and is not doing a precise plate solve.
With the first frame, it makes a plate solve with the first image ( as we have programer) and it made it ok but the after, when it made a refocusing it lost precission, sometimes more or less but around 30, 40 pixeles error in the plate solve.
The worst situation comes when it made a meridian flip ( it is programmer that after MF to make a plate solve) it made the plate solve but in those cases the deviation are around 100 or 200 pix.
We have programmer Voyager mount accuracy in 7 seg of arc, Plate solve watchdog has check resolution in 7%, and Blind solve activated if Plate solve fails.
We are not understanding why we have this lost of accuracy and even after MF is worst.
Has anybody help what is happening and how we can resolve this problem??
Many thanks

2

Hi Typhoon,

Allow me a few questions (not being “arrogant”, just to check together):

  1. what plate solver are you using ?

  2. under camera setting > resolution imager > do you have the correct values for your equipment ?

  3. what about you polar alignment, what’s your PAE ?

  4. under mount settings, what value do you have for “Precision Pointing Max Allowed Error” ?

Regardless, I would suggest to start your session by an initial blind solve with sync mount just to let your mount know where it is actually pointing at, regardless of the mount (by the way, I also have a 10 micron mount). Also, in “sequence”, it couldn’t hurt on start to check “point target on start”.

If I got you well, you’re mainly experiencing issues especially during “refocusing” and meridian flip, right ?

Something also worth checking (I am sure you did, but who knows), just ensure that you have the correct latitude / longitude values. Just for the record, a friend of mine did have similar issues due to wrong settings > he let default value “East” instead of “West” (yeah, might sound a bit “obvious” but it might happen).

Let us know so that we can try to understand better your situation.

In any case, do not hesitate to contact directly Leo shouldn’t you able to find a solution > that’s the way to go !f He’s fast, and cherry on cake, very good :slight_smile:

Good luck,
Aygen

3

Pointing accuracy does not depend on Voyager but on your mount and how you are using it. Voyager can only try to put the error within the values you have chosen if they are compatible with the performance of your system (so you must not overdo it with too small values of error).

Check your polar alignment first and then see if it has a model not to use sync to avoid ruining the model itself. Make sure you have a correct model made with the same telescope in the same configuration you are shooting in.

After that you have to contact the supplier of the mount to get clarifications on the matter and at the same time check the coupling mechanics of your shooting system to the mount.

1 Like
4

I also have a 10Micron mount. Under the Voyager mount setup screen it is important to check the box for “ Not Sync Mount on solved point (Pointing Model Running)” or you will degrade your model that you created in the 10Micron mount control box.
As Leo mentioned I set the allowed pointing accuracy difference in Voyager to a very large value so I don’t get a pointing error failure.
I basically rely 100% on my 10Micron mount model that I created and ignore any Voyager plate solve information which results in smooth operation using Voyager with the 10Micron mount.
All the best,
Bob

2 Likes
5

I suggest to put a reasonable value , in not sync mode Voyager will point for offset so you can get really lower error. So suggestion is not to put large value but reasonable error to not fight with your mechanics.

1 Like
6

Thanks for clarifying Leo.
How many arc seconds range would you consider a reasonable value with a 1000 mm focal length refractor and a camera with 7.52 micron pixels?
Thanks again for the excellent program and all the best,
Bob

7

Depends on how many pixels have your camera and which binning you are using and from the reliable of your mount/mechanics/model.

Best solution is to run with low error first time and solve in 3/4 place in the sky ans see how many retries will be done and the average error after the first retry, this increased by 10% is a good way to start.

All the best
Leonardo

8

Thanks Leo. Sounds like a good plan to start low and then increase gradually
All the best,
Bob

10

Same here - one “correction” to be dead spot one. And as rightfully mentioned, I too have the “not sync” deactivated to prevent any damage to my model.

11

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.
The point has been “ Not Sync Mount on solved point” , As Genoafire colleague said we checked and it wasn’t tic. Now we have changed and yesterday we made a session and there has not been any deviation.
Thanks again everybody.

2 Likes
12

If we put a reasonable error and the mount is a little off, is the plate solver doing a correction if we check the box „not sync“ or not? I want to be sure that the precise pointing will be done and that the plate solver will do corrections until the frame is under the error I have inserted.