| Which program do you use in order to control your astrophotography equipment? | |
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| N.I.N.A (Ningttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy) | |
| SGPro (Sequence Generator Pro) | |
| Asiair / Asiair plus | |
| Other (please specify which one) | |
| None (I'm not using anything) | |
| Login to vote and view results. |
4.06
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andrea tasselli: Yep that comes down to if the original coordinates are correct and if the error threshold is small enough. Once those are right it's bang on every time. The built in framing assistant is really useful for locking in the correct coordinates, then they can be saved in a sequence for the next night. |
7.76
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Yep that comes down to if the original coordinates are correct and if the error threshold is small enough. Once those are right it's bang on every time. The built in framing assistant is really useful for locking in the correct coordinates, then they can be saved in a sequence for the next night. Except when it doesn't work. Coordinates were good and threshold way small enough. It just didn't like it for reasons best known to itself. Go figure... |
15.85
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Other for me as well. I have 2 rigs in my observatory, Main Rig: SharpCap Pro to control the camera Cartes du Ciel, to control the mount Max Point, Pointing model software PHD2, autoguiding Secondary Rig, Wide field: CPWI, mount control SharpCap Pro, camera control PHD2, autoguiding Building a replacement Rig for the Secondary rig with my new mount: OnStep, mount control SharpCap Pro, camera control Sky Safari 7, interfaces with mount control for better object database. I tend to agree with @Ruediger maybe the poster could go back and edit the poll options to include some of the other common programs that has been mentioned although this thread has gotten fairly long. My thoughts on plate solving are different then some mentioned here. I have used it (thru SharpCap) but find it in most cases I tend to change to framing of my object, especially if its a larger nebula so why use it in the 1st place. I suppose if your going to shoot the same target mulitple nights and your okay with the framing of it from the start, I guess thats understandable. I would also say that in the case of heavily light polluted skies where you can’t see much that circumstance would be very understandable! With MaxPoint, the pointing model with my AP1200 mount is so incredibly accurate that I just don’t find the need for it in bortle 4 skies, especially as I mentioned above that I tend to change the framing of the object anyway. Dale |
4.69
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andrea tasselli: then you ain't doin' it right |
1.51
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Other: My main control program is Astrophotography Tool (APT). Integrates nicely with PhD2, EAF, filter wheel, etc. The session planning and control over imaging plans is particularly nice. I often image multiple targets in a night, and it's nice to have it set up to loop on GOTO + focus + image for a set amount of time so in case a cloud or who-knows-what throws off the scope when I'm asleep, it will soon go back to where it's supposed to be. |
1.43
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Wim van Berlo: +1 |
7.63
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| Not one reply about the ASIAir! I'm pretty new to this , starting just by piggybacking my MFT camera to my goto SCT. Results were encouraging enough for me to take the plunge with a proper mount, scope etc etc. Looking to see how I would control it all, I was immediately taken by the all-in-one convenience of the ASIAir...polar alignment (which I've never done, and difficult in the southern hemisphere), plate solving, guiding, planning etc, all in one small unit. If it didn't exist I guess I would have used NINA but the extra hassle of hooking up everything to a laptop wasn't very attractive to me as a beginner. I must say that the ASIAir's learning curve was short and shallow and I was getting reasonable images very quickly, again a great encouragement to someone just starting out. I realise that I've tied myself to the ZWO environment at the moment, but that doesn't matter - I'm having fun! |
0.00
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| Other - Ekos/Kstars: Raspberry Pi |
6.77
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A vote for the ASIAIR for me. got 3 of them..  When I started out in astrophotography I ran into the issue that "astrophotography, doesn't like MacOS" Sure there are ways around it. But in general.. drivers, programs, Nina, APT, EQmod, PHD2 etc don't run on a MacOS. Elements like pixinsight, APP and photoshop obviously do run just fine, but the controlling element is tricky. I did do the whole bootcamp route, with NINA got frustrated very quickly. I did consider getting a little windows PC or laptop.. but was worried I'd run into the same frustrations. So the ASIAIR became a quick option for me. One device that did it all, without the issues of drivers and other things. Things I like: - Easy! So easy!!.. Most things are plug and play, it runs you through the setups really well. Making it easy to polar align, plan the imaging, goto, plate solving, guiding, etc. - And ZWO keeps expanding the software more and more. Now you can do multiple targets a night, plan a whole session, sky safari, multi star guiding, more control on focusing with every filter, etc.. All elements that came to the ASIAIR in the last 2 years. Things I don't like: - being "stuck" in the ZWO lineup. .. that said.. I don't think it's a bad lineup to be stuck in. But opinions might be different on that one. But in general, the camera's are very good, EFW's work great, EAF works fine!.. But still, you're "stuck". - No piggybacking. There is no way to control 2 camera's at once on 1 asiair. Best you can do is have 2 ASIAIRs on your rig. have your main rig do 300s exposures, have your piggyback do 60 second exposures, and throw out 1 out of every 5 shots of the piggyback setup due to the dithering. works.. but not great.. And wish there was a way to connect the camera's together onto one ASIAIR. |
1.43
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Dale Penkala: Perhaps it is a problem in expressing myself in English (it is not my mother language) added to the fact that I did not speak with property and the lack of knowledge of other options available and that you use. My initial idea was to refer to the control interfaces although they really need the original programs to be already started and running. I don't think it's appropriate to edit the survey options now because a lot of people have actually answered. If I change answers now, the answers of "others" will be lost and it is not a guarantee that everyone will respond again, so it will no longer make sense. The answer "others" is specified in your posts but if several people still believe that this edition of the answers is necessary, there is no problem in changing them. Just let me know. Thank you all for the good reception of this post and your collaboration. you are great! PD: On some occasions when I am not sure of the English expressions, I use Google translate. Apologies if the expressions are still not grammatically correct. |
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Stuart Taylor:andrea tasselli: I ain't doing nothin', ASTAP doin' it. |
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1.43
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When I started out in astrophotography I ran into the issue that "astrophotography, doesn't like MacOS" Yes, that was a big issue for me. I have to use my daughter's windows laptop for sessions. In sometime I will look for a minicomputer to put on the telescope and control it in a remote way. I know there's a raspberry pi options but I'm not fan of raspberry (maybe for my own ignorance). Daniel. |
1.20
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andrea tasselli:Yep that comes down to if the original coordinates are correct and if the error threshold is small enough. Once those are right it's bang on every time. The built in framing assistant is really useful for locking in the correct coordinates, then they can be saved in a sequence for the next night. |
1.20
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Hi All! Very intersting post! I use APT, Stellarium, iPolar, PH2D & Teamviewer... So far, every thing work well together and as planned. Clear skies! Marc |
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I realise that I've tied myself to the ZWO environment at the moment, but that doesn't matter - I'm having fun! Thats all that matters, FUN! |
7.75
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Dale Penkala:I realise that I've tied myself to the ZWO environment at the moment, but that doesn't matter - I'm having fun! I totally agree and I fully understand the temptation of ASIAIR, actually I came close buying one myself. However fun quickly comes to an end if things stop working. The good thing about ASIAIR is that it's designed and works more or less as black box and you don't need to bother about the details. The bad thing about ASIAIR is that it's designed and works more or less as black box and you can't fix it if you didn't bother about the details. In conjunction to the fact that I didn't want to get stuck in the ASI ecosystem that's why I decided to slowly start setting up a N.I.N.A environment. Automation has significant advantages once you get it to run but trusting it blindly will inevitably let you lose imaging sessions. So I prefer to understand the individual parts of my setup even if this results in a steeper learning curve and a higher price point for the hardware. Clear skies Wolfgang |
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| I started out with APT, and while it had lots of useful features for a DSLR imager, I struggled to do elemental things including framing (even using Stellarium) and programming a sequence. It just seemed to take multiple steps to accomplish the tasks at hand, and the GUI was not intuitive, particularly with some of its powerful tools. For example, I struggled with flats as part of obtaining calibration frames. I then started to read about NINA and the built in Flats Wizard, and for a short while would image in APT then turn to NINA for just the flats. I found the online video resources excellent for NINA and was able to get up to speed in a couple of imaging sessions, though struggled at first with platesolving and framing. The final compelling reason that I switched was NINA's autofocusing abilities. I had purchased my first autofocuser (Optec SWX30) and it worked right out of the gate with NINA after figuring out the settiings, and NINA produced excellent curves. No matter what I did, I was not able to obtain satisfactory autofocus results in APT. I could not set up a sequence and walk away. With NINA, I am able to do just that, and I have been able to trust the program's ability to run a sequence, maintain autofocus, and do a meridian flip. Full disclosure, I was very new to AP when starting with APT, but after investing a reasonable amount of time trying to learn and use APT, I found myself much more confident in NINA after investing even less time. I continue to update to the latest BETA and have not encountered significant obstacles. |
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4.69
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andrea tasselli:Stuart Taylor:andrea tasselli: what can I say? It works fine for me |
6.08
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| I get that there is a lot of new software out there, some free some not, you use what works for you. I my self use Maxlm DL Pro 6 for camera control and TheSky6 for mount control, they work together and have not had an issue in the past 15 years that couldn’t be resolved in 5 minutes, they just work perfectly. The AP mounts work flawlessly, I have a 1200 a Mach 1 and an 1100AE on order, the 1200 is getting heavy at 65. The AP RAPAS polar alignment scopes are so accurate that I can setup in the field and within 15 minutes after sunset, still not dark, be perfectly aligned, just unpark the mount go to an object and if not really close to center, it’s in the FOV, just center and sync on it and your good to go for the rest of the night, no plate solving needed. I do this hobby because it’s fun, I like the hands on, some like to setup, press GO and go to bed, where’s the fun in that. |
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OK here's my list: * SharpCap for polar alignment using my main imaging camera .. pretty straightforward * PHD2 for guiding ... a bit of a no-brainer * Stellarium as my planetarium software ... I used to use CdC, but I just prefer the way Stellarium looks ... either would do just as good a job * ASCOM for controlling mount, focuser and guiding camera (native driver for my main imaging camera) * APT for controlling everything else ... I'm comfortable with it and it works. I may switch to NINA in the future, but right now it's the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it thing" * Alexa for controlling power recycles ... I do this with my Christmas lights, so why not the AP kit? ;) I spent 40 years in the IT industry and, if I could, I would automate everything. That said: my budget doesn't allow me to do that, so I am in-between the "set-it and forget it brigade" and the "I want to experience it personally". Last night, for instance, my filter wheel stopped moving mid-session for whatever reason and I had to disconnect it and reconnect it and re-start my imaging campaign; if I hadn't been occasionally checking on the progress of the shoot I would have ended up with just Luminance frames. |
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KStars/EKOS on Raspberry Pi Ron |
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andrea tasselli: totally agree. NINA is pretty much foolproof software, it's constantly being refined and it has immediate user support 24/7. And it's free!! Nothing compares to that. Certainly not APT with its 19th century interface and bizarre terminology ('point craft' apparently means plate solving - who knew?) |
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| Wow, I see almost no one uses Nebulosity, which is what I use. It was what I started with and now I'm used to it. It took me so long to get into computer control and stacking that I'm loath to try and learn something else (even though I own Pixinsight as well). |
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Wow, I see almost no one uses Nebulosity, which is what I use. It was what I started with and now I'm used to it. It took me so long to get into computer control and stacking that I'm loath to try and learn something else (even though I own Pixinsight as well). Never heard of Nebulosity. But I do agree with you that the software you know can often be the best choice, rather than learning something new. Having said that, I avoided Pixinsight for ages because I thought it was going to be too hard to learn. But I finally bit the bullet last month and now I've bought a commercial licence - it's a complete revelation! |
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SGP. Been using it for a number of years and works well for me. I wouldn't mind giving NINA a crack though. |
