N.I.N.A. Beginner's question - Forums

Topic starter

8 days ago

Hello,

I’m about to use N.I.N.A. for the first time after having used Asi Air until now and I need a second opinion to understand if I’m on the right way or I’m missing something obvious.

So I verified that every device that I plan to use (mount Zwo AM5N, camera guide Asi 678 MM, main camera Zwo asi 2600 MC Pro, Zwo Eaf, Zwo Caa, wanderer box V3) is recognized and that I can control them.

I installed PH2 for guiding and created the dark library

I configured ASTAP for plate solving, Stellarium as the planetarium and the sky survey cache folder.

I checked that the plate solving works opening a light frame in the framing assistant

I installed the plugins Advanced API, Hocus Pocus, Ph2Tools, scope control, shutdown pc, three point polar alignment, touch and stars and wanderers astro tool.

Since I plan to control everything with the Touch and star app, I checked that everything was working using my tablet.

I can control the mini pc with NINA through the network using both remote desktop and uvnc

Then I created the generic sequence that you can see here Generic_sequence.png

My plan is: do the three polar alignment, select with touch ‘n star an object, send it to the generic sequence and then start imaging.

My question are:

should I create a sequence to slew to a correct object to calibrate the guiding and then start imaging the chosen object or activate the force calibration slider in the sequence?
do you see some obvious error?
is there any other preliminary configuration to do?
is the sequence ok?

Any kind of help is appreciated. Thank you very much!

Well written

Derek Mellen

8 days ago

For best guider cablibration you want to do the calibration around +/- 20 degrees of Dec 0. https://openphdguiding.org/PHD2_BestPractices_2019-12.pdf

Paul Larkin

8 days ago

AdAstraAnimadverto · Jul 1, 2026, 08:31 PM
should I create a sequence to slew to a correct object to calibrate the guiding and then start imaging the chosen object or activate the force calibration slider in the sequence?

It’s not clear from your equipment list of you have and OAG or an independent guide scope. The following is only relevant for OAG, so ignore it if you use a separate guide scope.

At least in my setup (OAG->Filter wheel->Camera all screwed together), because the OAG rotates with the camera, I need to have your camera position sorted (i.e. rotated for desired framing) before doing PHD2 calibration. Rotating the setup after PHD2 calibration rotates the OAG with it and voids the calibration. I adjust my framing with a test image or two at the target coordinates before slewing to the celestial equator for PHD2 calibration. When that’s done, I slew back to the target (or have this built into the sequence) and the run the sequence.

Hope that helps.

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Tony Gondola

Frequent contributor

Exemplary contributor

8 days ago

It all sounds a bit over-complicated actually.

If you know what objects to want to photograph there’s really no need to run an external planetarium program or Touch and Stars as NINA has it’s own object catalog built in. Once you do the object look up you can send the info to the framing assistant where you can refine your framing and rotation and then send the object info directly to your imaging sequence.

The most basic software setup would be connecting PHD2 and whatever software runs your mount to NINA. All I need to run is Green Swamp Server for the mount, PHD2 and finally NINA. When you remote in and bring up NINA you connect your camera, filter wheel, EAF, mount, PHD2 and whatever extras you have.

At this point you have full control of the mount and you can do whatever setup and house keeping you have, PA, etc…

At that point you just start your seq. and the rest of the night is just monitoring.

On sequencing, yours might run but here’s how I set up mine. Starting with a blank seq. You’ll notice it has three sections. The first is the starting area, this is where you put the basic startup tasks, start time or condition, unparking the mount, cooling the camera, etc…

The middle section is the main working area. I start off by putting in a deep sky sequence template. Then I go over to the framing assistant to send my target my target to the deep sky seq. In the instruction area of the DSS I’ll put the slew to target, start guiding, focus, starting filter, anything needed to get ready for taking data.

Inside the DSS instructions area I’ll put a sequential seq. That’s where you put your triggers like meridian flip, center after drift, focus etc… In the loop section, put in the condition that ends the shooting loop. The instruction section is where you actually take your data. Smart exposure works really well here as handles not only the basic exposures but filter changes and dithering. It’s a compact but powerful statement.

The end section is where you want to do all your shutdown tasks, warm the camera, park the mount and so on. You can also add a timer that triggers about ten min. before sunrise so you can take flat wizard sky flats automatically. It’s super nice to wake up in the morning to a parked scope and all the data, including flats on the drive

Oh, on last thing on PD2 calibration. Once you do it, it will remember and automatically apply it unless you change the rotation of your guide camera.

Hope all that helps.

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SonnyE

7 days ago

Hi Sam, (I’m not about to use that long name you chose)

One mistake that jumped out at me was you installed Hokus Pokus. I wonder where you found that? I have Hocus Focus plugin installed in my NINA copy. (Got your leg, pullin on it. 🙃)

I can offer you a link to Cuiv’s excellent tutorial’s on NINA. He got me running with NINA. The only trouble I had was getting my mount to do a meridian flip. But I finally needled out some settings for my limits that work fine.

I use Stellarium for my Planetarium software in NINA. Works great because I can open Stellarium, browse and pick a victim for the night. Then in NINA use the Framing Wizard to get a view of the object and set the rotation (I have a camera rotator) if I want something a little different, Or just simply move the framing to my liking, then open it in the Legacy Sequencer and pick my settings. Then save the file (I find saving it in the sequencer as >object>time exposure>number of exposures< is plenty sufficient for me. (IE: Sadr, 60s, 200 images. Or simply: Sadr 60s 200

Stellarium gives me a nice visual representation of what is available at the time I want to start, and selecting in Stellarium, NINA will pick it out and frame it up. No fiddle-dorking around.

I have just opened NINA and connected all equipment. It’s fast and easy. But my preference is to open and connect my equipment, so I know everything is running. I like to start with my mount, then my focuser and rotator, PHD2 guiding, and Stellarium. When those are all ready I open NINA and click the connect button for my equipment that NINA remembers from the last time.

My reason individual starting is to make sure no USB connections are flaky. NINA would tell me anyway, but I like the long way around.

I almost bought in to Sequence Generator Pro ages ago. But the owner got his hackles up when I and another guy doing his trial time asked of SGP could be adjusted to save jpg files for easier, direct, web sharing. The guy blew up at us and told us to go get NINA if we wanted other file extensions. 🤨

So as I progressed, I eventually matured my equipment to work well with NINA. I use just 3 plugins with mine. PHD, Hokus Focus, and now Flexture Compensator I’m trying out.

What I like the most with NINA is I can start it and let it run till it’s done and wake up to a night’s images to stack and view. My mount parked in its Counterweight Down Position ready to be covered until tonight. It’s Automagically delicious.

I use a laptop at my mount and have NINA store my images directly to a SSD (solid state drive) and start it stacking in ASI remotely while I check email and fool around.

You’ll do fine. Just wade in and start catchin stars.

Mark Theissen

6 days ago

Paul Larkin · Jul 2, 2026, 12:55 AM
AdAstraAnimadverto · Jul 1, 2026, 08:31 PM
should I create a sequence to slew to a correct object to calibrate the guiding and then start imaging the chosen object or activate the force calibration slider in the sequence?
It’s not clear from your equipment list of you have and OAG or an independent guide scope. The following is only relevant for OAG, so ignore it if you use a separate guide scope.
At least in my setup (OAG->Filter wheel->Camera all screwed together), because the OAG rotates with the camera, I need to have your camera position sorted (i.e. rotated for desired framing) before doing PHD2 calibration. Rotating the setup after PHD2 calibration rotates the OAG with it and voids the calibration. I adjust my framing with a test image or two at the target coordinates before slewing to the celestial equator for PHD2 calibration. When that’s done, I slew back to the target (or have this built into the sequence) and the run the sequence.
Hope that helps.

That’s not necessarily true. You can connect the rotator (CAA) in PHD2 before doing the calibration and then connect it (in PHD2) when you start up every night. As long as the only rotation you do is with the rotator, PHD2 will query the rotator for the current position and apply the corrections correctly. This assumes you have the OAG on the main camera side of the rotator. The only thing you might have to do is tell PHD2 (and Nina) that the rotator is “reverse” if it seems like the corrections are going the wrong way when it’s rotated from the initial calibration position. If you use a separate guide scope, this doesn’t apply (although you would have to re-calibrate PHD2 if the guide scope or guide camera somehow got rotated).
If the you don’t see the option to connect to a rotator in PHD2, hit the “More Equipment …” button on the “Connect Equipment” page. Again, you only need to do this is you’re using a OAG to guide where the OAG is between the main camera and the rotator (i.e. the OAG rotates with the main camera).
I do this with my setup (a remote site) and I haven’t had to recalibrate in PHD2 in ages.

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SonnyE

5 days ago

Mark Theissen · Jul 3, 2026, 08:33 PM
Paul Larkin · Jul 2, 2026, 12:55 AM
AdAstraAnimadverto · Jul 1, 2026, 08:31 PM
should I create a sequence to slew to a correct object to calibrate the guiding and then start imaging the chosen object or activate the force calibration slider in the sequence?
It’s not clear from your equipment list of you have and OAG or an independent guide scope. The following is only relevant for OAG, so ignore it if you use a separate guide scope.
At least in my setup (OAG->Filter wheel->Camera all screwed together), because the OAG rotates with the camera, I need to have your camera position sorted (i.e. rotated for desired framing) before doing PHD2 calibration. Rotating the setup after PHD2 calibration rotates the OAG with it and voids the calibration. I adjust my framing with a test image or two at the target coordinates before slewing to the celestial equator for PHD2 calibration. When that’s done, I slew back to the target (or have this built into the sequence) and the run the sequence.
Hope that helps.
That’s not necessarily true. You can connect the rotator (CAA) in PHD2 before doing the calibration and then connect it (in PHD2) when you start up every night. As long as the only rotation you do is with the rotator, PHD2 will query the rotator for the current position and apply the corrections correctly. This assumes you have the OAG on the main camera side of the rotator. The only thing you might have to do is tell PHD2 (and Nina) that the rotator is “reverse” if it seems like the corrections are going the wrong way when it’s rotated from the initial calibration position. If you use a separate guide scope, this doesn’t apply (although you would have to re-calibrate PHD2 if the guide scope or guide camera somehow got rotated).
If the you don’t see the option to connect to a rotator in PHD2, hit the “More Equipment …” button on the “Connect Equipment” page. Again, you only need to do this is you’re using a OAG to guide where the OAG is between the main camera and the rotator (i.e. the OAG rotates with the main camera).
I do this with my setup (a remote site) and I haven’t had to recalibrate in PHD2 in ages.

Well, I do have a Pegasus Astro Falcon2 rotator on my imaging train. But mine is set up between my FR/FF and my filter drawer before my camera. (Not attached to my telescopes focuser tube. And it is appearing in my PHD2 App. Sometimes I use it, most times I don’t, but have the choice. And it works great with NINA’s Framing Wizard.

I chose to do it my way, rather than the prescribed way. My rotator is behind my FR/FF And I use a 60mm guide scope with a ASI290MM Mini guide camera. (High resolution)

So in my backyard, the filter drawer and camera rotate together. And there are no mirrors in my 130mm refractor… My imaging train is screwed together for rigidity.

(I only use one of two light pollution filters. Or idiot filters as I call them because I have idiots around me. But I have an 8 foot fence to block their light pollution.)

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Mark Theissen

4 days ago

SonnyE · Jul 5, 2026, 01:11 AM
Well, I do have a Pegasus Astro Falcon2 rotator on my imaging train. But mine is set up between my FR/FF and my filter drawer before my camera. (Not attached to my telescopes focuser tube. And it is appearing in my PHD2 App. Sometimes I use it, most times I don’t, but have the choice. And it works great with NINA’s Framing Wizard.
I chose to do it my way, rather than the prescribed way. My rotator is behind my FR/FF And I use a 60mm guide scope with a ASI290MM Mini guide camera. (High resolution)
So in my backyard, the filter drawer and camera rotate together. And there are no mirrors in my 130mm refractor… My imaging train is screwed together for rigidity.
(I only use one of two light pollution filters. Or idiot filters as I call them because I have idiots around me. But I have an 8 foot fence to block their light pollution.)

If the rotator doesn’t rotate your guide scope, it shouldn’t be connected to PHD2. That’s only used with an OAG that gets rotated along with the imaging camera.

Mark T.

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