Plan mode request

Eriktim82

Would like to request a feature for plan mode.

Would like to ability to end a object in plan mode at end a certain time instead of after a set number of images. Then have it start and slew to the next object. Living in a area with limited access to the sky because of trees and light pollution. Makes it hard for me to use plan mode properly.

With they way it is now and adding to extra time for dithering always throws off my timing of when objects become available for me.

For example:
M51 start to 1am.
Then
M13 from 1am until 3am
Then
M8 from 3am until Twilight (you are already able to end a plan at a certain time)

Keep the good job with asiair!

Tim

Byrdsfan1948

Eriktim82 Yes that is a very good suggestion Tim. I have exactly the same problem as you. I also struggle doing the simple math trying to add up all the imaging time lost dithering, auto focusing, guide star stuff etc. As I put my evening's PLAN together. So your time idea on the surface sounds good to me.

I suppose it might create some new problems like perhaps the end time coming before all the images are completed but no big deal. Perhaps a bit of a twist on your idea might be when the first PLAN is completed at 1 AM for example that the ASIAIR sits sort of in standby mode waiting next PLAN to start at say 3AM if that is when that object become visible? Al

Tech@ZWO

Thank you very much for your feedback, we will consider this in the future.

Byrdsfan1948

@tech@zwo#56174 great to hear that. I don't want to try to hijack Eriktim82's ( Tim's) idea, but from my perspective, simply a modification to the PLAN mode set up, as simple as being able to input when the imaging for the second and/or third object would begin, would work. To be clear it would be very nice if it were possible for the PLAN mode to go into a "standby mode" after the completion of imaging of a particular target. Then wait until the set time for the next target to begin the process over again. Etc.

Eriktim82

@tech@zwo#56174 thank you replying. This would be a awesome improvement.

joshkovach

Each individual plan can have a start/end time, but what I would like is to be able set the start/end time for each target, and even better if you can indicate an image from that plan on a prior night and mark it as when obstruction starts on that plan, and then each night it could offer a suggested time shift (e.g. End 4 minutes earlier each night from that original obstruction mark) for that target. But really just being able to specify start/end time per target would be fantastic.

paulchen

Hi,
yes, this feature is really missing! Yesterday I tried out the plan mode for the first time (before I used only the autorun mode).
It is really unlogical that you can only enter the amount of lights as a number and not as an absolute clock time until you want to shoot images of an object. I have the same problem in my backyard: trees and neighbour houses restricting the visibility of objects. It is nearly impossible to manually calculate, how many light's to take to reach the destination time (what's with downloading time, time for meridian flip, time for autofocus, ...)

To get out the most exposure time in the night it is essential to do imaging until XY o'clock per object in a plan and not "100 lights".

@Tech@ZWO Please add this feature. It is really important.

Thanks a lot,

paulchen

PMTeam@ZWO

paulchen Noted.