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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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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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:
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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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 has the first image ready and that image is for an arbitrary starting telescope position? I think to sync NINA with Sky Sim, I must first take a 5 sec picture in Imaging to grab that initial Sky Sim image and plate solve it with ASTAP in order to let NINA know where telescope sim is pointing? Once that is done I can then select other targets for it to slew to... is that the correct general idea? Another problem I found is that NINA's Astrometry settings sometimes conflict - your telescope sim Latitude is I recall 51deg but NINA will remember the last used site coordinates, mine is 41 deg, so ASTAP cannot plate solve correctly becasue it uses what NINA gives it not from Sky Sim? I think your Sky Sim is terribly underappreciated and would fantaastic for AP beginners like myself learning NINA or APT or SGP. With so many cloudy initial nights, getting familary with a first AP telescope setup is very difficult. To be able to start with the setupo indoors and get comfortable is a huge step forward. My second step, was then to replace the simulator mount with my own SW Wave 150i to see how the optical train does not hit the tripod, jow it looks on meridian flips, FIRST indoors is another major bonus of Sky Sim. I think if it were easily integrated into these programs with a cklear instructional video from a beginners perspective, thsat woiuld be huge, Once I figure out how to do it, maybe that's my next step. My first YouTube video !!!
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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 camera image source the artifical version
2) Nina should produce the same image as in the simulator tab image.
Try again,
Han
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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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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.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
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.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
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.
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 next week. Configure Nina not to set it for the moment. You can set the geographic position in the simulator manually.
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.
The field-of-view is wrongly specified. The image solves directly if you change in ASTAP the field of view from 1.88 degrees to 1.09 degrees (ctrl+A, tab alignment.) The easiest way is to set it in the simulator. Height should 1.88 x 60 = 113 arcmin. See attached screenshot. Or change in Nina focal length or pixel size to get a field-of-view (height) of 1.08 degrees. So adapt the simulator or adapt Nina.
You have selected as image source online DSS images. This is very slow. I would set it at artificial. That works almost instant.
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 to 560 as in your screenshot,, then the height changes to 50 and the Scale becomes 1.84. I believe the greatest value of Sky Sim is for beginners not experienced imagers, so the instructions should be crystal clear. The values for camera are what appeared after my installing Sky Sim... how would anyone know that they must be changed to achieve plate solving by ASTAP? Please be patient with me as I think this program is a great teaching tool.
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.
Last edit: Jerry Stern 2026-01-25
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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 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:
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 artifical image visible correctly in Nina. Check the focuser value.
Then test mount.
Then test solving.
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 go to SS to save and exit I get an error message, shown in attached. Also attached are all the relevant NINA window screenshots.
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 out of Nina
3) Solver setting in Nina, so focal length and pixel size.
What I normally do in Windows is press alt+PrtScr or CTRL+PrtScrn for full screen) and copy to
paint. Then save it as .png. Jpeg is not good in saving menu screenshot.
We almost are there.....
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
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 !!
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 !!
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 in FL=605. I changed FL in NINA and Plate solving succeeded with very small error below the 1 arcmin threshold. I did get a ASTAP warning - can you explain?
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.
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.
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
Tell me if this works for you.
Maybe it is time for a demo video
Han
In version 3 the images are directly exchanged. There is no image file anymore.
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 has the first image ready and that image is for an arbitrary starting telescope position? I think to sync NINA with Sky Sim, I must first take a 5 sec picture in Imaging to grab that initial Sky Sim image and plate solve it with ASTAP in order to let NINA know where telescope sim is pointing? Once that is done I can then select other targets for it to slew to... is that the correct general idea? Another problem I found is that NINA's Astrometry settings sometimes conflict - your telescope sim Latitude is I recall 51deg but NINA will remember the last used site coordinates, mine is 41 deg, so ASTAP cannot plate solve correctly becasue it uses what NINA gives it not from Sky Sim? I think your Sky Sim is terribly underappreciated and would fantaastic for AP beginners like myself learning NINA or APT or SGP. With so many cloudy initial nights, getting familary with a first AP telescope setup is very difficult. To be able to start with the setupo indoors and get comfortable is a huge step forward. My second step, was then to replace the simulator mount with my own SW Wave 150i to see how the optical train does not hit the tripod, jow it looks on meridian flips, FIRST indoors is another major bonus of Sky Sim. I think if it were easily integrated into these programs with a cklear instructional video from a beginners perspective, thsat woiuld be huge, Once I figure out how to do it, maybe that's my next step. My first YouTube video !!!
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 camera image source the artifical version
2) Nina should produce the same image as in the simulator tab image.
Try again,
Han
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?
Han, Also I currently have in NINA Options: "Location sync: Sync to telescope"; and "Coordinates sync: ON" and "Time sync: ON"
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.
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.
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.
I understand that Nina tries to set the location in the mount. I haven't tried that for a long time. I will check next week. Configure Nina not to set it for the moment. You can set the geographic position in the simulator manually.
The field-of-view is wrongly specified. The image solves directly if you change in ASTAP the field of view from 1.88 degrees to 1.09 degrees (ctrl+A, tab alignment.) The easiest way is to set it in the simulator. Height should 1.88 x 60 = 113 arcmin. See attached screenshot. Or change in Nina focal length or pixel size to get a field-of-view (height) of 1.08 degrees. So adapt the simulator or adapt Nina.
You have selected as image source online DSS images. This is very slow. I would set it at artificial. That works almost instant.
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 to 560 as in your screenshot,, then the height changes to 50 and the Scale becomes 1.84. I believe the greatest value of Sky Sim is for beginners not experienced imagers, so the instructions should be crystal clear. The values for camera are what appeared after my installing Sky Sim... how would anyone know that they must be changed to achieve plate solving by ASTAP? Please be patient with me as I think this program is a great teaching tool.
Last edit: Jerry Stern 2026-01-25
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.
Last edit: Jerry Stern 2026-01-25
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.
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:
Last edit: Jerry Stern 2026-01-26
Also to show you, I do have the g14 and g16 catalog in the same folder as the SS.exe
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 artifical image visible correctly in Nina. Check the focuser value.
Then test mount.
Then test solving.
So check as attached marked
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 go to SS to save and exit I get an error message, shown in attached. Also attached are all the relevant NINA window screenshots.
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 out of Nina
3) Solver setting in Nina, so focal length and pixel size.
What I normally do in Windows is press alt+PrtScr or CTRL+PrtScrn for full screen) and copy to
paint. Then save it as .png. Jpeg is not good in saving menu screenshot.
We almost are there.....
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 !!
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 !!
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 in FL=605. I changed FL in NINA and Plate solving succeeded with very small error below the 1 arcmin threshold. I did get a ASTAP warning - can you explain?
Last edit: Jerry Stern 2026-01-26