I'm new to ASTAP and was put on to this application by Patrick Chevalley. I 've been doing some variable star observations using a OSC QHY8L and thought I would give this program a try. Is there a work flow for using ASTAP to generate AAVSO reports? It seems that the program have many option and I'm really not sure how to do this using this application.
Thanks
Nor
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Hello NJSG,
the workflow: You need to select the V17-database, NOT the H18. Then go to AAVSO and download a finder chart and the photometry table for your variable.
In ASTAP go to the photometry tab, select your image and do 'Analyse' and '+'. Then close this window.
Select in the image VAR, CHECK and 3, where 'Check' and '3' shall be stars from the AAVSO finder chart.
Then back again to the photometry tab. Press the 'arrow with the bar'. Now all values are ready.
Last step press the AAVSO report, put in your observer name, the name from the check star from the photometry table e.g. '000-BNY-520' and the used filter.
Then you get a file like the attachment.
This can be uploaded in the AAVSO webpage.
Regards Achim
HI Han,
Thanks for the video link . That looks like it tells me everything
I need to know. Now i need to wait for some decent conditions to get
some images.. As they say " A picture is worth a thousand words", Well a
video is way better than a written document.
Again, Thanks for the Video. I got things working just fine. One question though, is there a way to have the program provide then name of the check star selected in the image for the AAVSO report?
When I open the combo box on the AAVSO dialog all I see are some numbers.
Cheers
Nor
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Again, Thanks for the Video. I got things working just fine. One question though, is there a way to have the program provide then name of the check star selected in the image for the AAVSO report?
When I open the combo box on the AAVSO dialog all I see are some numbers.
Cheers
Nor
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Hi Nor, neither ASTAP nor any other program usually can provide the AAVSO-star reference names - the AUID. E.g. for SNs, in past months, several times I let the AAVSO sequence team create finder charts for those SNs, due to there was none in the past for that galaxy and surroundings.
Regards Achim
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HI Achim
There is a point in the program when you select the Variable, the
check and the 3rd star on the image that the AAVSO AUID is shown on the
picture for those stars. I was just wondering when I select the check
star why it's AUID isn't automatically carried over to the AAVSO report.
In the ASTAP AAVSO report, if you click on arrow down of the "check star" input, the dropdown will give you the possibility to select the position in IAU format. This way of identifying is allowed by the AAVSO for the case no AUID is available.
An automatic transfer of the selected AUID is something i should consider to implement. It would require a search through the database to find the matching AUID.
Note the AUID database in ASTAP is an extract of the AAVSO database up to magnitude 12 and some extra. It is not complete. I don't have a copy from the AAVSO dastabase and there is no online connection to AAVSO implemented.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
HI Han,
I see the problem. I had been playing around with the AAVSO data
and have a SQL DB of over 500 k records but those are all variables.
What is needed is the data for the non variables that are used as comp
stars.
Don't worry about my query. It was just a thought.
I think I'll see if I can contact someone in AAVSO to see if they
could provide a API to the DB that they use to generate the comparison
stars. Don't know if it will do any good but it's worth a try.
HI Han,
Don't know if this is of any help ( you may already be aware
if this). There is an AAVSO API that will provide all of the comparison
stars for a given variable and field of view. The information can be
retrieved as a JSON file of as an XML file. Here is a link example:
This is for the variable star CM lib with the result coming back in
XML format. The Mag limit is set to 14.5. Just change the XML to Json
and you will get that.
Something to think about.
By the way I've been playing with your program and the more I use it the
better I like it.
Yes the API link I have used to compile the current local database using some special tools.
It would be nice if you could get a larger database of comparison stars. I haven't asked the AAVSO and it is possible they prefer to provide it online only.
Han
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Quote "if you click on arrow down of the "check star" input, the dropdown will give you the possibility to select the position in IAU format."
OK, this works, didn't know that. But it shall ONLY work with stars shown in the star database annotation (known V-magnitude). I tried it with a PGC-galaxy as the "REF"-star ...
Regards Achim
Last edit: achim2205 2021-07-08
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Han, Can the master Flats , Darks , generated by your app be reused in your program to calibrate other similar images of do I always have to load in raw flats and darks?
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They can be reused. There is no need to start again with raw's. For my camera, I reuse dark and flats pretty long more sometimes more then a year old.
The dark needs to be of a similar temperature as the light, about ± 5 degrees. That is to consider with a DSLR camera. For the flat the temperature is not important since it is already paired with flat-dark/bias. In the long run the flat could require an update due to new dust particles.
Han
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
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I'm new to ASTAP and was put on to this application by Patrick Chevalley. I 've been doing some variable star observations using a OSC QHY8L and thought I would give this program a try. Is there a work flow for using ASTAP to generate AAVSO reports? It seems that the program have many option and I'm really not sure how to do this using this application.
Thanks
Nor
I should add that I'm running a Windows 10 pro PC
Nor
*Seams like this would be a feature in the Blink tab. Though I have no experiance doing this myself. Sounds fun though.
Hello NJSG,
the workflow: You need to select the V17-database, NOT the H18. Then go to AAVSO and download a finder chart and the photometry table for your variable.
In ASTAP go to the photometry tab, select your image and do 'Analyse' and '+'. Then close this window.
Select in the image VAR, CHECK and 3, where 'Check' and '3' shall be stars from the AAVSO finder chart.
Then back again to the photometry tab. Press the 'arrow with the bar'. Now all values are ready.
Last step press the AAVSO report, put in your observer name, the name from the check star from the photometry table e.g. '000-BNY-520' and the used filter.
Then you get a file like the attachment.
This can be uploaded in the AAVSO webpage.
Regards Achim
HI Achim,
Han sent me a link to his video which explains everything that I
was looking for.
Thanks for the reply
Cheers
Nor
On 7/7/2021 3:01 AM, achim2205 wrote:
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
Hello Nor,
The colour camera complicates the photometry a little. They way to do it is to extract the green pixels. I have demonstrated it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99XxzmJPPPQ
Further details are in the manual.
See it this is workable for you. Ask any question if it is unclear.
Han
HI Han,
Thanks for the video link . That looks like it tells me everything
I need to know. Now i need to wait for some decent conditions to get
some images.. As they say " A picture is worth a thousand words", Well a
video is way better than a written document.
Thanks.
Nor
On 7/7/2021 3:46 AM, han.k wrote:
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
Again, Thanks for the Video. I got things working just fine. One question though, is there a way to have the program provide then name of the check star selected in the image for the AAVSO report?
When I open the combo box on the AAVSO dialog all I see are some numbers.
Cheers
Nor
Again, Thanks for the Video. I got things working just fine. One question though, is there a way to have the program provide then name of the check star selected in the image for the AAVSO report?
When I open the combo box on the AAVSO dialog all I see are some numbers.
Cheers
Nor
Hi Nor, neither ASTAP nor any other program usually can provide the AAVSO-star reference names - the AUID. E.g. for SNs, in past months, several times I let the AAVSO sequence team create finder charts for those SNs, due to there was none in the past for that galaxy and surroundings.
Regards Achim
HI Achim
There is a point in the program when you select the Variable, the
check and the 3rd star on the image that the AAVSO AUID is shown on the
picture for those stars. I was just wondering when I select the check
star why it's AUID isn't automatically carried over to the AAVSO report.
Cheers
Nor
On 7/7/2021 4:39 PM, achim2205 wrote:
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
In the ASTAP AAVSO report, if you click on arrow down of the "check star" input, the dropdown will give you the possibility to select the position in IAU format. This way of identifying is allowed by the AAVSO for the case no AUID is available.
An automatic transfer of the selected AUID is something i should consider to implement. It would require a search through the database to find the matching AUID.
Note the AUID database in ASTAP is an extract of the AAVSO database up to magnitude 12 and some extra. It is not complete. I don't have a copy from the AAVSO dastabase and there is no online connection to AAVSO implemented.
HI Han,
I see the problem. I had been playing around with the AAVSO data
and have a SQL DB of over 500 k records but those are all variables.
What is needed is the data for the non variables that are used as comp
stars.
Don't worry about my query. It was just a thought.
I think I'll see if I can contact someone in AAVSO to see if they
could provide a API to the DB that they use to generate the comparison
stars. Don't know if it will do any good but it's worth a try.
Cheers
Nor
On 7/7/2021 6:13 PM, han.k wrote:
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
HI Han,
Don't know if this is of any help ( you may already be aware
if this). There is an AAVSO API that will provide all of the comparison
stars for a given variable and field of view. The information can be
retrieved as a JSON file of as an XML file. Here is a link example:
https://app.aavso.org/vsp/api/chart/?star=cm
lib&fov=30&maglimit=14.5&format=xml&resolution=150&dss=True&north=up&east=left
https://app.aavso.org/vsp/api/chart/?star=cm%20lib&fov=30&maglimit=14.5&format=xml&resolution=150&dss=True&north=up&east=left
This is for the variable star CM lib with the result coming back in
XML format. The Mag limit is set to 14.5. Just change the XML to Json
and you will get that.
Something to think about.
By the way I've been playing with your program and the more I use it the
better I like it.
Cheers
Nor
On 7/7/2021 6:13 PM, han.k wrote:
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
Yes the API link I have used to compile the current local database using some special tools.
It would be nice if you could get a larger database of comparison stars. I haven't asked the AAVSO and it is possible they prefer to provide it online only.
Han
For the moment I prefer a local database and not the online accesss to the AAVSO.
I agree, that makes sense.
On 7/8/2021 2:23 AM, han.k wrote:
--
40°50’25.88"N / 74°54’52.75"W
Oxford, NJ USA
http://njstargazer.org
Just a comment:
Quote "if you click on arrow down of the "check star" input, the dropdown will give you the possibility to select the position in IAU format."
OK, this works, didn't know that. But it shall ONLY work with stars shown in the star database annotation (known V-magnitude). I tried it with a PGC-galaxy as the "REF"-star ...
Regards Achim
Last edit: achim2205 2021-07-08
Han, Can the master Flats , Darks , generated by your app be reused in your program to calibrate other similar images of do I always have to load in raw flats and darks?
They can be reused. There is no need to start again with raw's. For my camera, I reuse dark and flats pretty long more sometimes more then a year old.
The dark needs to be of a similar temperature as the light, about ± 5 degrees. That is to consider with a DSLR camera. For the flat the temperature is not important since it is already paired with flat-dark/bias. In the long run the flat could require an update due to new dust particles.
Han
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
OK great.
Thanks
Nor
On 7/8/2021 10:50 AM, han.k wrote:
Last edit: han.k 2021-07-08
Han,
One more quick question. What do the numbers by each star represent? Do they corollate with the numbers in the AAVSO finder chart?
Hi Nor,
see http://www.hnsky.org/astap.htm#star_annotation
Regards Achim
Thank Achim
On 7/10/2021 3:25 AM, achim2205 wrote:
--
40°50’25.88"N / 74°54’52.75"W
Oxford, NJ USA
http://njstargazer.org