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[Feature Request] How To Improve Meade AutoStar 497 Align Function In SkySafari 6 Pro

Groski

March 27, 2020 16:53

Answered

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 I'm trying to understand what the ALIGN function does when Sky Safari is interfaced to a Autostar 497. It looks like when I do an ALIGN it just moves the pointer on the screen over the object that is selected to align on. So Sky Safari is relying on the alignment function in the Autostar vs using any internal calculations to over ride the 497  alignment and pointing algorithm.  If that is the case, then you have great algorithm for  the Push To  digital settings circles that could be used to greatly improve the pointing  accuracy when using a 497.  It could be used exactly the same way. Slew to object, center it up then ALIGN on it, Do that for at least two objects. I  have built my own WIFI interface for encoders and it is a super excellent setup using Sky Safari. It is my favorite way to observe.  I can find an object in seconds  and also use it during the day to observe the planets and bright stars . So again if you incorporated the  PUSH TO code  with the 497 you would have a really great GOTO system. Add in the commands to set the TIME DATE and LOCATION and you would have a much better system then what many of the stand alone GOTO system have now.  

      - Dave 

    

 

             

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4 comments

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  Keiron Smith March 27, 2020 18:32

  Hi Dave, 

  Sorry, it's not clear what you're asking for.  SkySafari already has Push-To capabilities.  But, thanks for the feedback!

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  Groski March 27, 2020 19:34

   Let me try to explain again  You have a great algorithm in your PUSH TO setup. It reads the position of the encoders and converter that to RA/DEC. You align it by pointing at  two known objects and selecting those objects in Sky Safari. As I said the pointing  accuracy is excellent.

     When you interface the 497 to Sky Safari you seem to be relying on the alignment algorithm in the 497. You  are just ask the 497 for the Alt and Az that it is calculating by the 497 and use that information to plot the pointer on the screen. When you use the ALIGN function in Sky Safari,  it looks to me that all your doing is just moving the pointer of the screen over the object you selected. Your not telling the 497 to sync on that object  and  your not using the algorithm that you use in the PUSH TO setup to actually refine the pointing accuracy.

   So to greatly improve the pointing accuracy of a telescope that use a 497,  use the information coming from the 497 just like what you do for the encoders  and using  the same algorithm. So you do the same procedure as what you do when starting up a PUSH TO system and your using the same code to do the coordinate transformation.  Slew the telescope to a known  object, center  it  in the telescope using the button on the 497 and hit ALIGN in Sky Safari then slew   to the second object and ALIGN  again.  So again your now using the coordinates coming from the 497 as raw data, just like your using the encoder data, then take those raw  coordinates and convert them to true RA/DEC just like you do in the PUSH TO system using the code in Sky Safari.   So now if you want to use the GOTO feature in Sky Safari you'll be sending the corrected coordinates based on the Sky Safari two star alignment code.

  From what I can tell having  written my own telescope control systems, the algorithm that is in a 497 is just doing a simple RA/DEC to ALT/AZ conversion with some linear offset corrections. It is not doing  a true coordinate transformation like what your do in Sky Safari. So by using your code you can great improve the pointing  accuracy of these scope. Just like with the PUSH TO system you won't need to know your Long/Lat , time or date.   

              - Dave 

   

   

   

    

   

     

• 0
  
  Keiron Smith April 01, 2020 23:30

  Dave,

  I'll have the developers review your proposal.  Not promising anything.

  Thanks for taking the time to explain your idea in detail.

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  Murphter April 14, 2022 02:40

  Did this idea make it to SkySafari 7 Pro?  I need same thing - correction factor for small alignment issue between goto in SkySafari and actual object location.  Meade AutoStar 497.