Patriot Astro's Shared Advanced Sequences (UPDATED!)
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
- NINA's new Advanced Sequencer is amazingly powerful and will take your telescope hobby and astrophotography to the next level! It can ensure you are taking as many images as possible all night long (Smarter Sequences), help you avoid that tree-line (Horizon Lines), correct your centering after a couple hours of clouds moves through (Center After Drift), and so much more! I have a number of videos that can help you get started or even take your next steps with the sequencer but today I am sharing some of the Advanced Sequences that I myself use. You can import these into your own copy of NINA and follow along. You may find you need to customize these for your purposes but I specifically designed them for the every day NINA user with common equipment and typical imaging issues.
Special thanks to Jerry Macon for sharing his great Dome and Safety Monitor Sequence!
To get the downloadable Advanced Sequences used in this video:
- Go to www.PatriotAstro.com
- Mouse-Over Learn More on the menu
- Click NINA Advanced Sequence Downloads
- Read the page and download the Zip file from here
- Poke around the site and browse some of my imaging :)
Want a deeper understanding? Other videos you should watch:
NINA Advanced Sequencer Tutorial: • NINA Advanced Sequence...
NINA Manual Rotator: • Better Framing in NINA...
NINA Manual Filter Wheel: • Manual Filter Changes ...
NINA Updated Offset Plugin: • NINA Filter Offset Cal...
NINA Center After Drift: • Stop Losing Images Aft...
NINA ExoPlanet Plugin: • You Can Help Confirm E...
NINA Groundstation Plugin: • NINA Notifications Are...
NINA Orbuculum Plugin: • Orbuculum Plugin for NINA
NINA Configuring Filter Offsets: • Configuring Filter Off...
NINA Smarter Sequences: • Build Smarter and More...
Horizon Files for NINA, Stellarium, and CdC: • Create and Use a Horiz...
If you find my videos helpful and would like to help support my content making efforts at no additional cost to you, you can use the below links when making regular purchases and I receive a small commission (Please don't feel any obligation at all to do this):
Amazon: amzn.to/3hXjKTN
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Software Used in this Video:
NINA: nighttime-imaging.eu/
For more of my Astrophotography related content, go to:
www.PatriotAstro.com
/ patriot_astro
-------CHAPTERS-------
0:00 - Introduction
1:04 - What am I sharing?
1:42 - Pre-requisites
2:22 - Do I need them all?
2:49 - Initial Setup Importance
3:59 - Startup Templates
5:06 - Extras
5:49 - Download the Zip File
6:50 - Install the files
8:50 - Connect your gear
9:30 - Learn how to setup Mono LRGB
11:40 - Tip: How to setup Center After Drift
15:30 - Complete Mono LRGB
19:10 - Validate MONO LRGB
19:35 - Test the Sequence
20:13 - Missing Equipment, No Problem
21:17 - Mono LRGB Offsets
24:38 - Mono LRGB Offsets Rotate
25:15 - Mono LRGB Rotate
25:40 - Configure the Mono SHO Sequences
27:49 - OSC Sequence Configuration
26:13 - Start and End Sequences
31:38 - Basic Startup Sequence Template
32:53 - Using a Startup Sequence Template
35:48 - Looped Startup Sequence Template
38:01 - Dome and ASCOM Safety Monitor Template
38:22 - Bias and Dark Frame Sequence
38:40 - Time-Lapse Imaging
38:56 - ExoPlanet Transit Sequence
39:14 - Wrapping Up
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Very very very useful and well explained.
I love all your videos.
Thank’s a lot for your devotedness and clear skies.
JM
So happy you liked it and find it useful. :)
Thank you for yet another comprehensive and useful video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very useful downloads and instructional video. Thank you.
Well done. I can't wait to use these as my defaults. Thank you.
Glad you like them!
Thanks for all your help. Your videos have been of great use. Going to watch this right now!
Let me know if you have questions!
New NINA user here. Watched several of your videos and decided to plunge into advanced sequecer using your templates. They worked out great. I didn't have any issues first time I tried it. So thank you for putting out great tutorials/templates. Now I can spend more time with my wife rather than keep checking what my astro gear is doing!! :)
That really is a big win! I have found that a happy wife does more for people's astrophotography than anything else! :)
Your detailed content about NINA are very helpful. Not many AP content creators on YT talks to this level of details. Thanks.
Glad you think so! Thanks for watching!
This is a great video. I appreciate all the hard work you've done making it. Sure makes an understanding of how everything works throughout the sequence.
I appreciate that!
As usual another good video. My comment was going to be in the form of a question BUT, you answered it in this video! No need to answer now though I was going to ask-- "..Just did the Filter Offset Calculations and love it. I also used and setup my EAF and now have a question pertaining to BOTH of these with backlash as a secondary concern. Scenario- filter offset works out that my wheel goes something like this in the order of offset; 1,2,4, 5,3,7,6. Keeping backlash in mind with the purpose of having the filters process in one direction only before changing direction should I change the order within the filter wheel to coincide with the offset?..." Great minds, huh!?! LOL. I'm also glad you keep mentioning Rotators as I have a manual and very interested in mosaics! Really enjoy using NINA as your videos make it very easy to learn. Keep it UP! Clear skies..
Assuming your filter wheel moves in a single direction, you theoretically could save processing time by placing your filters in the offset order, yes. BUT, I'm not sure it is worth the time it takes to swap them around, not to mention the risk you always run when you work with the filters (scratch, dust, smudge, etc). I'd have to think about it more too because I think the amount of time consumed by the offset related focuser movement and accompanying settle time (if any) is really going to 'offset' any possible time gained by moving around the filters. (I think the focuser movement and filter change may execute in parallel.) I like your thought process though. This is a sign of someone who really gets the power of the advanced sequencer. Great work!
This is an amazing video. Way too fast for me, but I'm 80 years old and have only downloaded N.I.N.A. a week ago. I'll watch it a few more times and I'll be there! Thanks especially for the downloads. Keep up the great work.
I'm trying to get an updated set out the door soon but I have way too many clouds to complete some testing. Nothing too major so don't panic, but you may see some new ones as soon as a week out. And if the old ones are working fine, which they should be... I wouldn't worry about running out to change them all. :)
I'm new to your channel, but this is such a well explained video. Thank you for providing your templates and talking through it, you've managed to convert me from the simple sequencer to the smart sequencer. Amazing!
Great!
I am overwhelmed at the amount of work you have done.
Me too! ;) I have so much to share. I’m just glad I’m able to do it.
@@PatriotAstro I tend to focus my energy on getting the most out of PixInsight mainly due to the lack of clear skies to experiment with using NINA. Hopefully, tonight will be a good night to test this wonderful work you have done. Thank you for this.
Good stuff, sir! Good stuff. Thanks for all you continue to do.
Glad to help out!
Chad, thank you so much. Very logical use of NINA. Love all of your videos.
My pleasure!
Great video again Chad, very clear
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you very much for your videos, Chad.
I think you explain very clearly these advanced sequencer features and make them more a viable option for a lot of NINA users.
Regards,
Alfredo
Thanks for the kind words!
Excellent tutorial . I've only been using the simple sequencer so this is invaluable to me for moving to the advanced sequencer along with control of my roll off roof observatory.
Ah, fantastic! Glad to help. If you have any questions, reach out.
@@PatriotAstro One quick question, if I don't have a particular piece of hardware connected and the sequencer comes to the instruction related to that piece of hardware, does the sequencer just skip past the instruction or does it stop and wait ?
I struggled with advanced sequencing until I watched this video. Your explanations of your templates and how they work has given me a much clearer understanding. With a bit of practice I will be able to set up much better automated sequences. Thanks for a straight forward logical tutorial
Great news! Glad I could help you take that next step!
Took the plunge last night with your advanced sequences using my OSC camera. I was a little nervous to move into the advanced sequence world of NINA I must say. I have a RASA 11, ASI6200MC, EQ8R, Stellarvue guide scope running NINA on a minipc attached to the scope. It worked perfectly. I imaged 3 targets, the Wizard Nebula, The Horsehead Nebula, and the Sombrero galaxy. In the sequence I updated it to start each target once the next one was at 30º. The first was set to nautical dusk. It all worked perfectly! Thanks for your contributions to the community. These NINA videos are invaluable. Great work!
So glad it all helped you out. Moving from one acquisition package to another can be a scary process, and challenging for sure!
As always a great video and content. Thank you Chad
Thank you! I'm ready for some shorter ones... these long detailed ones are killing me. :)
Massive thanks for these sequences. Appreciated.
My pleasure! I kind of hate to say this, but I am at the tail end of updating all of my sequences to re-share. Nothing big enough to say you’d have to move to the new versions. I’m just trying to streamline some things and add some additional capabilities and templates. If you have any suggestions, feel free to drop me an email.
@@PatriotAstro thanks for getting back to me, I'm glad you did because I had a couple of strange things happen in NINA last night. At 3.30am guiding simply decided it had had enough and said "no longer point guiding in ASCOM" and never recovered. Lost about an hour of subs. Also, the mount didn't park at the end of the session despite being commanded to do so in your mono SHO rotate script. I had added some additional instructions at the end of the session which all completed. Not sure why the mount didn't park.
@@AstrocandyTV i’m not 100% certain what happened, but if running EQMOD, before connecting, go into the driver, and make sure that the RA and DEC pulse guide rates have been increased. Typically .8 or .9 are good, I think the default is .5. Also, there are issues if you run some software as admin and other software as your user account. If you start the Ascom connection via the ascom toolbox, this may force an admin instance, which can be problematic. Let your imaging software or PHD2 auto start the connection for you. Finally, it could possibly even be a cable or power problem. You may need to increase the power to the mount. Just some things to consider. Definitely weird results.
@@PatriotAstro cheers. The mount and everything on it is running off the Pegasus 10 amp power brick. Unity reports the mount at 13.1 volts (HEQ5 Pro). Everything was soaked from dew this morning so wouldn't be surprised if the old USB extension hubs I'm running in series are beginning to throw up some failures.
I was running 0.5 rather than 0.8 or 0.9 and usually guide to about 0.5/0.6 RMS with a TPPA at around 1 min accuracy after calibrating PHD2 and running guiding assistant.
My HEQ 5 still has about 4500ms of DEC backlash (no belt mod) despite me having opened it up and taken backlash out on Dec and RA.
Thanks for everything you've done for the community. You've been a boon to us NINA users.
Thanks for the helpful videos
Thanks!!! It is greatly appreciated!
Thanks a lot for your videos. They are very informative and very nice!
Thanks for the kind words!
Great Videos thank you for providing these example templates. Really helps when first learing the advanced sequencer in N.I.N.A. I use a dome and safety monitors. I would love to see a video where you demonstrate how to use Jerry Macon’s Dome Safety template and how to integrate it with the other templates you have created. Keep up the great work.
this is working perfectly for me
Great!
Excellent video
Thanks!
Oh..... you are such a savior to me!!! I don't have to start from scratch!!!!!
HaHa! That's the plan! Saving people time and giving them fully functional starting points. Let me know how it works out.
Loving your stuff as always chad, awesome to see you keeping on updating it. Pretty keen on a video showing your templates for the plugins, especially the polar alignment. I would like to see where it fits in, and how the script moves on once you have finished it. But im sure you already have this in the works somewhere. Keep up the awesome work chad!
Honestly, since the polar alignment plugin is quite hands-on, I run it separately outside the sequence. You can sort of see this expectation from the plugin authors, DarkArchon and Isbeorn, by their moving the plugin to being able to run 3PPA directly from the imaging page as a separate tab/panel without the dependency on the sequencer. I run in there manually, and once happy, pull together and run my sequence. Not sure I would want to run it as part of a sequence, ... but... if someone could automate alignment and add electronic control of my DEC/RA knobs, I'd be all in! :)
@@PatriotAstro are there even Amateur mounts that exist that do the DEC/RA knobs electronically. how awesome would that be!!. Especially for me in the southern hemisphere.
So for the alignment would you perform it after the autofocus routine?, while its still pointed at your set Alt/Az location?. And put in say a message box function in the script to stop and let you do the alignment. I guess this could work, have to give it a shot.
@@troyhunter4740 When I use my travel mount that is an AZGTi and I use 3PPA with it, I manually connect all equipment, then go over to the imaging page and start and AF routine from there (manually), then run 3PPA from the imaging page as well, then go back to a normal evening of finding targets - building a sequence - and starting the sequence.
I don't know that the message box approach would help since the message box interrupts all control in NINA and wouldn't let you run the 3PPA routine. But yes, if affordable, I would buy electronic dec knobs. I think the major issue is the torque required to turn those knobs sometimes... :)
One word…you are amazing
3-words, but I'll take all of them! :) Thanks so much. Hard work pays off.
Thanks!
you are simply the best! Greetings from Belgium. If you are ever around, let me know. I owe you a beer (or several ones!)🙂
Will do!
I have to add to the praise. Chad's videos are the definitive guide to adoption of many of the NINA features. This one on the dark arts of the Advanced Sequencer is special! Not only is the content and pace good, the expertise in preparing the video, zooming in occasionally shows dedication to the task. How do you find the time Chad?!
Awesome video thanks. Here’s a video idea. I’m trying to setup a sequence where I’m taking LRGB until the moon comes up or down. Would like to then switch to NB. Also O3 when moon is down and HA etc when it comes up. How can I make this happen? Same target then new target…
Thanks.
I am impressed by your teaching skills! Is that now or has that been your "real job"? In any case, thanks for your efforts!
Tjs top tes vidéos….bravo .France 🇫🇷
Thank you!
Chad,
Thanks for the detailed and clear instruction on NINA Advanced Sequencer.
In "Triggers" "Center after drift" where does the sequencer pick up the px count? When I change the telescope focal length in Options-telescope-focal length the sequencer px count stays the same.
Maybe it takes a reboot to pick up the FL in this case... Hmmm.
Hi, Thanks for the excellent NINA tutorials and the templates - I had stayed away from the Advanced Sequencer but now I am trying them based on your templates. Can I ask a quick question related to the 'Offset' templates. Do you need to add the actual offset numbers into the advanced sequencer itself or does it draw the information automatically from the stored section in the Options-Autofocus-Filter settings ? Thanks again for the excellent videos.
The Offsets are added on the Options > Autofocus configuration page (per filter in relation to one of the filters). It will just pull it from there. If you watch the Filter Offset plugin video, towards the end you can see the table with the entries populated.
Great video on NINA's sequences. You're a great teacher. I have a question about organizing my Target sequences. I've created quite a few over the months and now find it hard to find what I'm looking for in the Targets window. Do you have a recommendation for how you organize your Targets so they are easier to access? Thanks.
I just found your sequencer tips video which answered my question. Thanks again.
Sorry you had to find it on your own. I've been a little slow on responses and content lately. I'm ramping it all up again. Let me know if you still end up with related questions.
Hi Chad, Thank you for your great videos. With your help I got access to the advanced sequencer. And that is really a giant leap forward.
I am running NINA 2.0 BETA045 and realized that there are major changes with the new BETA.
Will your templates still work? I wouldn´t want to work without them anymore!
Thought I replied but maybe not... sorry! They will still work in Beta2, no problem. I hope to have some updates out to the sequences soon bit nothing due to beta2 really. Just more about tweaking and fine tuning.
Hi Chad. This video has really helped me a lot and I'm WAY more automated than I was before. THANK YOU! One question. On my second night out I wanted to use a frame from the previous night as my target. I know how to set up the file in the framing tab, but when I try to add the target to my sequence, the coordinates do not populate the RA DEC lines in the sequence. It's no big deal because I just copied them over from the framing tab, but it would be nice if they transferred automatically. Any ideas? Thanks, Carl
Did you watch this video here? This 'may' answer your question on matching a previous framing night. ua-cam.com/video/eucpxlPqCE4/v-deo.html Let me know if you still have questions.
Thank you for this! That's a lot of info. How would I modify the OSC rotate sequence if I were to manually add a dual filter once I am centered and properly rotated?
If you are not swapping filters throughout the session, you really don't need to do anything at all to the sequence. Put the filter in place first, then start the sequence and everything just works. Now, I will say, there are 2 other reasons that you may still want the Manual Filter Wheel device connected in NINA: 1. It allows you to use the $$FILTER$$ variable in your filename, and 2. It places the Filter Name in the FITS header of each image. Number 1 you can work around by just writing the filter name directly in your Image File Pattern in Options>Imaging. Number 2 isn't so easy, so if having that in the FITS header is important, you'd need to connect the Manual Filter Wheel device (and watch my associated video about configuring that option). If you use the Manual Filter Wheel, you should also alter the sequence by adding a Switch Filter instruction at the top of the Prepare_Target Container in OSC and OSC ROTATE. (You can look at the Mono LRGB sequence as an example if needed, it would be the same here.) Maybe even save these updated sequences with the FILTER keyword at the end so you end up with ones with filters and ones without and can select accordingly on any given evening.
@@PatriotAstro Thank you for responding. I usually start without the dual filter to get a dozen short exposures without dithering(10-20 sec) to get the star colors. Then I had the dual filter in for longer exposures for the rest of the session. How should I handle this? This first capture is very short and doesn't repeat itself, there is no looping involved.
@@hael8680 Since you want to take 12 images before the regular image looping, but after the focus and platesolving, you need to place it in-between both of those tasks. Put a Take Many Exposures instruction after the Prepare_Target container and before the OSC_Imaging container. This will can be set to take 12x 20s exposures before starting the main imaging. Because you want to swap the filter after this command, you will either need to use the manual filter wheel equipment along with a Switch Filter instruction right after the new Take Many Exposures instruction (this will prompt you to change the filter), or just use a Message box instruction to pause the sequence while you swap the filter. I like the first option more because use of the Manual Filter Wheel allows you to get the name of the filter in the filename and FITS header. The only other thing to consider is that you likely need another autofocus after changing the filter out becasue of the new filter focal point, so add the Run Autofocus command after the switch filter.
Excellent stuff, Chad! Why in some sequences are you using the dither after X exposures trigger, but in others doing a dither instruction? If you explained this, I missed it, so apologies in advance.
It may be easier to understand if you watch my building smarter sequences video but I’ll try to explain briefly. The dither instruction is used in the offset sequences. With offsets, because we don’t need to run an autofocus whenever a filter changes, you typically take fewer exposures of any given filter before moving onto the next filter. This allows you to get a better distribution across all of your filters at various altitudes. It also means you’ll have a more even number of exposures per filter at the end of the evening. As an example, let’s say we’re taking five minute exposures in SHO. With offsets, I may have a loop that contains just a single exposure of each filter before rotating back to the top of the loop. Now normally with such a long exposure I may want to dither every frame. This would normally, with a trigger, result in 3 dithers per Loop, one per frame as expected. Instead though, if I place a Dither command at the end of the loop before it cycles back to the top, I only dither one time after all three exposures are completed. But think about what I accomplished, even though I’m only dithering one time, I am still dithering between each HA frame, and every O2 frame, and every O3 frame. Dithering can take a little while to complete and settle, but I just cut that wasted time down to 33% of what it originally was. OK, so why don’t I use the same methodology in my non-offset sequences? Well, it’s because Autofocus also take a good bit of time and I want to minimize that as well. As a result I’m not taking one frame per filter, but maybe 10 or 20 at a time. Because of this, I need to tell the system to dither every so many frames like you normally would, rather than a Dither instruction at the end which would only dither after potentially an hour or more of total imaging. Making sense?
@@PatriotAstro I have watched your video on building sequences. What you're doing makes sense. Because you're not using offsets, you're executing a larger number of exposures per filter. Thus, it makes sense to use the dither trigger. However, when using offsets, like I do, you'll typically create a loop of 1 or 2 exposures per filter and then dither at the end of the loop.
Thanks for explaining!
Hi Chad. Question about the order of events. At 18:20 you show Switch Filter, Slew and Center, Start Guiding, Run Autofocus. Does the Autofocus process create errors in PHD2 while it's guiding and the script is change the OTA focus, changing the star sizes?
Another great video. I`ve used the mono LRGB template for some evenings and is it possible to modify the template so it`s include Ha also? I`ve also experienced another problem. When my mount returns to "home position", the scope points 180 ° the wrong way, with the camera up side down, and very close to the legs of the tripod. Luckily it didn`t collide with the tripod. Have I missed some settings in NINA?
You can modify the templates anyway you like. Just add another imaging line in there for HA. No problem. Not exactly sure what is happening with your park position. Depending on the mount, they can have Park, Home, etc. Maybe it is going to one of the positions you didn't expect and need to redefine in your driver?
@@PatriotAstro Thanx, I`ve added a new line or Ha. Regarding the park position, it was a eqmod problem. Everything solved :)
When I try to drag the Basic Sequence Start and the Basic Sequence End into the Basic Startup PA, it does not show between the areas denoted. Any ideas? Also thanks so much for the work you put into these templates.
Hello Chad. First of all thanks for all these videos - without them, I doubt I'd be using the Advanced Sequencer. I have a question: in recent versions, NINA has a tab for Global Triggers - could triggers like Meridian Flip and AF after HFR Increase be moved to there instead of being added several times in the sequence?
Hi, good question. I had the same idea, that it make more sense to have them as. Global trigger as something like synchronized dithering it have to be a global triger I think. The probem is that then global triggers are not saved in the templates. Any ideas? At the moment I save the whole sequence and change just the targets.
@@Thomas-mn5ih I do the same - saved a full sequence and only add the targets.
Thanks Thomas for jumping in and continuing the conversation during my absence! I love a working community! So, personally, I am not really a fan of the Global Triggers. This is mostly due to the fact that it isn't always clear which ones work as global triggers and which ones do not.
Sometimes the trigger will fail because it needs the context of the container and is required to be placed locally. Until we get to the point where i have so many of these that I feel like it is clogging up my view of the sequence, I'm going to keep placing them in the portable sequences we can save off and select.
As a new NINA user, your videos and these templates are a real blessing. One question about managing multi targets within a Loop Until Astronomical Dawn. What happens if all targets are finished before dawn? Can we add an instruction to exit the loop and end the session? Thanks!
I'm going to guess this is mostly in relation to looping multiple panels of a mosaic repeatedly. If they end before the outer loop dawn condition, in this specific case, I would just change dawn manually to some other time, like 4AM or whatever it needs to be. Otherwise it will just try to keep looping on already expired targets, which shouldn't hurt anything either.
Great video. Any chance of creating one just for setting up a Mosaic.
I am planning more detail but if you look in my shared sequences, there is a multi target startup template I included. I think I mention mosaics in the video when I revealed that part of the share. Maybe take another look, it may get you started until I go a bit deeper.
Great video , thanks Chad.
I have set my start up template per you video and tried to add a three point alignment followed by a start guiding with calibration.
However, both seemed to fail and got this error message. " Three point alignment failed, value cannot be null. Parameter name path 1." Is it possible to set this up here or do it manually before running the set up?.
I'm not certain what happened there. Did you sort it out already? Personally, I am doing my 3PPA from the imaging tab before i pull together my sequence, rather than part of the sequence.
@@PatriotAstro no Chad, I didn't get it sorted. Maybe I was trying to be too clever .
I have reverted to doing the 3PPA routine then run my PHD2 calibration as I did so before. Then do the OSC rotate Advance Sequencer per your files.
Thank you for those, made using NINA so much easier.
Great stuff. I have a question. If I am using MONO LRGB sequence do I also need to include a start up sequence ? I keep getting an error that guiding cannot start when guiding is already enable. WHat am I doing wrong?
It does not get any better than these. Thank you so very much. However, now my biggest issue I am dealing with is do I use NINA or my ASIAIR PLUS.
They both have a place in the market for sure, but yep, decisions, decisions, ... :)
Chad thanks for the great video. You're giving me to confidence to use the Advanced Sequencer. I hit my first snag. I created a folders in the templates folder Mytemplates>EXOS2 and when I launch NINA the fold and it's content don't show in the templates list. Also I installed your templates in the same folder and they are working fine. Please advise.
The only time I don’t see them show up is if they have an error in them. Try to move one of my templates into that folder, or clone one of mine, and move it. And see if the folder shows up.
@@PatriotAstro Was saving the sequence and not the template. Now if I save the template I see it in the respective folder.
Hi Chad, your templates are awesome. Thanks for providing them. I am using your Bias/Dark Template right now in two parallel NINA sessions for my two astro cameras. I noticed that the instruction for cooling the is _before_ the BIAS frames. However, reading out 100 frames at such a high rate brought my TEC to the limit. The camera warmed up from -10 to -7 degrees C. Then the first couple of darks were taken with the wrong temperature. If I am not mistaken, then BIAS frames do not need a cooled chip. Would it be an idea to move the instruction for cooling the camera to AFTER the BIAS frames are taken (and then perhaps wait for a minute or two to settle things down)? Also - for my QHY OSC I can choose the readout mode. There's also an instruction available in NINA. Do you want to add it to your templates? I missed that one on the first attempt and took Darks with the wronge mode... Clear skies - ah well and for now: cool room temperatures...
The cooling instruction should bring it to temperature AND keep it at the temp as needed. Hmm. In your case, where it cant seem to hold temp in this case, I guess we could add a second cooling instruction in between the BIAS/DARK to force it to meet the cooling before proceeding.
@@PatriotAstro thanks. And btw: I am a bee keeper AND astronomer. So when I see golden hexagons, I’m doubly enchanted. Best wishes to your daughter
@@drfritz142 Win-Win!!!
Another great video, thanks for your hard work! I have 1 comment and 1 question:
Comment: I know ads are ugly, but maybe put one of those "buy me a coffee" links on there so you can be compensated at least a little bit for your hard work.
Question: Why no global triggers?
First, your question: Why no global triggers? I stayed away from them on purpose for 2 reasons. 1. They would need to be part of a startup template since they are outside the main template area. If I did that, and removed the corresponding trigger from the main imaging sequences, we run the risk of someone not putting a startup sequence in place or removing it at some point and those triggers not working, which could in some cases cause damage to equipment. I think it is safer, especially for newer nina users to stay away from it. 2. Not all triggers work as global triggers. Some need context that comes from within the target container. Putting the wrong thing here as a global trigger isn't obviously wrong at this point but could have unintended consequences. I like the concept, but I'd rather wait until there is either some additional validation or an obvious icon uniqueness that shows what works and what doesn't in this location in order to limit risk. Make sense?
I'm considering putting a "Buy me a coffee", or Patreon, or something similar together but I want to make sure I do it right and am providing associated value. I really do appreciate all of the people that have messaged and emailed me about this topic. It does take a lot of very late nights to get the content together in a way that works, much more than most people realize, so support would of course be appreciated, at least toward me furthering the channel and capabilities/topics. In the meantime, within many of my video descriptions and on my webpage in the equipment section, I have affiliate links to OptCorp and Amazon. Clicking through these links and buying anything at all on these sites would get me a small amount of the purchase as a result. I know that doesn't work for everyone, but is a nice way to help especially since it is at no additional cost to the buyer. Thanks again for the kind words I do appreciate it. :)
I totally agree that there should be some way to distinguish the triggers that work as Global from the ones that don’t, and I have suggested as much over to n discord. Seems like all you (they) need to do is put a “G” on the ones that do. I’m sure I’m missing something but that seems like an easy fix for that issue. Having said that, I do prefer to use them to simplify my sequences.
Chad, in your video you mention "If you configured PHD2 correctly to dither" do you have a video you can recommend on making sure that is the case?
I had hoped to have a video on this out almost a month ago but then a whole bunch of things happened including covid for all 8 of us plus my 2 in-laws! :) All better now so I hope to have some new content in the next week or 2. This will be a sooner one i think.
I don't do BIAS frames so I modified you bias/dark frame sequence to just do darks and I saved it under a different name in the PatriotAstro XTRAS folder. When I bring up NINA and go into PatriotAstro XTRAS under user templates, I don't see the name of my modified dark sequence. I am able to load it near the bottom but I was hoping to see it in the list on the side under user templates.
Basic Sequence Start and Mono LRGB both have an Equipment Check container, with similar if not identical instructions. Does this redundancy matter? If I add a target to Mono LRGB and add it to the sequencer which started up with Basic_Startuo_Pa.json should I remove them from the Mono Lrgb?
Hi, I'm looking at giving ADV Seq a go. I've got your OSC template in front of me. How would I go about adding in a flats sequence with an auto stop after flats that requires a manual click to continue after I've taken the panel off? I'm guessing its the message trigger but not sure how to incorporate it.
Yes, the message pop may be the way to go for manual intervention. Add the command where you need the pause and a custom message. Then add the panel and click ok. Same for when it is done. Another message, remove it, then click ok. You may want to slew upward prior as well to get the front of the scope horizontal to the ground before adding the panel. reach out via email if needed.
@@PatriotAstro figured that eventually. I kept skipping past that thinking it was just for reminder messages
I'm a big fan of your tutorials. After watching this excellent video I have two questions. First question - in the LRGB sequence you have Dither after Exposures set as a Trigger. In the Offsets and Offsets Rotate sequences you have Dither in Instructions following your Smart Exposures. I'm assuming it has something to do with using the AF Offsets but trying to understand the benefit of placing dithering here. Second question - Run Focus is a consistent instruction in all three sequences. I'm assuming when the Offsets toggle is set to on in the Options->Autofocus setup screen this will move the focuser to the next offset position rather than going through an entire focus routine for that filter.
Thanks again for all your efforts in putting together these great tutorials!
1: Watch my video on 'building smarter sequences' to see why I moved the instruction to dither when using offsets. It can save you a lot of time and you lose no quality due to the method. 2: If you force the AF it will first move using the defined offset and then run the AF you requested. Once AF is completed, it will again uses offsets from this newly focused position. Make sense?
@@PatriotAstro Once the initial AF completes and refreshes the offsets will it continue to refocus and refresh the offsets or use the offsets after the initial AF?
@@mikeschi9551 all optics, whether lenses or filters etc, have the potential to manipulate a photon’s paths. This means that your red filter may change the path of a photon different than say your blue filter (which means that blue may focus at a different point than red.). The offsets are just a defined amounts you can calculate to tell the system how it is required to move the focuser motor when going between any two filters because of the known impact of those filters. So the initial auto focus just gets you into focus on whatever filter is in the path at that point, and then from there, the offsets tell the system how to move between filters without requiring another auto focus.
I have not been able to find anything about Jerry Macon's Dome safety sequence. Can you direct to me any information? Thanks. John
In my downloaded sequences it is in the startup sequences section/folder. Or maybe you found that and just have general questions about it?
@@PatriotAstro Thanks for responding Chad, I did see your section on his safety sequence, I was just wondering if there was additional info available, maybe on the web somewhere? And on another topic, I don't need any more t-shirts, but is there a place where we can simply donate towards your daughter's treatments? if you haven't set anything up, I think you should. I know you don't want to appear like you have your hand out in connection with your videos, but many of us appreciate and use them and would be happy to give a little something back. I regularly contribute to NINA and Cloudynights for the same reason. Thanks for all of the work you put into your vids, and best wishes for your daughters improving health.
When using an off axis guider, what is best best way to stop guiding before AF and then restart guiding. Eg on an HFR % change within the template
In Options > Autofocus, there is an option to disable guiding during AF. I do that on my SCT with OAG.
@@PatriotAstro Thanks Chad. So after the AF, I would still need to add a 'start guiding' to the template as I presume the guiding wouldnt restart automatically after AF?
@@davecurtis8833 No, it will automatically restart guiding in that case.
@@davecurtis8833 This is because that auto focus concept is applied as a trigger, which is really an interrupt. Because it’s interrupting to perform that task, it will go back to the original state once completed.
@@PatriotAstro Thanks Chad.
Hi Chad - Whenever I try to load one of your template sequences I get an error message in NINA saying "Unable to load sequence. Sequencer root element must be sequence root container." Do you know what that means? Thanks.
You may need to watch the video to see the install procedure. It is different than before as a result of me making the entire import process a little bit easier. What you need to do is place the files in the right Nina location, wherever your templates are, which you can find in your profile options. Once the file is in the right location, or a subfolder of that location, you should be able to see it within NINA almost immediately
@@PatriotAstro Thank you! It works perfectly now. Just like you said, I moved the files to my NINA templates folder and the templates showed up immediately under the sequencer tab.
Chad - NINA accepts manual goto coordinates as J2000 equinox. So, If I enter a target's RA and Dec for a slew as part of a sequence AND my mount uses JNow, will the mount go to the J2000 RA/Dec as ordered by NINA or will it interpret the coordinates as JNow and go there?
Similarly, if I have ASTAP as my plate solver and, say, it uses J2000, will it's J2000 centering commands to the mount, after it solves the location, be interpreted by the mount as JNow - in which case, it would probably not correct the incomplete slew? The mismatching of equinoxes between planetarium software, mount software/firmware, plate solvers and applications like NINA, seems ripe for creating bad slews that miss the targets - especially problematic with small FOV cameras often used for photometry and Exo-planet transit imaging. Wouldn't 'straightening all this out' this be a great topic for a video? You're the person to pull that one off I think. Cheers, Gary
Went to our website and can't find the sequences. Are you updating them or are they just not available anymore?
I just checked and they are still there and downloadable. Make sure you go to my patriot astro dot com website and click Learn More, Then click on the Advanced Sequencer option. From there you will see the zip file in the paragraph above the list of sequence descriptions and images.
Thank you for the great video and sharing your sequences. Unfortunately, you lost me with your explanation of the tolerance to set for "Center After Drift". You refer to dithering according to best practices but I can't find a video on that topic in your channel. I always have used dithering numbers without really understanding the numbers I was using. I realize now that I miss something important.
You didn't miss anything, I haven't been able to get to the topic yet. Here is the generally accepted rule about dithering: "When dithering, you want your main imaging camera to dither ~10 pixels per dither." Ok, sounds easy, right? PHD2 performs the dithering for you (or whatever guider you are using). PHD2 doesn't use your imaging camera though, and only has access to your guide camera, so it only knows how much the guide camera is moving. Problem with that is that the guide camera focal length and pixel size are likely (in most cases) very different from your main camera setup. So how do we accomplish this goal...? Well, in NINA we tell the PHD2 equipment (once connected), how many dither pixels NINA should ask PHD2 to move. But, and here is the important part, this number is the number of guide camera pixels and not imaging camera pixels because that is all PHD2 knows about. So, we need an equation that will take our guider Focal Length (FLg), imaging Focal Length (FLi), imaging camera Pixel Size (Pi), and guide camera Pixel Size (Pg) and give us the magic number of Pixels (d) to request such that our imaging camera will equal 10 Imaging Camera Pixels per Dither. Easy, right? :) Don't worry, you are not the only one that doesn't know this or didn't know they should be doing this. So, what is that magic equation? Wait for it... d = 10 * (Pi/Pg) * (FLg/FLi)
OK, so now, you should be able to find d for your system (round it up to the nearest whole number) and plug it in to your NINA PHD2 guider equipment page. This will ensure the best practice of ~10 imaging camera pixel movement will occur per dither.
Assuming you get this right, then using my Center After Drift methodology will work fine for you when you add 20 pixels to the Plate Solve Tolerance.
Read through all of this 3 times and it should stick. :) I'll do a video on this soon-ish.
@@PatriotAstro Awesome! Thank you so much! The formula is not that difficult. I should have thought about it by myself 🙄
You website is not available. Error code: SEC_ERROR_REVOKED_CERTIFICATE
See if you can either clear your cache or try another browser. It’s related to the recent security issue at Go Daddy. They had to re-do every certificate for their customers on that particular hosting platform. It seems occasionally people are getting some cached results from godaddy’s content caching partners. :( The new certificate is in place and is working for almost everyone, it’s a really strange issue. Sorry!
@@PatriotAstro Yep, that fixed it, thanks.
@@PhilSpidy Great! Such a weird issue. :)
I don't have internet at my observatories so framing will not work. NINA developers should create an alternative...framing without Internet
Thanks!
Wow! I am completely blown away! I am quite moved actually. Thank you sooo much for this, it is GREATLY appreciated. ... just ... wow!
Thanks!
Oh my gosh Mike! How did I miss this! Thank you!!! Glad I could help!