N.I.N.A. Part 2 - How to Image Start to Finish!

[@woody5109]

Incredible, I’m so over my head, I’m new, I don’t have any of these programs. I’m still working on just taking the images and running my gear. Your enthusiasm and knowledge is inspiring, great videos, I watch yours and Quivs over and over, lol, thank you 🙏

[@jesuschrist2284]

I only use basic functions in nina, but its fantastic

[@darkrangersinc]

Yeah, I wanted to cover the basics but also get a little bit into all the features so if folks wanted to go all in on it, they would have the tools they needed.

[@jesuschrist2284]

​@@darkrangersincty for another great video

[@petelopez5826]

Man, this guy is loaded with some cash. I just transitioned to astrophotography after two years of visual astronomy and still learning the Zwo eco system.

[@Si-fp2ij]

One day I will make the jump to NINA and these will be my go to videos Ryan Cheers Simon

[@egratudo1974]

awesome video. ive just finished setting up a celestron edgeHD 8 on an AM5 mount and running NINA for the first time. this is now my goto video for my startups for the next foreseeable future. thank you!!!!

[@darkrangersinc]

I’ve started offering gear set up sessions on the website if you do get stuck. it’s set for two hours because that’s typically from start to finish how long it takes the first night if you have all of the hardware assembled and software and drivers installed but haven’t actually gotten it running. It can be flexible in terms of what you actually need or don’t need. Shoot me an email if you get stuck beyond with the video can help with 💪🏼

[@Wheeljack678]

Man... I've gone through all the steps. Started out with a 1500mm MAK on the stock alt/az mount with a stock DSLR and intervalometer. Then I added APT, then I switched scope to a wide refractor (80ED DS-Pro), then I started guiding, then I started platesolving, then I started using NINA and here I am now and the only thing NINA doesn't automate for me is flats. (I still use NINAs Flat Wizard, but I need to supply the light source). I always like watching these "setting up NINA videos", in case there's a cool trick I've missed or something else I didn' t know about. I JUST received the Pegasus Falcon Rotator V2 (since you mentioned it), and I gotta say - that almost felt like using cheat codes.

[@darkrangersinc]

I’m helping friend sell a brand new Giotto 220mm, don’t know the diameter of the scope but his was for a Mak as well. You would just need the motor bit.ly/3v1pkhQ

[@keithhanssen7413]

Love my Stellarvue scopes!

[@darkrangersinc]

Glad to hear me too :)

[@jesuschrist2284]

I use this as my guide scope

[@paulsmaglik5063]

I am so glad you have these tutorials I was beginning to freak out for moving from the ASIAIR platform to NINA. I am sending my scope to a remote hosting site, and I was starting to have panic attacks.

[@YneGrwr]

LOL, I dont know who is following who ;-) Ive had the SVX130T for almost 3 years now and it is awesome. I also bought the Eagle5 last January and it is a joy to have everything in one box on the scope. But the capper is I ordered the G11T the day before you put the video out! It replaced my AM5 which was not able to handle the 40 lbs my OTA weighs. I also bought the Falcon v2 last month but have some issues with the driver. I can manually set the angle, but NINA keeps looping with different angles if I try to do it in auto mode. So if you want to do a video on the Falcon that would be great. And finally I see you are a brother of the leaf. People can always find me by following the cigar smoke ;-) Frank ps: been shooting with the new G11T the last two nights with great guiding, .3 to .5 all night long. And perfect meridian flips!

[@darkrangersinc]

If you think about the combinations of products you can buy it’s almost endless so for two people to arrive at nearly the exact same choices isn’t a coincidence and really speaks to the quality value of the gear. No one will say it’s a cheap set up, but you can easily spend 2-3x on a Takahashi/AP rig and not get any better results and that was the goal. Top of the line results with the most reasonable price point and great service was the mission and given so many others are finding the combo it’s great to confirm what I feel is a great combo. I have only been using the falcon V2 in manual mode as well. They’ve been in Mexico for the eclipse and now NEAF from Greece so they’re basically not in development mode for a couple weeks but I’ll pass the feedback as I have the same issue. I also sometimes to unplug and re-plug it for it to show up in the Unity software. It’s basically brand new so I know they’ll fix it with software updates. Thanks for letting me know yours does it too that way it gives me a little more ammunition for my feedback. Mine will eventually get there, but it’s not worth the time. It was going around in circles a couple times lol Thanks for being a part of the channel what’s the favorite cigar? I like Padron or Tatuaje Maduros. My fathers for a good low cost option

[@YneGrwr]

@@darkrangersinc So I spent several hours this weekend trying to get the Falcon v2 to work as it should, and not with diminished capacity. I was not successful. It was always temperamental in connecting to Unity. Now it does not at all. I’ve tried everything, uninstalling, reinstalling, different cables, start restart. I’ve been around a while with numerous other devices and apps and this is the only one that I cannot get to work. So I finally gave up. Sent an email to Pegasus support but not expecting much from that. I also notified Agena Astro that I wanted a refund or replacement. They are the only ones I have confidence in. They got right back to me and are looking into it. I also have a Pegasus Flat Master I’m not too fond of. Any exposure less than 1 second has lines through the flats. And it does not dim enough to take longer exposures without diffusion from paper or cloth on LRGB flats. Frank ps: My favorite cigars were the EC La Gloria’s back in the day when he owned the company. And his El Rico’s were great. Now a days I bounce around. Though my daily’s are usually Perdomo or CI Fresh Rolls.

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Interesting.

[@KJRitch]

I’m having plate saving issues using C8, Starizona F7 corrector and ASI071 MC Pro. I use an Antlia Quad Band filter with a moon that is half to full. I’m using ASTAP with D80 star database. NINA 3.0. Sometimes in the middle of TPPA plate shoving will start to fail. Prior to TPPA I check focus and test plate solve. Sometimes upping the exposure helps. Also having some GoTo and centering issues. Is this the moon glow affecting plate solving? Seems to be more of an issue after upgrading to NINA 3.0 especially for GoTo and centering. Didn’t seem to have that issue in NINA 2 but I’m new to this hobby. Any advise? Thanks.

[@darkrangersinc]

I’ve added gear set up session to the website if you want to set up a 30 minute or however long FaceTime so we can trouble shoot it send me an email. It’s a lot easier. Easier to diagnose when I can see what’s going on. Just off the top of my head, making sure you have adequate focus so it can accurately read the stars. You can try to expand the search radius, and make sure as you mention the exposure as long enough usually with a light filter like that which isn’t restricting a ton of light five seconds should be fine. But maybe go longer.

[@gr0uch02a]

Excellent video as always. Couple of questions. 1) Does the Losmandy mount allow you to image past the meridian? The AP driver allows for imaging up to (Ithink) 6 hrs past the meridian, assuming you know that you won't hit the pier/tripod. 2) Instead of the rough focus during daylight, what about noting the last focus position used and have that as the starting point for the next session such that NINA will move the focuser to said position upon connection?

[@darkrangersinc]

Thank you! 1.) yes it allows you past the meridian 2.) if you watch again you’ll hear me say “if it’s your first time ever with this set up” meaning no previous focuser position to go off of. Meaning if it’s the first time ever using the scope. That’s why you want to find rough focus during the day so you can save time at night. I’ve set up about 10 different scopes over the past few years and this is always a best pratice.

[@SamaraLovesU2]

What brand is your flat panel?

[@darkrangersinc]

All Primaluce accessories other than the Rotator, but hopefully will be adding that soon! Giotto 185mm with the Alto motor

[@Planetreefastro]

Damn good video. I’ve been using NINA since early on but I’ve never seen such an in depth and clear explanation as yours. Thank you. Are you going to NEAF? If you are I will be there Saturday gathering content for my new channel. Maybe we can do an interview together if possible? Luis from NY

[@darkrangersinc]

I will not this year. 2 of the 4 brands in our community stellarvue and Losmandy decided not to go, but Primaluce and Pegasus will be there so I didn’t go. I have a dark sky trip in early May and then heading to Vermont later in May. If I was within driving distance maybe or if the channel was bigger so perhaps next year.

[@Planetreefastro]

I have interviews scheduled with Fillipo of Primaluce and Evan’s of Pegasus as well as a few others. I’m about 45 minutes in the Bronx so not a bad drive for me under normal circumstances but I had back surgery a few years ago and my feet remained numb after that so I have to drive slower than normal to be safe. But I’ll get there! Maybe we can do a zoom call or Skype call later on. Thanks again for the great videos you put out. I’m just starting my channel but I’ve been imaging for many years. Best regards Luis

[@darkrangersinc]

@@Planetreefastro yeah I’m happy to collaborate! Filippo is great we talk regularly. Pegasus is the newest to the group so we have spoken several times but not as much as the others. I have a ton of confidence in both. Let them know you follow the channel and say hi on my behalf! Looking forward to seeing the content you produce.

[@Planetreefastro]

I sure will. Will contact you for the collab after NEAF