Greets all!  A quick question while I work with this ST4 wonder! I understand that I can schedule a project for multiple or single nights to control when it completes, as well as ongoing to keep repeating the session again and again.  There is also (apparently only for comets and minor planets) the ability to get multiple observations per night ... but what if I want to get repeating completions per night?  

In other works, say my project of a DSO can complete with session time of 60min, but the object will be in the appropriate IQ area for 130min that evening.  I have set the exposure to be "Ongoing" so what I would like to do would be to have ST4 schedule two runs of the session, just like it does with multiple observations, so I would finish the night with two project completions rather than one ... changing the object type to Astrometry or Photometry doesn't ungrey the Exposure Goals checks from which I would control this capability ... ideas?

Thx!

All -

While I have seen the spate of recent announcements regarding ST4 Imaging, and am therefore anxiously anticipating the release of ST4 Visual Observing, I decided to become better acquainted with my copy of ST3.

In order to incorporate ST3 more seamlessly into my observing, and because I do NOT take my computer out when observing (since my old scopes are manually powered!), I wonder:
- is there a capability to use an Android tablet/phone, or possibly some other mobile device on the same network, to view observing maps and/or to take log notes
- have people found some other efficient way to print out observing sheets with star hop guides (ala Visual Sky Simulations) to more seamless gain the benefits of ST without using a Windows computer?


TIA
Ed

I just upgraded to SkyTools 4 and in the process of setting up my equipment. I noticed that Optolong filters have not been included and it is asking for a data file to create new filters. Can someone advise how I can get the data files for Optolong LRGB, Ha, OIII and SII filters? If data files do not already exist how do you create them? All I have to go off of is the wavelength graph on the Optolong web site. Given the scale of the graph I would think it would be fairly difficult to create accurate files manually. Is there a better way?

Thanks for the info.

Andrew J

Greg,

Since you are still working on the visual version of Sky Tools 4, I would like to see if you have incorporated some additional observing list object selection options. I just started playing with the planner options in Sky Safari 6. Do you by any chance have it? If so, could those planner options be included in Sky Tools 4 visual? And I think a couple more would be helpful.

If you don't have it, let me know and I will send the planner options in Sky Safari 6. To me they would be very useful, particularly for public star party planning.

Thanks,

Roger

Hello everyone,

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Greetings all,

I am attempting to add objects to an observing list.  I am doing the following:

1. Searching and finding the object
2. Under action menu, choosing add to observing list
3.  correctly selecting the group and the observing list
4.  making certain my settings for observation status includes show observed, show not yet observed, show no value.

What am i missing?  Also, sometimes the menu will say that it is included in a particular observing list, but I cannot see it there.


Thanks for the the help!

We had a clear spell in Brisbane on the evening of Sat/Sun 21/22 Apr 2018, although the seeing was quite variable, estimated to be between 3-5/10 on the Pickering Scale.
 
I grabbed 39 sets of RGB data, 30 sec each filter with a pause of 210 secs between sets, spanning 11:50pm (21st) to 03:15am (22nd) with Jupiter transiting the Meridian at 01:07 am (AEST). From these RGB sets I managed to generate a 39 frame animation.
 
South is at the top of the animation.
 
Date(UT)=21042018.
Start(UT)=135005.153.
End(UT)=171542.914.
 
Tak Mewlon 210 F11.5.
TeleVue 2” PowerMate x2.0.
Camera=ZWO ASI290MM.
SX USB Filterwheel.
R=30 sec.
G=30 sec.
B=30 sec.
Pause=210 sec.
 
Diameter=44.21".
Magnitude=-2.47.
Focal Length=4830mm.
Resolution=0.12".
 
Altitude:
Start = 78 deg (E).
End = 57 deg (W).
 
Seeing:
Variable from 3 to 5 Pickering Scale.

Link to animation on PVOL website: 
http://pvol2.ehu.eus/pvolimages/jupiter/j2018-04-21_13-50-00_rgb_dsimmons.gif
 
I have attached a single frame from the sequence, where the seeing had dropped to around 4/10. It is interesting to see the larger image scale using the ASI290MM (2.9micron pixels) compared to my previous effort with the ASI120MM-S (3.75micron pixels).
 
Cheers
 
Dennis

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Why can or I not update the database to include new minor planets, namely NEO's?
I have downloaded the MPCOrb.dat file, then tried update by the to read option but nothing gets updated.


Thanks
Randy

Here is an image of Jupiter with Galilean moons Europa (with shadow), Io and Ganymede taken on 10th Feb 2018.
 
Generally, the seeing was quite good with some light cloud around.
 
Taken with a Takahashi Mewlon 210 F11.5, TeleVue Powermate x2.0 (efl 4800mm), ZWO ASI 120MM-S and Starlight Xpress USB FW.
 
The image is made up of 30 sec R, G and B AVIs and is my first time using RGB filters in planetary imaging.
 
Cheers
 
Dennis

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I was hoping that the tightly spaced Jupiter/Mars pair would clear the trees before the dawn sky brightened too much – the trees blocking my Eastern Horizon had grown considerably in the last 12 months.
 
Tantalising glimpses of Jupiter and the 4 Galilean Moons materialised on the LCD on the back of the camera as the topmost branches swayed in the light breeze when finally, Jupiter and Mars cleared the top of the trees and I could get to work recording this close conjunction.
 
I took several frames at varying ISO speeds (ISO100 to ISO3200) and shutter speeds (1/8 sec to 30 secs) so I could later select frames that showed the field stars (Jupiter and Mars grossly over exposed) and the disc of Jupiter with the equatorial bands.
 
A little bit of Photoshop magic allowed me to combine the sets and produce this composite.
 
Cheers
 
Dennis
 
PS -  According to ST3 Pro, the separation between Jupiter and Mars was some 14 arc mins, less than ½ diameter of the full Moon. Brisbane, Qld, Australia, 7th Jan 2018 at 4:15 am AEST (UT+10).

   

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