Platesolving in NINA with ASTAP

Stacking program, astrometric (plate) solver, fits file viewer

Brought to you by: han59

Platesolving in NINA with ASTAP

Forum: General discussions ASTAP

Creator: Ryan Martin

Created: 2024-05-25

Updated: 2024-06-16

Ryan Martin - 2024-05-25

Trying to image with NINA, but can't get ASTAP to solve my images.I have installed ASTAP as well as the D80 star database, and I've selected astap for my plate solver and blind solver. I've specified where astap is under plate solver settings and have selected astap.exe for astap location.

I've also set my telescope focal length, and sensor size etc.

Please let me know if any more info is needed.

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han.k - 2024-05-25

Nina moves failed solves to a sub folder in %localappdata%\NINA\Failed.

To prevent unnecessary cluttering it will only create one file per appstart, target name and solver type (blind or not blind) and auto clean the folder for everything older than 7 days

Just send my one of the failed images. You could attach it to a reply here or upload it to nova.astrometry.net and send me the link.

Send me also a screenshot of the Nina settings.

Then it should be easy to find the cause.

Cheers, Han

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Ryan Martin - 2024-06-15

Thanks Han, attached is the failed plate solve as well as setting in NINA.

20240615-100137.9348.M106..fits

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Ryan Martin - 2024-06-15

Telescope settings:

one.png

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Ryan Martin - 2024-06-15

Plate solve settings:

two.png

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Ryan Martin - 2024-06-15

Please let me know if you need anything else!

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han.k - 2024-06-15

Hi Ryan,

The problem is hot pixels. Just open an image in ASTAP, goto the stack menu (ctrl+A), tab "alignment"and set minimum star size at 3". Then press solve to make this setting permanent. Then it will solve reliable.

See attached.

Han

Last edit: han.k 2024-06-15

Untitled.png

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Ryan Martin - 2024-06-15

That worked great. Thanks so much!

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han.k - 2024-06-16

I was a little surpriced to see so many hotpixels in a cooled camera.

The median HFD of your image was 3.7". So something like minimum star size of 2.5" or 3"will do to filter them out. But 3" gave more quad matches. If your image is sharper in furture maybe setting it to 2.5" or 2.75" will work better. But leave it at 3" untiull you face problems again.

I will ask the Nina group to allow more ASTAP settings in their configuration page. Then you don't have to set it in ASTAP.

Han

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