Hello.

I am somewhat familiar with automation software but new to ACP. So far I have been able to setup the preferences on the first night and run a brief session on the second night.

Guiding:

1. Does the ACP guiding algorithm a try to avoid guiding on saturated guide stars? I saw this happening although it could have been an initial guide star choice through clouds that later cleared.

2. I understand that if "automatic dither" is checked the dither amount is 1 pixel. I suppose if I want to change that value I can do so by editing the #dither line in the plan txt file, correct?

3. Of the 2 images I capture last night using automatic dither, I noted the shift from one image to the next was excessive. Would you explain why? Here is a link to the imaging log:

http://tinyurl.com/34ouang

4. Would you explain "guide cycle time?" I don't know what to use for this value.

Horizon:

1. Is there a way to edit the local horizon other than freehand?

2. How accurate does the local horizon need to be?

Shutdown:

1. I am uncertain about using the shutdown procedure. I am using a Takahashi NJP Temma 2 mount (ASCOM Temma 2 driver) and remotely controlled Pier-tech retractable pier and Tele-station (roll-off roof observatory). At the end of a session I would like ACP to turn off camera cooling but I like to "park" the mount myself. I need to make sure the mount is in the proper "park" position and the pier is retracted before I close the roof. Is this possible?

2. On a similar subject, does ACP stop mount tracking after various tasks (ie capturing flats, lights, biases or darks)?

Planner:

1. If I setup a plan to capture biases and/or darks (or a second target) after a target run , will it postpone the capture of the calibration frames (or second target) if the light frame plan runs over it's scheduled time period?

2. Tonight I have a plan to take 30, 1 sec bias (dark) frames. Why does Planner estimate that this will take 23 minutes?

Thank you very much.

Gordon Mandell