Friday, May 30, 2014

Star Autoguide with RPi - (6) Operation Procedure

Star Autoguide with RPi - Operation Procedure

  • Note:
    • I do not know how to setup 'autostart' to switch display to LCD display, login into startX, and execute my python program automatically on RPi.  With my wireless keyboard and without external monitor, after turn on RPi, wait until RPi's LED stop blanking (it means it is ready to login), and then login blindly until LCD display has been turn on again.  If you know how to setup auto start on RPi.  It will save you a lot of trouble.
    • I develop all my program on PC and then transfer to RPi.  It save me a lot of programming time.  It is much easier working or troubleshoot on PC.
  • Prepare Raspberry Pi: Connect camera, key board, power, and so on
  • Login as pi
  • Enter password raspberry
  • Login as root for control GPIO pins, sudo su
  • I have created a short cut in name 'exe' by nano, just like BAT file in PC.  In my case, it will activate 2.8"LCD touch screen, and execute startX program) exe     
  • in StatX, double click the Python program, say 'st7.py' (you can use any filename)) 

    • I: mean current maximum intensity pixels
    • Max I: The maximum of previous I
    • Integ: It is the number of image integration.  Default is 5 now

  • Press up/down key to increase/decrease the image intensity.  After press up arrowhead for three time.  'Integ' has been increased from 5 to 8 now, and the image is much brighter compare to previous picture. 
  • Press space switch to next window for star selection, and press any key for the next star


    • Press 'p' twice  to select a star

    • Auto guiding now.  Only show 16x zoom in ROI image area.  Integ value will be adjusted by the software automatically.  Larger number means darker star, and the star guiding response will be a bit slower.

    • Press 'r' for re-select another star or press 'Esc' to quit this program
       
    • Below video conclude this project.  

    Enjoy...


    4/1/2016 Update: You may find another camera option from Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/XCSOURCE-Telescope-Electronic-Eyepiece-DC625/dp/B00ZUF90J2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_3&smid=A38N3TNH1N2LMX



    7 comments:

    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Hi Mapple!
      I just wanted to thank you for this project! I had a few issues, but now it works great for me!

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      1. You are welcome. I am happy this project blog can be useful for your project. Enjoy it.

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    3. That is fantastic. I am hoping to use this to guide my scope using a relay board controlled from the gpio pins.
      Thanks for sharing your project

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    4. You are welcome. You may consider using optical isolators instead relay. It is safer to your mount and produce less noise.

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    5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    6. I really hope u could make a video for noob like me to understand step by step on my old ASI120MM as a simple auto guider like your design .

      ReplyDelete