N.I.N.A great new atlas horizon feature

[paul]

I've just installed the nightly build to get access to the new sequencer but I found this update to the atlas very helpful:

 

you add a text file with Alt Az numbers and it plots your horizon on the visibility graph. 

Like this:

#Az Alt
0 33
15 31
36 63
53 68
82 63
137 33

 

You can edit it in notepad and save it as a .hrz file. You add the file in the Astrometry settings:

[MarkAR]

Great idea, so no more tree or chimney shots.

 

[gpowers]

Hi Paul, ? - are there any apps that you know of that can help gather the ALt Az values to assist this horizon generation

 

[AstronomyUkraine]

I'm not sure how you would gather the alt/az data, I'm assuming you would slew the telescope 360°, plotting the coordinates as you reach an obstruction.

[paul]

3 hours ago, gpowers said:

Hi Paul, ? - are there any apps that you know of that can help gather the ALt Az values to assist this horizon generation

 

 I used an app call DIOPTRA on my android phone. I put the phone on a tripod where the scope normally goes and took as many pics as I wanted :

my great view south😁

Edited May 4, 2021 by paul

[AstronomyUkraine]

11 minutes ago, paul said:

 I used an app call DIOPTRA on my android phone. I put the phone on a tripod where the scope normally goes and took as many pics as I wanted :

my great view south😁

This is somewhat similar to the method used in Stellarium. Taking a series of images then stitching them together, and loading the result into Stellarium.

 

[paul]

19 minutes ago, AstronomyUkraine said:

This is somewhat similar to the method used in Stellarium. Taking a series of images then stitching them together, and loading the result into Stellarium.

 

Yes, I think Sky Charts (Carte de Ceil) has a similar feature.

[gpowers]

update : having researched a little and not having an 'android' phone or other android device I have gone with an application for IOS called 'Theodolite' which i think will capture the AZ-ALT values i need to define my horizon for NINA. I need to do two separate runs for both the back of my house and the front, whichever .hrz i set will depend where i set up each night. i'll let you know how it goes ..  clouds are persistent ! 

 

Edited May 8, 2021 by gpowers

[paul]

On 5/8/2021 at 9:03 AM, gpowers said:

update : having researched a little and not having an 'android' phone or other android device I have gone with an application for IOS called 'Theodolite' which i think will capture the AZ-ALT values i need to define my horizon for NINA. I need to do two separate runs for both the back of my house and the front, whichever .hrz i set will depend where i set up each night. i'll let you know how it goes ..  clouds are persistent ! 

 

That's a good find. I've not tried it but I think setting a NINA profile for the two locations may allow the two different files to be loaded automatically. At least that is the recommended approach for templates.

 

Having location profiles in NINA would be very useful.

Edited May 9, 2021 by paul

[gpowers]

done, software worked a treat to provide the numbers i needed, i generally went with every 2° unless a long straight roof line.

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by gpowers

[gpowers]

Folks , as another thing I thought i would mention is that in discussion with the NINA discord folks they alerted me to the options in the New Sequencer that will stop and/or Start the imaging depending on whether you are below or above this Custom Horizon, so it is more than a simple graphical addition it seems. have not tried it yet  

 

 

Edited May 11, 2021 by gpowers

[paul]

12 hours ago, gpowers said:

Folks , as another thing I thought i would mention is that in discussion with the NINA discord folks they alerted me to the options in the New Sequencer that will stop and/or Start the imaging depending on whether you are below or above this Custom Horizon, so it is more than a simple graphical addition it seems. have not tried it yet  

 

 

 

 

I hadn't noticed that one, it looks rather good. It should mean you can string several targets in a session and only spend time on each when its actually in view. My sequences haven't gone that far yet.