Astro PM replaces the middle of your NINA sequence – the part that decides what to shoot – while your usual startup and shutdown instructions stay exactly as they are. This page shows the recommended sequence shape.
The Building Blocks #
The plugin adds these to the sequencer (category Astro PM Tools):
- Astro PM Instructions – the main container. At runtime it fetches targets, builds the night’s schedule, and executes it block by block.
- Astro PM Nightly Loop – a loop condition that keeps running while tonight’s schedule has blocks remaining (and holds the loop open until end-of-night flats finish).
- Astro PM Daily Loop – an outer loop condition for multi-night, fully unattended setups: it keeps the sequence alive while any active project still has remaining exposures.
- Trigger sets – Before/After Each Exposure and Before/After Target Change instruction boxes (see Trigger Sets).
Recommended Layout #
A typical fully automated sequence:
- Sequence start – unpark, cool camera, open dome/cover, connect guiding. All standard NINA instructions.
- A loop container with the Astro PM Nightly Loop condition, containing the Astro PM Instructions container. Attach your triggers (autofocus, meridian flip, center after drift) to this parent container – Astro PM fires them between its own exposures exactly like NINA would.
- Sequence end – warm camera, park, close. Again standard NINA.
For multi-night automation, wrap the whole night (including start/end instructions and a wait-for-dusk) in an outer container with the Astro PM Daily Loop condition.
What You No Longer Need #
No per-target containers, no manual target lists, no juggling sequence files when priorities change. Change plans in the desktop app; the observatory picks them up on the next schedule build. The sequence file becomes a stable harness you rarely touch.