Polypus 2.07 supports plate solving

In this version plate solving is supported by visual pin point engine. You should install it and GSC catalog on your PC. These installation are not part of Polypus installation. After that in the configuration dialog in the "Plate solving" page you can enable the Pin point engine use, select folder where GSC catalog is and set the frame expansion (in percentage) used for star searching.

In the Photo form a new button is present: "Solving". It is available after a shot is done, even if image not saved. This starts the Pin point action and if the match with catalog.

If the match between image and catalog is found the following page is shown where you can see: numero of stars used from catalog for match, the found coordinates, the frame roll angle and the error between toe current instrument position and shot position.

Pressing the Ok button you can sync the telescope with the found position

Polypus 2.06 support multiconfiguration and up to 5 instruments

 Whit the versione 2.6 Polypus support more then one configuration. Each configuration is saved in xml file in the folder |Documents\Polypus2\Configuration. In this way is easy move a configuration between PCs. In the first configuration page it is possbile create configurations and select the current one

Second configuration page can be used to select options related to the base observatory equiments: mounting, dome, switches. 

Generally under the same dome, over the same mouting can be present more then one instrument, each of them have different caratteristics and devices. Now Polypus can manage up to 5 instruments. The setting is done with next configuration pages. 

For each instrument it is possible select type from: Photo, Spectroscope and PEC.

Photo allow the standard management for images.

Spectroscope use different algoritm for focusing.

PEC implements a mounting adjustment from position error detected.

Each instrument can have its: camera, focuser, filter wheel and cover calibrator.

In case of spectroscope an additional focus driver can ba use to move the grid position in order to change the center of spectra image.

 

A new ribbon bar enable you to select the current instrument and act on it. With the element on this bar you can take shot, change filter, do focusing, manage cover

Status bar follows the current instrument selection, camera, focuser, filter wheel, cover are related to it

 Test for focus

with the version 2.03 the focus sequence was tested on the filed and adjusted.

In case of the procedure is aborted focuser is set the position where it was before so it can be activated again with the same sequence.

Now Polypus2 supports scripts

 Whit the version 2.02 the script support is introduced. 

Script support is finalized to a full automatic observation session even without people in the observatory

The first change you can find is in the menu. Now an additional ribbon menu named "Automatic" allows you to select and edit three different task script. One for each specific purpose.

Observation task script: where you can put all the observation activities

Time task script: where you can put activites you needs where a defined time (e.g decondense)

Closure task script: where you can put activities for observatory closure and final activities like fla, dark

Second big change is a specifi page able to edit and run scripts.

On the right you find the syntax colored editor for script writing. Using these element you can work off line loading, editing and saving every scripts. During editing syntax color allows you to see immediatly possibile syntax error. 

On the left element you see the task list in execution with their state and the current executed script where current line is highlighed. On the side you can check the current state of script variables 

Using the help button you have a page helping you in the script writing.

When you select the function sheet you can see the list of all available functions whit explanation and input/output parameters

Using the check button you can run a preliminary script check, the result of this check is showed in the bottom element. Its allows you to discover errors in the script before the run.

In the installation are present some script example in order to have an explanation of the script possibilities.

Polypus 2.01 version ready

 

The second  useful version of Polypus is ready, version 2.01.

you can find it in resources

Photo menu is updated so to manage three cameras: for photo, for PEC and for spectroscope. 

Pec camera has its own comand and window. It is possibile acquire image in loop and activate correcion so to correct periodic error.

Windows for photos was changed 

The focus precedure was inserted so now it is possible move focuser, take photos and compute for each the FWHM. Values appears on a graph and the position correspondig the minimum value is computed. At the procedure end focus is set on that position

Stile of window was changed in order to shrik the needed space so more information are available. Different color is used to recognize readonly text box. In the status window all elements are collapsable

Polypus 2.00 version ready

 The first useful version of Polypus is ready, version 2.00.

you can find it in resources

Now the camera management is implemented so photos can be taken. A new menu bar is present where you can select exposure and binning, assign name to the object. After that you can run a shot.

A window is dedicated to the photo showing. Adjusting the configuration photo can be showed with the same position and scale as chart in order to make it easy the field reconizing. On the left you can see the scaling information/setting, a zoomed area where the point is, moreover you have info about the image quality and star FWHM. 

An automatic dark sequence procedure is available. It allows multiple shots. If camera has shutter it is not opened. if it don't have, photos have to be taken in the dark. File are saved with a name cointaing the CCD or dome temperature and exposure time.

An automatic flat sequence procedure is available where dark is taken with the same exposure time. Just after the flat shots are taken flat light is turned on. 

An automatic shot sequence procedure is availabe with the possibility of filter change. You have to select the number of shots for each filter. For each filter you can select it own exposure. In case focus change with filter you can ask to use focus positions stored in filterwheel. When you start the procedure it is able to: change filter, change focus, take shot, change filter, change focus ....

A window can show all the command run the Polypus in the current session. It helps in case of somethig goes wrong, specially when observatory is unmanned.

Polypus2 Objects

 I come to you after days with the second beta of Polypus2 software. You can download it from resources.  In this time I have implemented the object view. This is activated by the command in the view menu. Here you can select the ephemerid epoch and, in case of near object, show the topocentric coordinates.

In the object view it is possibile see some object lists: 

• Favorites
• sync stars
• Planets
• Asteroids
• Messier 
• NGC
• UGC

For selected object is showed the position in the sky, the sky chart centered where object is using GSC catalog. Some additinal information are shoed. when object is over the horizon it is possible command a telescope goto on it. Objects can be inserted in the favorites list.

Sync stars list contains 20 bight starts with low declination along all right ascensions. This allow you a precise telescope sync. Star position takes in count the proper motion

Planet list contains all solar system planet plus Sun and Moon. 

Sun and Moon positions are computed using formulas from “Astronomia con il computer” by Janes Meeus.Mercury to Neptune positions are computed using VSPO theory. 

Mercury to Neptune magnitude are computed using formulas from “Computing Apparent Planetary Magnitudes for The Astronomical Almanac” by James L. Hilton US Naval Observatory

Asteroid list shows the position of object in MPCORB.DAT from Minor Planet Center, positions are computed using formulas from “Astronomia con il computer” by Janes Meeus.

Using the tab sheet Altitude is it possibile see the observation condition of the object in current (or selected) night. On horizontal axis you have the local time on vertical axis the object altitude. Yellow backgroung are for day light, blu background for twilight and dark for astronomical night. Red line show you the object altitude. Because the moon can often annoy astronomical observations it is possible show also the moon altitude by a green line. 

Polypus 2 developing

Hello,

now the controller and driver part of the project is finished so the third step need to be started. It is the step requiring the most effort. The develop of a new version for the software managing the entire observatory. Since 2010 in the Bassano Bresciano observatory we use Polypus a software we build for this purpose with CBuilder compiler in C++. Now we need a new version of this software able to manage more devices. At this point Ascom Drivers are mandatory in order to don’t have Polypus strictly link the current device we use now. Polypus 2 will be developed by VisualStudio in C#.

Polypus 2 should support window docking so it should be possible dock windows in the  program where you prefer. This is not a native Visual studio feature. After an investigation and test we select this open source library 

https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/42800/Visual-Studio-IDE-like-Dock-Container-Second-Versi

Polypus 2 should show a ribbon menu Microsoft Office like. This is not a native Visual studio feature also. After investigation and test we select this other open source library 

https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/25907/A-Professional-Ribbon-You-Will-Use-Now-with-orb

Program should use dark color so to be useful the observatory light and to be style updated. Icons should be monochromatic black.

Here is the prototype of the main window

when a first version where the manual movement are working I'll publish it

Driver ASCOM for dome, focusers and switch

Now I have developed all the others drivers for object controlled by Raspberry application. They are: dome, focuser1, focuser2, focuser3 and switch. All driver was checked with conformance checker and conformance document was generated.

Also in this case communication between driver and Raspberry is done via TCP/IP, using other ports. 

For these reason the Rapberry application was update, now its version is 1.2.0.0. In the resource is presente the new version.

You can find all new drivers and conformance documents in the resource.

Dome driver supports these features:

• Slaved 

• Home finding 

• park 

• Open/close shutter 

Focuser drivers support these features:

• Absolute position

• Maxposition and step configurable in Raspberry application

Switch driver supports these features:

• Ready only analogue value with temperature in the dome

• Read/write boolean value for flat field light

• Read/write boolean value for telescope decondence fan

Driver ASCOM for telescope

 Because of Raspberry controller is able to manage different devices more Ascom driver are needed, one for each device. Now the first driver is developed using Microsoft Visual Studio, thanks to development tools supplied by Ascom Platform. Conformance checker was used to verify and validate it. Conformance document was generated.

Communication between driver and Raspberry is done via TCP/IP, Each driver uses its own port. Raspberry implement a UDP broadcast communication used to make know its IP address to the driver, in this way IP address can be discovered during the driver setup.

 These are the supported features:

• Alignment: Polar
• Sync and async target and coordinate Slewing
• Target and coordinate Sync
• Tracking: Sireal with the possibility set right ascension and declination rate
• Move axis support
• Topocentric equatorial system
• Parking on local meridian at declination 0
• Pulse guide support
• Aperture area and diameter and focal length are from Raspberry controller where can be configured.
• Observatory site location is from Raspberry controller where can be configured.

In the resource you can find driver setup and conformance document

Application Raspberry

 First software version for Raspberry is ready. 

Using Codesys 3.5SP16 and Softmotion 4.8.0.0 an application was developed able to manage in the correct way all devices. This first version is marked 1.0.0.0.

In this version all the user activities are done through web page visible using a browser connected to the controller IP address (http://192.168.3.100:8080/webvisu.htm). Address is assigned to controller by DHCP so can be different.

In the resource: Codesys application for Raspberry you can find the zip file with this software

Home page shows software information and allow the observatory position set up

Telescope page allow the axis control. You can sync or move axis on a position or with drift velocity. It is possibile set the maximum speed and acceleration but for each movement you can have different speed from 0 to maximum.

Dome page shows:

·         States of push buttons and commands for dome motors.

·         Dome position as encoder pulse and azimut.

·         Azimut position for home (home input sensor) and park.

·         Shutters condition and timers

·         Temperature in the dome

Focuses page shows for each focuser:

• Current and target position
• Working and motor enable condition
• Backlash setting.

Application is deployed on more task with different priority and interval time.

• Ethercat task run in highest priority (0) every 4 milliseconds. It generates the position setpoint for both motor and send the Ethercat frame.
• Main task run in medium priority (16) every 20 milliseconds. It manages: State machine for software startup, all digital I/Os directly managed by Raspberry and dome.
• Slow task run in low priority (20) every 10 milliseconds. It manages all I2C devices: digital out for focuses, analog input for temperature reading and FRam read/write.
•  Visu task in lowest priority (31). It manages the visualization of web pages.

 Features

In the FRam are saved two different kind of information:

• Configuration data. Data related to the specific use in your own observatory: observatory location, motor speed and acceleration for axis, dome encoder, focuser Backlash. These data are showed in orange in the page. A button allows the change saving in FRam.
• Application data. Data relating to the current position of motors, dome, shutters, focusers. These data are saving automatically every second and restored at next power up. At power current telescope right ascension is computed so it should be possible do a goto command without a sync.

 

Telescope declination axis can be:

• Synched to a specific position.
• Moved with a smooth velocity profile to a target position.
• continuously moved at low speed (drift) in order to follow object with proper motion (e.g., comet)

Telescope right ascension axis has the same possibility of declination plus the possibility to activate the tracking. Right ascension is correctly computed both with tracking on and off.

 

Dome can rotate both manually and automatically (slaved). Shutters can be open and close both manually and automatically. There are six buttons for dome/shutters management:

1. Dome right
2. Dome left.
3. Sliding open
4. Sliding close
5. Tilting open
6. Tilting close,

When they are pushed alone, they activated manually the function as their name. When push is removed motion is stopped.

Pushing dome buttons together dome enter in “slaved” state so is following automatically the telescope azimuth.

A “double click” on dome right button activates the automatic positioning on home position.

A “double click” on dome left button activate the automatic positioning on park position.

Pushing sliding buttons together it is activated the automatic shutters opening.

Pushing tilting buttons together it is activated the automatic shutters closing.

 

Focuser step motors are activated when the target position is different than the current position. Motors are driven with fixed frequency 100hz in start-stop way. It is possible define a forward or backward backlash compensation.

Hardware ready software in progress

I have mounted Raspberry board, I/Os boards and rele board an plastic supports. These was arranged with DIN rail hangs so they are finnaly mounted on two DIN rail.

Now DIN rail are placed on a wood support in order to have an easy equipment for testing. In the final deployment they will be placed in the observatory frame. 

A temporary panel with push buttons is attached the the system. These are for symulation of buttons and sensors in obervatory. In this way is easy develop and test the application. 

Now is only matter of software. 

The developping of the application is alreay started, I hope to be ready in one week.

Step motor board

Hello to all,

 In the time from last post I have designed an realized the board for step motor driving.

Three step motors need to be driver by the controller in order to act as focuser. For step motor adapting an L298 bridge is chosen. From the market is possible found chip board with this component and radiator.

 Every board need 5 digital output for driving: Enable, IN1 (A phase +), IN2 (A phase -), IN3 (B phase +), IN4 (B phase -). It is not mandatory have the possibility to move all focus at the same time so phase signal can be common for all motor having maintaining one enable signal for each motor. In this way 3 enable signal plus 4 phase signal are needed.

No more digital output are available directly on raspberry board so the solution for increase its number is the use of a little board with the component PCF8574. It is a remote 8-Bit I/O Expander for I2C Bus

Because of step motor power signal can generate noise in the low power CPU signal is a good solution make outputs optoisolated.

 

This is the board schematic available also as external file 

This Board is designed so to be mounted up the I/O board. Mounting is shifted so to allow the plug and unplug of the connettors from I/O board and Raspberry and from I/O board and relè board

 

IO Baord

Raspberry has 17 GPIO pins able to be programmed as input or output so these can be used as digital I/Os. They manage segnals with few Volts with the same electric potential of Raspberry, it is not a good idea have a long wiring with these signals, the risk is for the incoming noise and electric spike, they could hung up the Raspberry CPU.

For this purpose an expansion board need to be developed where 8 digital signal 24Vcc are optoisolated and adapted to the Raspberry GPIOs voltage and 8 Raspberry digital outputs drives relès. Relés make outputs optoisolated so driven signals can go far way from Raspberry.

For each digital input a this circuit is implemented

For digital output we bought a board from the market suitable for interfacing with Raspberry. Unfortunately this board reveses the commands from Raspberry, this not acceptable because during the Raspberry boot up for a litte time all reles are on. For this reason on the board an 8 inverter ports (74LS240) is applied in order to have the correct driving condition.

An analog input is needed in order to get the current observatory temperature. We bought an I2C analog to digital converter ADS1015. This is able to get 4 single ended signal or 2 differential signal. We select the second option in order to connect one PT100 termoresistor, this assure e low noise signal. This is the only not optioisalted signal so ti can’t go much far away from controller. A trimmable resistance che adjust the current flowing in the PT100 so to have precise measure.

An I2C FRam memory is mounted allowing the controller to save information need to be retained when power down. It has 32Kbyte more than enough.

In the resource the full board schematic is available