Sky simulator for Ascom & Alpaca Activity
Sky simulator for Ascom using an artificial sky or online DSS images.
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han59
Activity for Sky simulator for Ascom & Alpaca
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Sky simulator for Ascom & Alpaca updated /program/macOS_installer/sky_simulator.pkg
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han.k posted a comment on discussion General Discussion
What is pixel size and the focal length setting in Nina?
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Jerry Stern posted a comment on discussion General Discussion
I do not know why but FL=430 will not work for plate solving. 560 works and that is not in your instructions.
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Hi Jerry, The setting FL=560 mm is stored in the . cfg file. If the old .cfg file was still available then the installation should have worked out of the box. Just install without deleting anything would have worked, but I will check anyhow tomorrow The 430 mm was in my instruction, thats why I changed the default. cs, Han
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Han, In v3.0.6 I had no problems plate solving with ASTAP in NINA. When this version is installed, the camera simulator Focal Length defaults to 560mm. I uninstalled v3.0.6 and the old .cfg file, and then installed v3.0.7. Plate solving consistently failed. However, I am now getting very familiar with the set up process and I noticed that v3.0.7 installs a default FL of 430mm for the Alpaca camera. As soon I changed this to 560 in Sky Sim Camera tab and in NINA and PHD2, I was able to plate solve...
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Here is the log snapshot.
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Well, I may have been too optimistic. In NINA, selected an object in Sky Atlas , imaged and plate solved OK. Started PHD2 guiding and I thought everything was working I went to lunch. I came back and realized the mount didnt seem to have moved and when I checked the Sky Sim log, it shows that SkySim was giving NINA/PHD2 the exact same image for almost 90 minutes. NINA said tracking was on the whole time. How does SkySim find out how the mount moved during tracking? How can I determine whether the...
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Unfortunately it would not match. The unrest of the mechanical drive movement is not in the loop. You can get very familiar with the tuning, but once you image the real sky it will behave differently. So tuning factors achieved in simulation will be different then what you will need in a real session. For a real mount you will need setting, something like 3 to 4 seconds exposure, gain 50 to 70%, hysteresis 50%. But every mount will be different. Most important is to limit gain such that it doesn't...
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I havejust started using SkySim with NINA and PHD2 guiding and my real Wave 150i mount. Since most of the guiding errors are due to the characertistics of the mount, is guiding with Sky Sim and my mount accurate to let me make mount adjustments in PHD2 that would translate to improved guiding when I use the mount under real imaging conditions?
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OK, makes sense. NINA or PHD2 'thinks' the FL for Guide is 120mm so that must be the issue since the main Sky SIm camera FL=430mm.
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Does anyone know what is the Guide camera's Pixel size, Focal length and/or Scale{"/pixel} ?? Also is there a setting to "cover' the Guide camera to let PHD2 make a dark library? The guide camera is using just a copy of the camera image. The one artifical image created is used by both camera. So focal length and pixel size are indentical. Pixel size is communicated via Alpaca, focal length is not becuase Nina is not reading it. To cover the telescope, select in tab Image source "No stars, cover telescope"....
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I have been successful with the latest version of Sky Sim with NINA and my Wave 150i mount. Being able to learn and test indoors during a terrible Winter is fantastic. With Sky Sim's artificial star library, and Sky Sim Alpaca camera, plate solving with ASTAP in NINA works very good and I was able to determine meridian limits at some extreme positions. Now I am moving on to PHD2 guiding with Sky Sim's Guide Camera Alpaca. PHD2 is so far having some struggle though with guiding using the Sky Sim artifical...
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I have been successful with the latest version of Sky Sim with NINA and my Wave 150i mount. Being able to learn and test indoors during a terrible Winter is fantastic. With Sky Sim's artificial star library, and Sky Sim Alpaca camera, plate solving with ASTAP in NINA works very good and I was able to determine meridian limits at some extreme positions. Now I am moving on to PHD2 guiding with Sky Sim's Guide Camera Alpaca. PHD2 is so far having some struggle though with guiding using the Sky Sim artifical...
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I have been successful with the latest version of Sky Sim with NINA and my Wave 150i mount. Being able to learn and test indoors during a terrible Winter is fantastic. With Sky Sim's artificial star library, and Sky Sim Alpaca camera, plate solvingwith ASTAP in NINA works very good and I was able to determine meridian limits at some extreme postions. Now I am moving on to PHD2 guiding with Sky Sim's Guide Camera Alpaca. PHD2 is so far having some struggle though with guiding using the Sky Sim artifical...
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Great, enjoy your time off ! I have found the solution to the DEC 00 with an external mount. I started SkySim and then NINA with the Mount. I incorrectly expected SkySim to connect to the mount through NINA. The correct method, is BEFORE starting NINA to connect to the external mount ASCOM driver using the button in Sky Sim Mount tab. Once I did that, then the first image is now correct and same as with internal mount simulator!.
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'v3.0.7'
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'v3.0.7'
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I have released Simulator version 3.0.7: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sky-simulator/files/program/windows_installer/Sky%20Simulator.exe/download The instruction should be reasonable okay for Nina, CCDCiel and APT. I have added your remark for latitude and longitude. About the external ASCOM simulator called "simulator", you better set also the longitude and latitude. See attached. That should not influence the azimuth or latitude reported in the Simulator. But it could hit the horizon at a different...
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I almost finished with the instructions: https://sky-simulator.sourceforge.io It includes usage of PHD2. You will need Simulator version 3.0.7 still to be uploaded Tell me if it it is understandable
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And as a followup... I installed the current version of Sky Sim on two other computers both so the same. First install start @ 8:51:42 - no lat or long (left blank), then at 8:55:51 I added my lat and log, then at 8:56:08 I changed Mount to external, then at 8:56:29 I changed Mount latitude to Amsterdam just to see what would happen but still for EXTERNAL mount. All DEC are at horizon, like maybe for a POlar scope not an EQ scope?
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Yes it reads very well. One suggestion, for the first time installation, in the Mount tab the user must inser their lat or long. If not, this is what they will see in log for their first time as I just did when I installed onto a new computer. 8:51:42 Processing prepared image. 8:51:42 Image ready for download. J2000 ---, --- JNow ---, --- 8:51:43 Processing prepared image. 8:51:44 Image ready for download. J2000 ---, --- JNow ---, --- 8:51:45 Processing prepared image. 8:51:45 Image ready for download....
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understandable
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I almost finished with the instructions: https://sky-simulator.sourceforge.io It includes usage of PHD2. You will need Simulator version 3.0.7 still to be uploaded Tell me if it is understandable
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I almost finished with the instructions: https://sky-simulator.sourceforge.io It includes usage of PHD2. You will need Simulator version 3.0.7 still to be uploaded Tell me if it is clear
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I can't reproduce your observation, but I will now focus on updating the the instruction. Since I added the latest ASCOM 7 methods yesterdat it is good moment to go through the steps. I have added an out of focus message to the artificial image if the HFD is larger then 20. See attached. I will release version 3.0.7 later in the day.
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Tomorrow I will have a look.
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The mount can be off due to the polar error. So the image positioncan be different to the mount position. Nina has to sync it. I assume these errors are caused by Nina. Declination above 90 is not possible.
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Tomorrow I will have a look. On 27/01/2026 23:18, Jerry Stern wrote: More data that may help you isolate. I think its an issue with Sky Simul. When I start SS with all internal simulators, internal mount included, the first artificial image created in very near celestial north, and ASTAP plate solving successful and confirms. With only one change in Sky Sim to using an external mount, the first artificial image made by Sky Sim had a DEC of 00. Since the SkySim is started before NINA and NINA begins...
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'v3.0.7'
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As above, here is the the log as it goes from Internal mount to external mount (with no mount ascom program running), then SkySIm stopped, Mount changed to external and SKySim restarted.
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More data that may help you isolate. I think its an issue with Sky Simul. When I start SS with all internal simulators, internal mount included, the first artificial image created in very near celestial north, and ASTAP plate solving successful and confirms. With only one change in Sky Sim to using an external mount, the first artificial image made by Sky Sim had a DEC of 00. Since the SkySim is started before NINA and NINA begins thinking my mount is pointing to Celestial north, I think it would...
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The mount can be off due to the polar error. So the image positioncan be different to the mount position. Nina has to sync it. I assume these errors are cause by Nina. Declination above 90 is not possible.
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This is the error messages. Are these being triggered by ASTAP?
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Hmmm, but the mount is 'stupid', right? I could have it in a Home position, pointing South and call that Home. In NINA, it may slew to the wrong physical position but as far as NINA is concerned and also your Sky Camera simulator it only knows the RA and DEC coordinates that NINA told both your camera and my mount where to go. So the image should be correct regardless of where the mount is really pointing? Do I have that correct? The mount can only report it's movements from the Home polar postion....
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Hmmm, but the mount is 'stupid', right? I could have it in a Home position, pointing South and call that Home. In NINA, it may slew to the wrong physical position but as far as NINA is concerned and also your Sky Camera simulator it only knows the RA and DEC that NINA told both your camera and my mount to go. So the image shpould be correct regardless of where the mount is really pointing? Do I have that correct?
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'v3.0.6a'
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No idea but you have to be careful with polar error. Too big and Nina will probably need a few time slews to get to the object. The error indicated by your screenshot is huge. See red marked attached.
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'v3.0.6a'
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No idea but you have to be careful with polar error. Too big and Nina will probably need a few time slews to get to the object. The error indicated by your screenshot is huge. See red marked attached.
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We cross messages, see my previous message plus here is the other needed screen shot
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1) after successful plate solving I still see each time a ASTAP warning "remaining image dimensions too low...". I don't see this impacting plate solving performance so if not a program error, maybe make note in your instructions to just ignore the Warning and not be concerned; If the height of the image is less then 960 pixels this warning comes. Set in Nina camera binning to 1x1 and in Nina ASTAP downsampling to 0 (auto) 2) I am not sure if it makes a functional difference, in the Sky SIm Mount...
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OK, All I did was change the Sky Sim Mount tab to use external. In my case it is Gree Swamp Server with NINA. All other settings in Sky Sim and NINA remain the same. I changed in NINA to GS Server mount (whihc I have used even indoors, last night i did a meridian flip indoors with it). I picked an onbject a little east of the celestial north at lower dec and here are the two relevant screen shots: Based on my mount's phycial position after slewing it looks correct. Can you help diagnose what could...
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All went very well. I tested a dozen or more targets above my horizon ranging for RA just past 00 to 23 and at different DEC and slewing in NINA with ASTAP plate solving was perfect. Typical RA and DEC errors ranged from -2 to -9 sec. A few comments/suggestions: 1) after successful plate solving I still see each time a ASTAP warning "remaining image dimensions too low...". I don't see this impacting plate solving performance so if not a program error, maybe make note in your instructions to just...
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Han, the new instructions look good except you should mention Focuser. When Sky Sim is started or set to Default, the Focuser default setting is external and that is what caused my initial problem of not seeing stars when NINA Imaging took a picture. I will follow your directions exactly later today and report back to you. Many thanks for responding so quickly. Best regards, Jerry NY2KW
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I have overhauled the instruction for Nina. I kept it simple because I do not want to write a manual for Nina. Tell me if it is clear: https://sky-simulator.sourceforge.io/#nina Han
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The geographic location in both program should be the same in both porgram. But in the simulator it doesn't matter because it can look trough the earth. For Nina it will be used for location the horizon only. I'm not aware that a zero in the location could cause an error. But just put it roughly at your location. Nina should be able to set the location in the simulator but it is a long time ago i tried that. Stopping the simulator is best done with the save & exit button. It requirs to exit correctly...
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Bsack to some problems. Earlier, NINA was informed of the Sky Sim internal mount site coordinates, I think latitude was 51d. Now both in NINA mount tab and in Astometry it shows lat and long as 00 00 00. Also now every time I save and exit Sky Sim I get an access violation error. I don't believe in coincidences so maybe related? Any advice?
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Han, with the internal mount simulator, what should the NINA site coordinates be set to? I recall earlier in trying Sky Sim, the mount in NINA said a latitude of 51 d but now it shows site as 00 00 00 lat and longitude under NINA's Astrometry and Mount tab. The mount position on starting NINA seems to be correct pointing to celestial north: Az 359 59 52 and Dec: 89 47 24.
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Next days I will update the instruction. They are all outdated: https://sky-simulator.sourceforge.io/
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Important, 1) In Nina set the camera binning from 2 to 1. Creating an artifical image take CPU time and you will need the original resolution for solving. Binning is an absolute waste during simulation. 2) In Nina set ASTAP downsampling from 2 to 0 (auto). This will improve greatly the solving. Currently your reducing the artifical image from original to 4x4 binned. This makes solving very difficult. Try DSS images later when it is all working. DSS image are nice visually but it will make it very...
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OK, Success! I had to turn on Reslew and Sync and on the 2nd time it plate solved the artificial stars fine. I know you prefer users to select the artificial star catalog. But if possible, I would like to get the ESO/DSS operating as well . You mentioned earlier that the Scale/pixel had to be = 1.70 and I set the Sky Sim camera tab to that but now i realize it probably failed because NINA had the wrong focal length. I went back to ESO/DSS and changed Scale/pixel in Sky Sim to 1.70 which resulted...
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OK, Success! I had to turn on Reslew and Sync and on the 2nd time it plate solved the artifiical stards fine. I know you prefer users to select the artificial star catalog. But if possible, I would like to get the ESO/DSS operating as well . You mentioned earlier that the Scale/pixel had to be = 1.70 and I set the Sky Sim camera tab to that but now i realize it probably failed because NINA had the wrong focal length. I went back to ESO/DSS and changed Scale/pixel in Sky Sim to 1.70 which resulted...
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OK, Success! I had to turn on Reslew and Sync and on the 2nd time it plate solved the artifiical stards fine. I know you prefer users to select the artificial star catalog. But if possible, I would like to get the ESO/DSS operating as well . You mentioned earlier that the Scale/pixel had to be = 1.70 and I set the Sky Sim camera tab to that but now i realize it probably failed because NINA had the wrong focal length. I am going back again and will report back on the outcome.
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Major improvement. Despite all the equipment tabs being correct andf consistent with the Alpaca devicesd from Sky Sim, when I went to NINA Options Equiopment, I was surprised to find that the telescope FL was from my real telescope (350mm). I assumed NINA would bring the FL from Sky Sim (560mm). As soon as I corrected FL, plate solve now gets me into the general correct area but still a warning. Images attached. Image titles explain the sequence. Seems like we are almost there !!
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Major improvement. Despite all the equipment tabs being correct andf consistent with the Alpaca devicesd from Sky Sim, when I went to NINA Options Equiopment, I was surprised to find that the telescope FL was from my real telescope (350mm). I assumed NINA would bring the FL from Sky Sim (560mm). As soon as I corrected FL, plate solve now gets me into the general correct area but still a warning. Images attached. Image titles explain the sequence. Seems like we are almost there !!
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Picture12, Too low resolution can not recognice something Picture13, error can happen sometimes if you exit Picture14 looks the same as 13 Picture15 too low resolution. Please try to save full resolution. Picture16, not relevant for solving. Picture17, too low resolution Picture18, too low resolution The focuser selected should be the same in Nina and the simulator. I think the only thin left is to fix the solving. Send me a copy of 1) screenshot of tab Camera of the simulator. 2) One artifical image...
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OK, some progress. I did not see in your instructions that Focuser was needed for the Artifical catalog. When starting SS first time, or after resetting to Default. Focuser is set for external and will give you the unfocused image. When I clicked to internal, then the image showed stars. You should either change the default to internal or add to instructions for beginners like me. Now the image appears in NINA but ASTAP shows error on plate solving. Also after i disconnect all devices from NINA and...
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So check as attached marked
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Hi Jerry, You have a highly defocused artificial camera. See attached. If you connect to the focuser then you should keep it at position 25000. Otherwise the star of the artifical image will be defocused. Secondly, the exposure time influences the stars in the artifical image. Exposure 5 seconds or so. You can speed up by mode "fast simulation"where an exposure of 5 seconds takes 0 seconds. I can not see the pixel size as set in thee simulator, but it should be 5 as in Nina. So first try to get the...
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Also to show you, I do have the g14 and g16 catalog in the same folder as the SS.exe
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I am unable to get plate solving to work, main reason I believe is with your artificial star catalog is the image has no stars. I start with Sky Sim (SS) reset to default. I select camera per your instructions: here are the sequence of screen shots:
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I am unable to get plate solving to work, main reason I believe is with your artificial star catalog is the image has no stars. I start with Sky Sim (SS) reset to default. I select camera per your instructions: here are the sequence of screen shots:
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The reason is that you selected (in image source) the option DSS survey images. They are fixed 1.7 arcsec per pixel and I can not change that. So if you select image dimensions then the field-of-view is automatically fixed (pixels x 1.7 arcsec) . Only the option artificial gives you full flexibility.
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I selected reset to deafualts for the program and now all cameras parameters are adjustable. I will try with your advice. Still this should be documented in the instructions since the default values will fail.
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I selected reset to deafualts for the program and now all cameras parameters are adjustable. I will try with your advice. Still this should be documented in the instructions.
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Above pasted weirdly, here is the text again:. Jerry Stern Jerry Stern - 2 seconds ago Hi Han, Thank you but in that Camera setup window there are only 3 parameters I can change (the others seem to be fixed): 1) height[arcmin]; 2) Pixel Size and 3) Focal length. My sensor width and height are different than yours and I cannot find any way to change them. As you can see in my screeshot, if I change 'height' to 46 as in your suggestion, the FL changes to 607. and scale is 1.70. If I change FL back...
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Above pasted weirdly, here is the text again:. Jerry Stern Jerry Stern - 2 seconds ago Hi Han, Thank you but in that Camera setup window there are only 3 parameters I can change (the others seem to be fixed): 1) height[arcmin]; 2) Pixel Size and 3) Focal length. My sensor width and height are different than yours and I cannot find any way to change them. As you can see in my screeshot, if I change 'height' to 467 as in your suggestion, the FL changes to 607. and scale is 1.70. If I change FL back...
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Hi Han, Thank you but in that Camera setup window there are only 3 parameters I can change (the others seem to be fixed): 1) height[arcmin]; 2) Pixel Size and 3) Focal length. My sensor width and height are different than yours and I cannot find any way to change them. As you can see in my screeshot, if I change 'height' to 467 as in your suggestion, the FL changes to 607. and scale is 1.70. If I change FL back to 560 as in your screenshot,, then the height changes to 50 and the Scale becomes 1.84....
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The camera works and I see the same image in NINA (monchrome) as in the Image tab Sky Simulator (but color here). Using the internal mount "mount_sky_simulator(Alpaca), I get an error message " "Unable to set mount latitude to 51.079 anfd longitude to -0.294" I think this is the problem why ASTAP plate solving faild on the transfered image. IS this expected and if not how do I fix it? I understand that Nina tries to set the location in the mount. I haven't tried that for a long time. I will check...
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I took the image that failed ASTAP plate in NINA, from NINA's failed folder and opened it directly into ASTAP and it could not solve. The image is attached and looks identical to the image in Sky Simulator except monochrome.
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OK, I have tried for "Location sync' all 4 options with same result, ASTAP fails plate solving, 'No sync', 'Prompt'; 'Sync to App' and 'Sync to telescope'. I think i should be looking at ther ASTAP log but not sure how to do that. Hopefully ChatGPT will tell how to do that and I hope to find a clue in that log.
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OK, I have tried for "Location sync' all 4 options with same result, ASTAP fails plate solving, 'No sync', 'Prompt'; 'Sync to App' and 'Sync to telescope'. I think i should be looking at ther ASTAP log but not sure how to do that. Hopefully ChatGPT will tell how to do that and I hope to find a clue in that log.
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Han, Also I currently have in NINA Options: "Location sync: Sync to telescope"; and "Coordinates sync: ON" and "Time sync: ON"
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The camera works and I see the same image in NINA (monchrome) as in the Image tab Sky Simulator (but color here). Using the internal mount "mount_sky_simulator(Alpaca), I get an error message " "Unable to set mount latitude to 51.079 anfd longitude to -0.294" I think this is the problem why ASTAP plate solving faild on the transfered image. IS this expected and if not how do I fix it?
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For the mount I selected - Mount Sky Simulator for Alpaca (Alpaca), "Telescope Simulator for .NET". Hi Jerry, 1) The mount selected in the simulator should be the same as in Nina. They should look to the same mount. If the simulator is running then the coordinates should be the same. Can you try to achive that. In your writing you mention two mounts. It should be only one mount. This can be either the internal mount of the simulator or Telescope Simulator for .NET or your AP telescope. Select for...
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Hello Han, thank you for the replies. I followed the instructions but I think not the proper sequence of telling NINA what to do. I did create the Alpaca camera per your instructions and selected it in NINA and tried both the Alpaca and ASCOM versions. For the mount I selected - Mount Sky Simulator for Alpaca (Alpaca), "Telescope Simulator for .NET". I was then going to Framing Asst and selecting a target but I think that is the mistake. Am I correct that when the Sky Sim server begins it already...
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Where are they stored. In v2 instructions say to look for image.png folder but I searched my entire C: drive without success. I did find 'image.tmpgif' in my 'Documents' folder. In version 3 the images are directly exchanged. There is no image file anymore.
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Hi Jerry, First Sky simulator should look to the same telescope as Nina. The sky simulator is following the telescope controlled by Nina. If you simulating without a real telescope, then easiest way is to connect Nina to the internal Alpaca telescope in the Simulator. The image are exchanged. There is now file. So Nina request and gets the image from the Sky simulator. So select in Nina the alpaca camera directly or via the ASCOM bridge. The brief instruction is here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sky-simulator/files/program/readme.txt/download...
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I think the problem may be telling NINA where to look for the Sky Sim camera images. Where are they stored. In v2 instructions say to look for image.png folder but I searched my entire C: drive without success. I did find 'image.tmpgif' in my 'Documents' folder.
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Has anyone gotten SkySim working with the current version of NINA, I have tried both the ASCOM and Alpaca cameras and the simulator mount but ASTAP plate solving fails. I have tried this withe the ESO database as well as G14 and G16. Also, problems looking at the log where the selection of a target in Framing assistant and then slewing doesnt show any slewing taking place in the Sky Sim log. it is stuck on the same starting image. Any advice appreciated.
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'v3.0.6'
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Made several changes and released version 3.0.6. Tell me if it works for you. c.s. Han Download: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sky-simulator/files/program/windows_installer/Sky%20Simulator%20v3.0.6.exe/download
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I wil check tommorow. Han
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Charles Lemaire modified a comment on discussion Feature suggestions
Hi, I am using your simulator to verify that my firmware TeenAstro is correctly implemented It looks like the sinusoidal error in alpha creates also square wave error in declination could you implement a pure sinusoidal error or the functionality to define for alpha and delta the type of error we want with check box for example and modify the amplitude Charles
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Hi, I am using your simulator to verify that my firmware TeenAstro is correctly implemented It looks like the sinusoidal error in alpha creates only square wave error in declination could you verify that? Charles
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William Varney posted a comment on discussion General Discussion
I appreciate your help! Yes I picked that camera and tried with the simulator stopped and running. It has to be a NINA thing I guess because like I said I tried with 3 different computers, got everything set up correctly following the YouTube tutorial and online instructions, focuser thing with the image of saturn shows but as soon as I hit connect I immediately get that error. I dont have it hooked up now but will try again in a few days-maybe I missed something but dont know what it could be. Am...
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Did you select the camera in the screenshot? If it is not visible then you have to start the Sky simulator.
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When I try to connect the camera.
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Han modified a comment on discussion General Discussion
At which phase in using Nina you get the error? Have the simulator running. Select option artifical images. In Nina, first try to get the camera working. So in Nina you have to configure a camera. For simulation you have to select the Alpaca camera "Sky simulator. " Then the next step to try is to connect is. Once your camera is connected, you can take an (simulated) image. Where in the process do you get the error?
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