Automation

[Hamza Touhami]

Good evening

I have created an hour long video tutorial explaining what automation in PRISM is capable of, check it out!


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[keving]

Hi Hamza

Great video! (I watched it all

First a trivial thing... I see the focus settings for autofocus are in focus-drive steps rather than the more usual millimetres. I have come to enjoy seeing things in real physical dimensions elsewhere in Prism; is it possible to bring this one into line with the other focus routines? [Also still anticipating solution to Direct focus ]

Second - and almost inevitably perhaps - the meridian flip thing under the scop tab... Here's how I understand it from the video.
Assume your drive supports auto-meridian flip, and you have set it to do so at the meridian itself. Now suppose you have set the pre- and post meridian limits in Prism to -10 and +10 minutes (as in the video). Then, 10 mins before the meridian would be crossed (call this time M-10), Prism stops the mount tracking, stops imaging, and asks the mount to do a meridan flip. Further, it will tell the mount to slew to a place that, *at time M-10*, is 10mins past the meridan (with same Dec). It will then prevent the mount tracking until the target object has reached this post-meridan point. When the target does reach here, it will start the mount tracking again and imaging will carry on.

First is this a correct account?
Second, I suspect most mounts (like my MESU+sitech combo) have their own plus and minus limits around the meridian for flipping. It would seem best here to let Prism take responsibility and set the drive-internal limits to 0, i.e. set the drive software flip *at* the meridian, as in my description above; otherwise there could be room for conflict...
Third, when it says Prism stops imaging at -10min, how is this done? Does it stop the sub-exposure that would cross this time zone (effectively stopping before -10, after the last possible full sub) or does it just abort the sub which was in progress at -10?

many thanks

Kevin

[Hamza Touhami]

Hello Kevin

1. Yes, you can use focus in millimeters or encoder steps, you choose the flavor!
2. Even you have "auto-Meridian-Flip", you can still utilize PRISM in causing it for you. After all, the principle is the same.
3. Establishing a safe working order of your mount is, as you guessed, the user's responsibility. By this I mean take the time to really investigate that what the best angle for your equipment are. If you can set your driver to flip at 0 ( or meridian), just set Prism to -2 and 2. This way you will not waste any valuable time at the zenith.
4. Here is an excerpt from a running log in Chile, hope this answers all your questions:

Code: Select all

UTC 2018-02-19  06h02m56.104s : [Filters] Try changing filter from #1 to #4
UTC 2018-02-19  06h02m57.125s : [Filters] Filter#1 to #4, reference=3.129 mm, shift=0.000 mm, position=3.129 mm
UTC 2018-02-19  06h02m57.139s : [Focuser] Resuming guiding after focusing interrupt.
UTC 2018-02-19  06h02m57.156s : [Focuser] Resuming guiding after focusing interrupt : OK
UTC 2018-02-19  06h02m57.171s : [Telescope] Exposure will complete beyond Meridian angle = 0.18 h > 0.13 h
UTC 2018-02-19  06h02m57.190s : [Telescope] ends up after meridian at RA= 11h13m52s  DEC=+13°35'20'' mount flip willl be completed
UTC 2018-02-19  06h02m57.205s : [Telescope] Slew to RA= 11h13m52s DEC=+13°35'20''
UTC 2018-02-19  06h03m32.264s : [Telescope] Tube is East side of pier aiming West
UTC 2018-02-19  06h03m37.275s : [Telescope] Sidereal tracking stopped
UTC 2018-02-19  06h03m37.500s : [Telescope] tracking stopped, wait for object to transit Meridian
UTC 2018-02-19  06h04m07.513s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h04m37.526s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h05m07.544s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h05m37.559s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h06m07.598s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h06m37.615s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h07m07.631s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h07m37.644s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h08m07.661s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h08m37.673s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m07.684s : [Telescope] Wait for object to transit Meridian...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m21.071s : Resuming sidereal speed
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m21.087s : [Telescope] Tracking resumed
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m21.113s : [Telescope] Wait completed, slewing to object...
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m21.151s : [Telescope] Slew to RA= 11h20m16s DEC=+13°35'22''
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m23.233s : [Telescope] Tube is East side of pier aiming West
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m23.245s : [Telescope] A mount flip has been reported
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m23.261s : [Camera] back to "FULL FRAME" mode
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m23.275s : [Camera] Image size X1=1 Y1=1 X2=2184 Y2=1472
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m23.297s : [Camera] Prepare an exposure BinX=2 BinY=2  MirrorX=1  MirrorY=1 Rot=1 Time=10.00 sec
UTC 2018-02-19  06h09m25.765s : [Camera] Exposure has started