Planner Catalog Missing?

[Dick Berg]

Hi Mike,

In Planner, when you search the Deep Sky Catalog, it's normal for Planner to create a plan using only the named object. The only function of the search is to make sure the name you entered matches an object in the catalog. When the plan is run in ACP, ACP will use the name again to retrieve the Deep Sky Catalog coordinates. It works the same way if you don't use Planner but just build a plan using a text editor and only provide the object name. Of course, the name has to be in the Deep Sky Catalog!!!. And to that point, "M57" won't work but "M 57" should.

On the other hand, the web form actually retrieves the catalog's coordinates and puts them into the form. Question marks mean the object is not above the observable horizon or not in the catalog at all. When that "plan" is submitted, ACP does not do a catalog lookup again using the form's object name. It has to read the coordinates directly from the form.

Why your telescope is not responding to the Planner's plan is not because there are no object coordinates. But I'm not sure what's going on. If you could tell me a little more about how you are running the plan that completes immediately, it might help. Are you running Planner remotely and submitting the plan remotely? How are you staring the plan in ACP - from the console using AcquireImages --> Run --> (select plan)?

By the way, the catalog is found here. Since the web form found the coordinates, the Deep Sky Catalog is present and available.

catalog.jpg