Plate Solving - ASIAIR & SkyGuider (or Star Adventurer also Polar Alignment & Guiding)

In this video I show how to find objects using the ASIAIR’s Plate-Solving routine with a non go to mount such as the iOptron SkGuider Pro or Sky-Watcher StarAdventurer. There are plenty of videos using Plate-Solving for go to mounts but I only found one using Plate-Solving with the tracker (Delta Astrophotography). Also in this video, I used the ASIAIR for Polar Alignment, Autoguiding, and setting up a capturing sequence (Autorun).
Links mentioned in the Video:
Walt - Delta Astrophotography
/ @deltaastrophotography
Kurt’s links ----
BLOG/WEB : astroquest1.blo...
FACEBOOK : / kurtzepp
TWITTER : / kurtzepp​
INSTAGRAM : / astroquest1

[@Jazzinthecountry]

I just bought a mini and a Star Adventurer and an EAF for my WO73III. This video is exactly what I needed.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for commenting! Glad it was helpful. Good Luck

[@keithdaniel3405]

I know this is an older video but just got asiair plus and used it as you demonstrated to find and frame up Heart Nebula. Took about 10 mins. Thank you for the info. Is a game changer.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Kfor commenting Keith. Glad it helped! Cheers

[@PatJones82]

12:00. I've never understood the ASI Air calibration setting before. Many thanks for that explanation!

[@AstroQuest1]

Glad to help Pat! Yeah that is why I put it in there, it took me a while before I understood it as well. Cheers Kurt

[@PatJones82]

@@AstroQuest1 👍

[@jrgenmlmann4998]

Nice video with lots of useful tips! Centering objects in refractors on star trackers can sometimes be a nightmare.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Jorgen - Absolutely! I spent many a night trying to center on some of these faint fuzzies. Cheers

[@jonathanpearceff]

I was doing this the other week with my SWSA, but once plate solve was done I would press Align Mount and then look in the SkyAtlas and it would show me where I was pointing. So no need to write down the coordinates of your object. Also you easily see how far away you are and make moving the mount much easier.

[@AstroQuest1]

Cool. I only wrote coordinates down because that is where I want to go - the sky atlas I believe is a newer feature. If it is in the SkyAtlas - even easier. - Cheers

[@richardhibbert4649]

Thank you for this video. Made finding targets a breeze now.

[@AstroQuest1]

Glad I could help Richard. Good Luck!

[@christianlee8093]

Great vid! Answered a lot of questions!

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for commenting Christian. Good Luck.

[@jgrossnicklaus]

Thank you for this video! I"m moving from a full deep space, goto back down to a SGP with the RC51 and AAP. I'm appreciative of the time you have taken to explain how to do it.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for the comment, Glad it was helpful! Good Luck the RC51, I was thinking getting one of those myself. Cheers

[@JoesAstrophoto]

Great video Kurt! I'm sure anyone with a tracker will find that very useful. I know I'll refer back to it if I ever get one for travel.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Joe. Being able to use plate-solving makes it a lot easier to find objects. That was the biggest drawbacks for me with the trackers, but that is eliminated now. Cheers

[@pattimaclaughlin8059]

Excellent!!! Easy to follow!!!

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for the the feedback Patti. Good Luck.

[@janelubenskyi1177]

Thank you an easy method…I will give it a try.😊❤️🔭

[@AstroQuest1]

Have fun Jane! Good Luck with it.

[@psybiggs]

great video, lots of useful info, and so helpful to be able to use plate solving for target acquisition, especially in really light polluted locations like mine (Bortle 8), a game changer, thanks

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Stephen, glad it was helpful! The plate solving helped me a lot. Cheers Kurt

[@ianmacdonald2307]

Hi Kurt: perhaps you can explain something to me. I used this technique 2 nights ago for the very first time, with the Asiair plus, a 120mm ZWO mini guidescope and a 72mm refractor on the SWSA mount. I was endeavouring to ‘guide’ for the very first time. What I got was exactly the same as you on this video. The guiding went around 13 steps west before re-cantering on the chosen star. It them ‘timed’ out and began guiding without going ‘east step’. I expected it to do that but it did exactly what your guide scope did on this video. Otherwise everything was pretty good and I got 60 x 2’ exposures….. and no star trail’s whatsoever! The guiding graph was a little ropey but clearly it was good enough. As I say this was the first time ever that I had used guiding with my telescope/mount. A massive improvement at 428mm focal length when I had only ever achieved around 45 “ unguided subs. I think I could have gone a little longer on each shooting the Triangulum Galaxy. I understand that the SWSA only guides in RA but when the guide scope calibrates, should it not go ‘east step’ after ‘west step’? Plate solving was a game changer for me thanks to your video and that of Walt on Delta Astrophotography which I’d watched closely a few months before I put it into practice. Thank you so much

[@AstroQuest1]

Hey Ian , thanks a lot for the comments. Guiding is awesome as it makes the longer exposures possible. I use the graph as a base to see if there is any problem so I don't necessarily look at the little fluctuations. The real test is the actual star shapes. As far as guiding in the East , the trackers have only only motor on them R.A., so they can only guide in one direction. Go to mounts have a n R.A. motor and Dec. motor so are able to guide in in two directions. - Cheers

[@gregerianne3880]

Nice review of the process, Kurt! The only things I might add is that when trying to get to your RA coordinates, if you have a mount that has it the capability SkyGuider Pro, is that it's useful to take advantage of the slewing controls (rt/lt arrows) on the star tracker. I found I screw up everything else a lot less if I do that than if I loosen the clutch and try to move it manually. Seems to work very well! The other rule of thumb I might suggest, is that when imaging targets close to Polaris, e.g., the Elephant's Trunk Nebula or the Bubble Nebula in the vicinity of Cepheus, set the calibration step to around 5,000 or so on the ASIAir (I leave the others at default of 2,000 although I noticed you changed these a bit in your video "ASIAIR-PHD2 - Simple Change to a Setting, Better Guiding!" and that seemed to work for you.) When you're imaging something further from Polaris, you can default to 2,000 or lower on the calibration step Great video! Thanks.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for the info Greg especially with regard to the calibration close to Polaris. I had troubles with guiding on an target last year and I now see that the calibration was most likely the issue. Cheers Kurt

[@dadwhitsett]

Well Kurt....I learned everything from you using APT and plate solving (thanks). Then NINA. Now ASI Air....Please stop. I can't keep up!!🤗

[@AstroQuest1]

Ha Ha Marc. I think I am done with new software stuff for a while. Cheers

[@xe1zlgg]

Thanks a lot

[@AstroQuest1]

Most welcome Luis. Good Luck, Cheers

[@wbfog]

Fantastic video! I just purchased the AISAIR PRO for my Ioptron Skyguider Pro. I'm so excited to try this. What cables do I purchase to connect the two?

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks. You may not need any since you are moving the skyguider by hand. However, if you want to autoguide you need the ST4 cable (Phone). Good luck

[@zdravkogalinec2044]

Mine is on order and yes this is fantastic!

[@RonaldKools]

Soooo wait.... this means I don't have to get on my knees, looking through the polar alignment tool of the Starguider Pro anymore? Would this also work the same way using Sharpcap and a laptop or should I really get the ASIAIR? Thanx for the video!

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Ronald, I believe Sharpcap has a similar PA feature so if you are using a laptop, you are all set. Good Luck

[@RonaldKools]

@@AstroQuest1 thanx! I will try that tonight ;-) Keep up the good work!

[@zdravkogalinec2044]

So question, finding the item in the sky seems like a lot of work, especially with the adjustments to DEC and RA, wouldn't it be easier to use a ball head with the setup and position it to face the object instead of playing with RA and DEC?

[@AstroQuest1]

Yes it would and you can do just that, however, it may add a bit of flexture but depending on the Focal length of the scope or lens, it may not matter so the ball head would be fine. The longer the focal length the more you have to worry about flexture in ther system. Good Luck

[@zdravkogalinec2044]

@@AstroQuest1 Thank you so much!! I really appreciate it!

[@AstroQuest1]

@@zdravkogalinec2044 Thank you!

[@GabrielaRuiz-hi1qs]

How do you connect the tracker to the asiair?

[@AstroQuest1]

Hi Gabriela. There is a ST4 connection (Phone) connection for the a autoguiding. There is no other connection needed since it not a goto mount. You move it manually but the ASIAIR tells which way to move it. - Cheers

[@GabrielaRuiz-hi1qs]

@@AstroQuest1 thank you! And is that the same with the Sa2i that has wifi?

[@ballofgum]

@@GabrielaRuiz-hi1qs It is, you can slew the 2i in RA only though via the phone app, I don't know about the Skyguider Pro.

[@alomgirmiah]

Lefe saver!!!!

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks. Plate-Solving really is a life savor. Cheers