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Plate Solving issues

Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA) Plate Solving Troubleshooting
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Mark C. Helton avatar
Mark C. Helton avatar
Hi. 
I have been a devoted NINA user now for a number of years, and for the most part, have had very good luck, for an open sourced program, with it.  However I do have a few issues.  One is with plate solving.  Some nights it works fine, and others, it can't seem to find anything.  Now I realize that there are a lot of factors that could cause issues.  I make sure that I am polar aligned, using I polar on my Ioptron HEM 44EC mount.  I have heard that seeing conditions can have a big impact on how well plate solve works.  I have gone in to options and under plate solve, I make sure that I have the correct focal length, and pixel size.  that was an issue I had had in the past.  I am currently using ASTAP to solve.  I watched a few Youtube videos on how to use the other options, but none of the explanations really helped.  So I guess I am asking for any advice on the best way to use plate solve in NINA.  Thank you for any help!!  
Mark 
Great Neck Observatory
Ipswich MA. USA
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Christian Koll avatar
Christian Koll avatar
Mark,

are you using the latest version of ASTAP and the latest and best star databases matching your system?

Check out the ASTAP webpage for their latest version.

Seeing should not affect your Plate solving, my Images get solved by ASTAP, Even if I forgot to take off the Bahtinov mask…

CS
Chris
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Jim Raskett avatar
Jim Raskett avatar
I agree with Christian @Christian Koll . Since you are having issues, might as well refresh your ASTAP application and databases.

The only time that I had an issue with plate solving  in N.I.N.A. using ASTAP, I was so far out of focus that when I looked at the image in the Imaging tab, I could not see any stars. 

I am using a much lower fl scope (571mm) and the same camera (ASI533MC-P) I expose for 3 seconds at 400 gain, but I have good success with the same exposure at 100 gain.

Good luck!

Jim
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Scott Badger avatar
Scott Badger avatar
If I’m getting HFR values above 10 px, around 6 arcsec for my setup, platesolving fails. Sometimes, if I use a short exposure and keep trying, I’ll get lucky….lucky platesolving!….When it’s marginal, I’ll often get a successful platesolve on the first attempt, but have it fail on the second — even though the slew from the first PS is always accurate and never needs a second adjustment, so the mount is pointing accurately when the second PS fails….not sure if something’s going on, or if In those conditions the second PS is simply not ‘lucky’….

‘Course, this is academic since imaging in those conditions isn’t worth it.

Cheers,
Scott
Christian Großmann avatar
Christian Großmann avatar
My plate solving with ASTAP in Nina usually works without any problems on all of my 3 setups. If there are problems, it is always due to bad focus or bad contrast in the images. I use mono cameras and if I start imaging while it is not really dark, yet, the image seems to be fine, because they are corrected for the display. But in reality, the contrast is too bad for ASTAP to solve. This is usually solved after some minutes and a retry. Another problem may be due to a wrong focal length set in Nina if I switch scopes.

Using color cameras, I have to use quite long exposure times for the solving images. Depending on the gain setting and this exposure time, plate solve also fails. But this is of course also due to bad contrast.

I don't know, if this is helpful, but maybe it gives you a starting point for what to look for. Otherwise I have no clue what causes your problems.

Maybe, in case a subjects works, try to solve the sub frames itself. I assume, you use longer exposure times than for finding your subject. If they are all solvable, it should be due to the contrast problem.

CS

Christian
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Mark C. Helton avatar
Mark C. Helton avatar
Thank you for all of your suggestions and comments.  They have been very helpful.  I will be looking into updating ASTAP.  Clear Skies
Mark
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