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Feature Request: Dithering Without Guiding


drfalken

Question

Hi!

I started using BYN a week ago or so and love it so far.

It connects to my D7000 and does everything I need and more. It also connects to my mount (Astro-Physics Mach 1) via the ASCOM driver. However, I see no way of dithering the exposures, unless PHD is guiding.

My problem is, I want to run unguided. My mount and polar alignment are  good enough to capture 60s exposures, and for some bright targets, that' s a fine sub length. 

Is there anyway that BYN can send a dithering command to the mount directly, bypassing PHD?

Thanks,

Dan

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Not at this time, PHD is required... but... I have a 10Micron GM2000HPS mount and I can do in excess of 30 minutes subs easily without guiding... so I may need dithering without guiding too.  Time is my biggest enemy :(

 

Regards,

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Is there anyway that BYN can send a dithering command to the mount directly, bypassing PHD?

 

Dithering is a function of the Guider Software - whether PHD2 or other - and the Imaging Software simply 1) Requests of PHD2 that a Dither be performed; and 2) Waits until the PHD2 Guiding Software advises that the Dither is Complete and Guiding is once more Successfully Underway before the Imaging Software starts the next Exposure.

 

The Guiding Software performs all the Actions of a Dither: 1) Selecting the Random Offset for the pending Dither; 2) Calculating the New Guide Star Position resulting from that Dither Offset; 3) Issuing the Mount the Guiding Commands/Pulses necessary to Center on that New Position; and 4) Track the Guiding Error so as to advise when it has reached the Specified Minimum Guiding Error such that Imaging can proceed.

 

I'd suppose that you could do a form of "Blind Dithering" by setting a sizeable "Pause between Images" in the Capture Plan.  Then you could use the ASCOM Mount Controls to perform a "pseudo-random" Nudge at the start of each Pause and assume that your Mount's Tracking will settle down before the Pause has expired.

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I'd suppose that you could do a form of "Blind Dithering" by setting a sizeable "Pause between Images" in the Capture Plan.  Then you could use the ASCOM Mount Controls to perform a "pseudo-random" Nudge at the start of each Pause and assume that your Mount's Tracking will settle down before the Pause has expired.

 

Yes, that would be it.  At least it is how I see it.

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Actually, this was a Suggestion for any Users who were IMPATIENT, and wanted a way to do Blind Dithering NOW... (without any BYE Software Changes)

 

But, it sounds like it would work as a BYE-supported Blind Dithering workflow (just needing a couple of Settings and/or Main UI Controls).  But, that would be for a Next Minor Version, probably...

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Yes, this is what I was suggesting...

Since BYN is communicating with the mount through ASCOM, instead of sending the PHD server the command to dither, it could simply send a random nudge vector to the mount between exposures.

MaximDL  calls it "dithering via mount" (as opposed to "via guider"), exactly for the scenario where you are taking unguided subs.

 

 

 

I'd suppose that you could do a form of "Blind Dithering" by setting a sizeable "Pause between Images" in the Capture Plan.  Then you could use the ASCOM Mount Controls to perform a "pseudo-random" Nudge at the start of each Pause and assume that your Mount's Tracking will settle down before the Pause has expired.

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