APT 3.84

sidewinder · Sun Apr 19, 2020 8:46 pm

Hi APT team

I also cannot download full version of neither APT 3.84 nor APT 3.82. I have purchased the full license today and download fails on 50% of progess every time.

Sun Apr 19, 2020 8:47 pm

Hi Jim,

I found the issue: In PointCraft Settings, I had the option "Use DSLR Crop factor" ticked. Unticking it solved it.

Interesting that this only seems to affect ASTAP...

Nevertheless, it would be interesting to hear if our discussion is of any help for eldoctorbacterio... hopefully it is...

CS
Stefan

Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:07 pm

Hi Stefan,

Good spot! I must be getting old, because I clearly missed that difference between our settings

I never tried PS2 or ASPS, because the problem seemed to be with ASTAP.

Hopefully we have demonstrated that it can work, even with incorrect settings, which narrows the problem quite a bit.

Cheers, Jim

Radcliffe1 · Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:25 pm

Mr Sidewinder Sir,

The download problem is affecting a few people and seems to be an internet issue and not an APT one. Try connecting to a different internet service provider if you can. Alternatively, set your mobile phone up as a wifi hot spot and try downloading over 4G. See if that helps.

all the best

Brian

eldoctorbacterio · Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:08 am

Sorry for the delay in answering, these days I am very busy.

Thank you very much Ruediger, Vichman and JST200!

First of all, I want to apologize, because by mistake, I forgot to tell you that the photo of the M33 was taken at 900 mm (without x0.85 focal reducer)

After testing about the Vichman response, I get the following results (always blind testing):

Iris Nebula:
785: 21 seconds (real focal)
525: no result

Pelican Nebula:
785: 42 seconds (real focal)
525: 23 result

M106 (I did not share this photo)
785: 58 seconds (real focal)
525: no results

M33:
900: 79 seconds (real focal)
600: 38 seconds

These are a little strange results, but clearly the focal length is not the problem. Thanks anyway Vichman!
On the other hand, I think ASTAP solves all my photos in blind mode quite well.
Thanks for everything guys!

rapidrewind · Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:56 am

I am also having problems downloading the updated version. Can you send me the work-around? Thanks

Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:09 am

Email sent

iamhondo · Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:08 am

How can I get the workaround to the normal downloading page for 3.84?

I've tried 10 times with two very different networks. It's hard not to suspect something on the APT side because I can download anything from anywhere else using either my satellite or cellular service. Only APT downloads are ending up with download fails or a corrupt installer file.

Thanks,
Joe

Sat Apr 25, 2020 1:30 pm

Hi Joe,

Just sent you an email

VoidPointer · Sun Apr 26, 2020 11:23 pm

Hi,

Just wanted to share my feedback that I am extremely happy with the ASTAP integration. I never got the AllSky PlateSolver to work reliably and PS2 wasn't all that stable and a bit slow if the initial coordinates were too far off - but it did the job. With ASTAP, I get my solves very much instantly and super reliably. This is a great improvement when setting up for a session. Thanks for this great improvement!

-Lars

Mon Apr 27, 2020 5:39 pm

Hi Lars,

Many thanks! Happy to hear that it is in help

Fer3008 · Mon May 18, 2020 2:32 am

Hi Ivo;
When to expect the native drivers support for QHY cameras?

Thanks. Saludos from Argentina

Mon May 18, 2020 9:09 am

Hi Fernando,

It should come in 4.00, but there is small chance to try including it in 3.90.

ggkids · Tue May 19, 2020 5:47 pm

Yoddha wrote: ↑Mon May 18, 2020 9:09 am Hi Fernando,

It should come in 4.00, but there is small chance to try including it in 3.90.

Hi Ivo, when is 3.90 expected to be released?

Clear skies,
Giovanni.

Thu May 21, 2020 4:30 pm

Hi Giovanni,

I'm sorry to say that but the development is going slow...

jheppell · Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:00 pm

I'm looking forward to session autofocusing in APT. At the moment, if I want to do a completely unattended session (I like sleeping!), then I can only focus once at the beginning. I haven't noticed a huge focus shift with my 10" F4 Newt but I imagine there would be some level of defocusing as the temperature drops or perhaps when slewing/meridian flipping.

AhBok · Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:25 pm

I’m also looking forward to in-plan autofocusing. I’ve tested it in another app and it is pretty cool. Fortunately for me, I image with an OSC so am not changing filters. Using temperature compensation alone in APT makes it possible for me to image all night, easily saying within the critical focus zone. I should add that I live in the southern U.S. where the nighttime temps generally only fall 10-15 deg F.

Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:55 pm

Temperature is only one aspect. Moving parts (focuser slip) or even worth is the mirror in a SCT which requires tracking of HFR and regular refocusing. After a flip it is absolutely mandatory to refocus. That's the reason why I cannot use APT to shoot with my SCT unattended. The refractor is tolerant and the tiny difference of the filters is measurable in advance - but tedious work.

But what is the ultimate knock-out: If you use your scope remotely. You can not walk there and put a mask on

AF is really getting a game changer.

Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:40 pm

Hello Friends,

I know that it has been long wait about this feature

Please have some more patience!

Ruediger, you have just ruined one idea

I was thinking for possibility to make a GoTo++ on a bright star focus and get back... However this will not work for SCT...

Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:54 pm

Yoddha wrote: ↑Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:40 pm Ruediger, you have just ruined one idea I was thinking for possibility to make a GoTo++ on a bright star focus and get back... However this will not work for SCT...

Hi Ivo,
this is not only a bad idea for SCT, but also for other scopes due to focuser slips, backlash in the focusers, movements in the EFW and flexure. This problems get more and more problematic the faster the scope gets. At F 2.x any micrometer gets you out of focus.

When ever possible you should focus in place.

Second, if you have to refocus repeatingly after a few images, you will lose a lot of time over the night: moving to focus star, focus, get back ... And this multiple times. Also risking that plate solve has an issue, since you move away from target since there is no suitable star, but this is also a potential issue to PS.

To keep this idea as fallback is ok. But should not be the general approach. But this behaviour you can easily reproduce in a plan with the online focus command and goto++ any way. There is no need to have this as an dedicated approach.