Can SGP vary flat panel brightness automatically?

Sequence Generator
1

I’m using the flat wizard to calculate flat exposures for NB filters and don’t see a way for SGP to automatically adjust brightness of the panel. I can select the brightness manually with the slider but what works for one filter may be too dim for another filter. I see there are exposure time settings, but nothing for panel brightness settings. This is for a Pegasus Flat Master.

Mike

2

Hi Mike,

There is a way to vary brightness for each filter. In the equipment manager, go to filters and look for a filter settings button. A dialogue pops up with a column to adjust panel brightness. To verify it is working, check the control panel when your shooting flats, and see if the slider bar moved to the correct setting.

Clear Skies,

Paul

3

@MSiniscalchi This is supported via AutoFlats only. Admittedtly, it is not very intuitive, but, AutoFlats can indeed be convinced to adjust panel brightness. In terms of adjustments avaiable to SGPro, AutoFltas will always prioritize exposure length as the primary variable, but, if you supply it with min/max constraints and you have a variable brighness light source, AutoFlats will automatically switch over to adjusting that variable.

4

Hi Ken,

I was testing the AutoFlats tool and with the posted Google docs I was able to get it working as expected.
I performed the AutoFlats (manual run) and after exporting the flats, I see the file name doesn’t have the filter name in the string like the light frames do. Is there a way to add it?
An example of the exported flat name is: LBN934_5.052sec_1x1_001.fit

Thanks!
Mike

5

AutoFlats is designed to respect the sequence’s current file naming pattern so if the AutoFlats event (as seen in the AutoFlats dialog) has a filter set and your current sequence file name emits the filter name, your flat image files should have the filter name in them. If both of those things are true for you and there is still no filter name, then this is a bug.

6

Hi Ken,

I verified the default file names. Looks like a bug then. I submitted a problem ticket.

Mike

7

To make auto flat panel brightness a little more intuitive i think it would be nice to add a “preffered exposure time” setting for autoflats if light source is set to an adjustable panel

8

Hi,

Never done flat darks, but I think this would make getting matching darks a lot easier, too.
Clear Skies,

Paul