PHD2 - Am I getting there ?

[stash]

HI,

 

Had a further play tonight using m43 as a target. Being a complete Noob to Guiding can anyone tell me if I am getting near a reasonable looking guide pattern when you look at the screen prints of PHD2. One is using PHD2 and  dithering in APT the other is just guiding with PHD2. Taken tonight with waxing moon.

 

Comment gratefully accepted - Thanks in advance

 

 

[+Graham]

I have found only one sure way to tell if my guiding is OK and that is to look at the subs. 

If the stars are tight and round then all is good. 

I think people get so caught up in this idea of the perfect graph, pec curve print outs ect ect ect. 

I have had nights where the graph was all over the place but the image was perfect,  other nights I have produced nothing but rubbish despite the graphs being all but flat.

What you need to understand is you can waste so much of your time tweaking this and that to get it to a point where you are happy then the temperature drops or rises by a couple of degrees or the humidity changes and your perfect set up goes straight out of the window. 

My personal opinion is to stop stressing yourself over the software and just enjoy your imaging. 

 

[red dwalf]

it looks fine but what Graham says is correct, a lot depends on the seeing conditions too, i did find that polar aligning with sharpcaps free program, 

http://www.sharpcap.co.uk/sharpcap/polar-alignment

worked very well and added to the quality of my guiding.

[stash]

2 hours ago, red dwalf said:

it looks fine but what Graham says is correct, a lot depends on the seeing conditions too, i did find that polar aligning with sharpcaps free program, 

http://www.sharpcap.co.uk/sharpcap/polar-alignment

worked very well and added to the quality of my guiding.

Yes Rob I understand the variations bit Guess just wanting so cosy blanket reassurance  on the overall picture and that I am not missing something obvious - remember my "next" button saga with Sharpcap polar alignment.

I am still investigating why I need to do Polar Align so much - its does seem to change a fair bit on my set up even when the setup hasn't been moved,demounted etc. I have even checked all my nuts  in case they have come loose on the Pillar - they hadn't.  One thing for sure is that PHD2 isnt that bad was you get things set up correctly. I like graphs  etc - "every picture tells a story" but as both you and Graham point out what the final picture looks like counts. Still learning 

 

Ta for the input.  P.S. did you "create" your under ground box for the Hub or did you get some spray ?

 

Plus please can we have some clear skies even for 1 hour.

[red dwalf]

well i would say that your graph looks miles better than mine does and it is true that the graph can change from night to night, the bit i like to look at most and think gives you the best quick information is the target, the more blue dots towards the centre the better, there is also updates to phd, google phd 2 snspshots and it`ll take you to the latest versions, sometimes handy if your having problems, especially cameras, zwo asi ones mostly.

i`m still looking into idea of the box to store the usb hub, been down to screwfix for one of those water tight double electric boxes to fit it into, plus i have got a few of those gel packets that absorb moisture, big ones to stick inside the box.