Of course i am not saying it cannot be done, but since Emilio started the avalanche i hope we do not push to much pressure on Leo There are still older things that might be important for the most, such as the mosaic wizard. Introducing a planner on this software might mean to redesign a lot of things… at this point it is like to talk about the sex od angels…
Still, if Ascom/vendors doesn’t set a standart for cmos cameras, that are the mainstream topsellers, there is not a way to jump from LRGB to narrowband.
Startools is a pretty huge complex software, so that the theveloper watch out to put out results too easy to read and export…
No problems Alessandro … you can count Voyager users number with two hands.
I’m happy to help other AP like me if i can … for Mosaic Wizard i don’t think to do this … there’s a lot of software that can realize this and also for free.
I won’t post all the Sequence options here - too many screens - but this will involve a precise pointing slew to M64 with a meridian flip, a rotator move to PA 117, and a VCurve focus. Then the sequence says to take 60 one-minute exposures.
My timings in ST4 are too short, so let’s say after the precise pointing and autofocus there is time left for 55 instead of 60 exposures.
KEY QUESTION: I believe Voyager will take as many exposures as it can until 04:31, then it will move to the next target in my DragScript. I think this is the best I can do since I want to use precision pointing, rotation, and autofocus.
I don’t think anything more complicated will get me more images of M64 in the allotted time. I could refine my timings in ST4 so it knows, say, there is only time for 55 images, not 60. But the end result is the same - I get 55 images.
Am I missing anything?
I think the key is your belief that “if the sequence won’t trigger due to not enough time for 10 at 5 min and there’s enough time for 9 at 5 min it exits.” I’m saying it will take 9 images and then move on. But I could be wrong!!!
If you define an absolute time start and end voyager sequence block start if time >= start and end <= end time and absolutely end with abort at time you ask for end. If you check the flag "finish running exposure … " the actual exposure if beginning before time end will be finished and action aborted. If you dont use this flag action time intervall will be respected at seconds (abort time to add but usually is just few seconds).
Thanks Leo - so to be 100% clear - if my sequence is set to run 60 one-minute images and I have 50 minutes left until end time, Voyager will take as many of the 60 images as possible in the remaining time.
Hey Rowland, good stuff! You’re organizing your blocks in a different way than I am doing … it looks like a cascading sequence, where I had a serial sequence … that’'s something I hadn’t considered, definitely something to try out! Thanks also to Leo for correcting me on the report times and the “as many as possible” thing, that’s all operator error on me!
I’m going to make up some sequence chains following your cascading approach using the ASCOM simulators and see what happens when I replicate some errors as well as putting that into my live systems … it will take about two weeks or so to get enough results to see if I can get the missed sequence down, but this is very encouraging!
Thanks again to you both for helping out with this on your weekend time (that’s two bottles I owe you … red or white?) and I think two cases to Leo …
In this image you found 2 blocks that run 2 sequence for all the interval (start to end) asked. If finish for some reason restart for failover or just because is to short for interval. I think can be usefull. I use this way in my night for failover.
Yes, that would not put any restrictions on start or end time other than end of the astronomical night.
Be careful that if you do that, you are sure you will not be imaging too low because of a delay in start due to an Emergency Suspend, or because earlier sequences are taking longer than you expected.
Specifying a minimum altitude here or in the Sequence definition is a good safety stop.
In the worst case, if there were no checks in either Voyager or your mount software on target time or altitude, and meridian flips were not managed, you could have an equipment-damaging pier crash if your sequence went longer than you expected.
Personally I like having the safety of an absolute start and end time specified, with an altitude limit too. Belt and suspenders !
Hopefully you never need it - but when you run unattended it is good to have several levels of safety nets enabled!
I also have my mount firmware set to not allow slewing to a point less than 10 degrees above the horizon. In my area, there is no clear sky below 20 degrees (trees, buildings) so no reason to every be going that low.
There are still older things that might be important for the most, such as the mosaic wizard. Introducing a planner on this software might mean to redesign a lot of things… at this point it is like to talk about the sex od angels…
- but this will involve a precise pointing slew to M64 with a meridian flip, a rotator move to PA 117, and a VCurve focus. Then the sequence says to take 60 one-minute exposures.
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red … is ok
