Easy Polar Alignment - ASIAir Beginner Tutorial

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Thanks for watching everyone! How close do you try to get your polar alignment?

[@fpanadero2626]

What is the name of the bubble level app you use? ...can't find it

[@bennythebutcher3435]

So when polar aligning do u aim at Polaris with your telescope or polar scope

[@raytbrown2]

Calm video about PA! Thank you as I learned a couple things I didn't know coming in.

[@medicineman4040]

Simply outstanding tutorials. The rank beginner (me) really appreciates the effort you've made here. So many hop through ASIAIR Plus so quickly that some of us can't follow how to get from one screen (focus to PA to exposure to Bin, etc.) to another. Your presentation is just top notch/fantastic lighting/lots of closeups.

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Thanks Robert! It helps me as well to step through it and think about why I am doing certain things 😎 Glad you enjoy!

[@doubledark2]

brilliant; thanks so much for taking the time to make these videos. Cheers from Down Under

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Glad you like them! It's good practice for me as well to really think through the steps of my setup

[@briankennedy9439]

I really enjoy your videos. Thanks for posting them. I watched them back to back, walked outside with my GEM28 and AA+, and was up and running in less then 30 minutes! Very much appreciated.

[@alykins50]

Thanks so much for this video and the one on how to use ASIAIR to focus the guide scope. All very helpful to a "newbie" (particularly the tip to use go to home immediately after PA) and significantly better than anything I could find on the makers website. Now all I need is for the rain to stop to get out and give the lessons learned a try.

[@Wilfredos_Astrophotography]

That was a great video. I was doing mine incorrectly. I usually try to get mine as close to zero as possible. The best I have ever gotten was down to 10". I was under the impression you had to have it under 1 sec to have good guiding. I was sadly mistaking. Thanks again for the great video.

[@frankskeen1310]

I liked your video a great deal. I use the ASIAIR with my CEM70 mount. The one issue that bothers me is having to guess or see how far my adjustment gets thrown off when I tighten the side bolts with a hex screw tool 8:48 on the video. I like to get as close to zero as possible and I get there on both altitude and azimuth but when I tighten the bolts on the sides I have to figure out how far it's moved and in what direction, on some nights I get near to what I want and then tighten those screws and all is ok, some times it's a mess but close enough to use. It is a good mount but that issue is because it's not a $10,000 Plus mount, so you don't have really great tolerances. Very helpful video for all who have the ASIAIR.

[@mikelockwood2104]

good job.....I save a bit of time by checking the auto refresh button while doing the adjustments. It all boils down to what works best for your particular setup/work flow. Look forward to the next vid

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Thanks Mike! Y'know I've never actually used the refresh button. Gotta try it next time!

[@mikelockwood2104]

@@WindyCityAstrophotography yes sir - I keep the refresh checked while tweaking the knobs on my GEM45. You should let it refresh ( exposure time ) to "catch up" between the tweaks though. This seems to be my best work flow while finding the smallest arc second during PA

[@joedenisco6033]

Hi Nick, You are making it alot easier for me to get back into AP and understand the AsiAir Plus. You have a great way of explaining things. Outstanding! Joe D

[@makeamovie94]

Fantastic tutorial, really looking forward to using mine the next few weeks. ☺️

[@patrickford4511]

Just got the Asi Air and after Polar Alignment been wondering why it keeps trying to crash into the tripod or 60 degrees off. That tip at the end return to home might be my answer! Thanks for a great video.

[@astralbody]

Another good vid as usual! My goal is

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Yeah .44" should definitely work!

[@jamiegreen6306]

Awesome. Thanks for doing this

[@astrounclejoe2572]

I’ve watched and appreciated a number of your videos, so thanks. You mentioned leveling the mount. I have never leveled a mount if plate solving for polar alignment. My understanding is that once PA is achieved a reference point is determined which is all that is needed. Others disagree so it would be interesting to see the results compared to leveled and not leveled. Physically I would not be able to level the mount if I needed to and others might be in similar situations where if they had to level a mount (perhaps unnecessarily) it might be a deal breaker to enjoying the hobby with a larger rig. My rigs are on dollys. I roll them out, point North in my case, PA, and go. I typically guide in the .4 - .6 Total RMS. I do the same process with a 71mm refractor (HEQ5) and 8” reflector (EQ6r). I use ASIAIR and have for some time. Ps: Auto Refresh is awesome but definitely have to wait for screen refresh but after a few times easy enough. Thanks again

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Thanks so much Uncle Joe! Haha now I just need a clear night to try autorefresh! Yes the leveling question is a good one, and you definitely don't need a level mount to achieve polar alignment. What it does is makes polar alignment much easier to achieve because as you turn the azimuth or altitude adjustments, you are only moving the mount on that axis. With an unlevel mount you will be moving your RA axis on both the azimuth and altitude axes as you make adjustments. Still totally possible to achieve good PA, just more finicky.

[@randallpatrickc]

I’ve just Dolly mounted an EQ6-R Pro on a Manfrotto cinema Dolly ($120 ebay). Seems pretty good. What are your levelling probs?

[@hobbeeswe7472]

Thank your for an excellent educational video!!! I have seen many videos about the ASIAIR+ that I have and even the most well known KZbin profiles sadly totally miss e.g. what sub-category they enter. You are super easy to follow and I am truly appreciative!!! 👏 I know this is asking a lot but since I have "found you" can you recommend one/several videos that go through the entire process from setting up to starting a photo session? Having spent hours/days to get a full process, watching 25 minute videos just to realise they are useless is so frustrating.... If it makes any difference I have the ASIAIR+, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Prro, Explore Scientific ED80, ZWO EAF, Explore Scientific 250x60 mm guide scope, ZWO ASI120 Mini and Canon EOS D70.

[@neilsmith5883]

That does actually make polar alignment like a little mini game but wow it’s quite a fiddle.

[@pinx1967]

Muy bien explicado. Muchas gracias

[@omarlorentz99]

Hi congratulations for the video. Is there a function in asiair to do polar alignment if you don't see the north star?

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Thanks! Yes, though it is still an experimental feature. I have a video on it titled All Sky Polar Align that walks you through how to turn it on. It was a first-look video but I have used it many times since with good results.

[@brucehatch7388]

Nick, your channel has become my go-to destination for ASIair instruction. I'm a beginner AP with a new Ioptron GEM 45 and AA+. Your method of instruction works for me. I really appreciate the service you provide. At the end of this tutorial you mentioned the importance of returning to the mount's zero position. Can the AA+ be used to initially establish the zero position on an Ioptron mount or can that only be done with the mount's hand controller? Can the hand controller remain active and attached to the mount while controlling everything with the AA+?

[@jorgeplanello]

Thanks for the video! Why can’t the app do the PA corrections needed by itself instead of having to do them manually?

[@Lord_Whiteley]

Interesting as my EQ6-Pro leg faces south? Maybe it’s a mount thing:) I only get my PA just enough to give a smiling face and guiding is always spot on. I found that the all sky alignment was OK but as you say not as accurate. Mind you, I would have thought that you don’t need particularly good guiding with the RASA, because of the F2 speed?

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Yes I have noticed that with the EQ6! Yes the f/2 helps as does the 400mm FL, but I still try to get good guiding. Definitely noticeable image quality difference on nights with/without it.

[@Lord_Whiteley]

@@WindyCityAstrophotography Nick have you managed to get any shots of the SuperNova in NGC4647? It’s still pretty bright even in the RASA :)

[@frank5angels308]

I live in Cleveland not too far away from you but I’m closer to the city so I have a lot of obstructions, including Polaris. I’m interested in some alternative method to polar a line and you mentioned the all sky method. I think you said it’s experimental but does it work? And is it also on the AISair pro?

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Yes, I did a video on it a couple months ago! Not a full walkthrough but it shows how to activate it on the ASIAir. It is accurate enough I would say and hopefully even more accurate when it is fully released

[@randallpatrickc]

I started to watch this but see you have a guide scope so I stopped! I’m just doing EAA/Visual with a flip mirror. Do I need a guide scope? ASI Air + arriving today 😊

[@ak13three]

Thanks for the video, my ASI air plus is a little ways from getting here, I figure atleast month or 3. In the meantime I am learning from folks like yourself so my learning curve can be a bit short, so appreciate you doing the video. Is the polar alignment plate solving video taken using the main camera or the guide camera? If the main camera is being used, why does one even need a guide camera?

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

I hope it arrives very soon! I know that waiting game 😬 But good on your for getting prepped! Yes, the polar alignment is done using the main camera. Guide camera is used once you are centered on a the target. You need a separate scope for guiding (unless you have an off-axis guider) but for PA I believe the longer focal length is preferable for accuracy.

[@hawkesworth1712]

I've seen a few people do this now and I'm surprised nobody trusts the result they get. Polaris is always going to travel in a circle about a degree from the pole and if the mount has taken you to within a degree of Polaris I'd be taking pictures from that point and see if they are worse or better than when you move it to Polaris. If you try to adjust your mount to Polaris you will be moving it away from the pole.

[@chanzhh]

Thanks for sharing... I am wondering if the RA axis auto rotation degree can be changed? I have a limited view and 60 degree will be too much...

[@rmf11699]

Great info!

[@bhastro9959]

good presenttion. but near the end you make a slight adjustment of azimuth alone, but when you refresh the altitude reading also changes. I have this problem but even worse. i get azimuth under 1 min and clamp the bolts, but when i then improve the altitude, I see quite a large change in azimuth despite clamping, Is this because the mount isn't level?

[@cryhavoc38]

remember to click on that "auto" box to tell the asiair to continuously take a shot. Helps speed up the alignment process

[@701grizz]

Upgraded from the pink IPad I see, nice! Lol. I have a se8 and I try to get 8 secs at least.

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Lol the main reason was the screen record function kept freezing up. This Samsung Galaxy tab is awesome. Maybe I'll get a pink case for it just for consistency 😂

[@KopLamp]

@@WindyCityAstrophotography I was just wondering if you turned to Android indeed, looking at the screen recording. I have that same issue whenever I record stuff for my KZbin channel. Man, you are screaming into orbit with your subscriber count. Congrats!

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

@@KopLamp thanks! Yeah I am just holding on for dear life 🤣

[@MikeLikesChannel]

Pretty impressive that it can be done in 5 mins, considering Celestron StarSense takes ~90 seconds for a plain jane AltAz alignment.

[@microreniassance2929]

Helpful. Thanks.

[@BlackOps-Ent]

Great video. Perhaps this will get me closer to tracked astrophotography. I have the ASIAIR Plus, a ZWO120mm, a Canon R5, and a Sky Watcher 2i. I thought I needed to go through the Plate Solve prior to Polar Align but the Plus is reporting it cannot detect a mount. The 2i is connected via ST-4 to the ZWO120MM, which goes to the Plus USB3. The R5 also USB3 to the Plus. Do you have ideas? My support request to ZWO is going unanswered and they don't appear to have an ASIAIR Plus manual. Just the manual for the original. Thanks in advance.

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Good question! I haven't ever connected my mount through the ST-4 on my guide scope, I just do straight USB from the mount to the ASIAir. However, I have found that the order of turning things on can matter significantly with the ASIAir. I no longer power my mount until the ASIAir has fully booted, and occasionally I still need to unplug/replug the cables. I would try those if you haven't already, but otherwise I don't have any specific knowledge of that tracker.

[@BlackOps-Ent]

It has been slow going. I almost shit myself when I found out the power supply did not come with the PLUS. I may have sent a grumpy email over the matter. High Point Scientific recommended the ST-4 connections. Right now, I am waiting for clear skies. Thanks again.

[@Oxizee]

I am using StellarMate. Is using a similear system.

[@indymustang1969]

So with my EQ6 do I even need to look through the PA scope other than to initially put Polaris close? And I don’t need to “calibrate” the reticle to make sure the polar clock is correct?

[@refetastro]

Excellent tutorial I have eq6 R in USA had no problems but I have eq6 pro ( older one ) in Europe and my asiair doesn’t communicate with eq6 through eq-dir cables with usb asaprer Any idea

[@davids2000]

Hi. Isnt the mount supposed to rotate east?

[@gigatron2000]

I just got my asiair mini; just waiting for the storms to go away. Anyway, on my GTi mount, I can polar align in about a minute, using the MSM laser and right angle viewer, through the built-in polar scope. As long as I can see Polaris, is there any benefit to using the asiair to polar align? This seems like a long process.

[@Microtonal_Cats]

Thank you!

[@TheSplashingPirate]

This is great when you are able to get polar alignment and plating right off. What do you do when you can’t get a plate solving achieved!? That would be more helpful for the real beginner. (Yes, me)

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Ah, good question! First thing I would do would be to look at the star counts and make sure it's actually picking up stars. Increasing exposure time or gain or binning could help if there aren't enough. Doing the opposite could help if it's picking up too many. Also check focus. I try to get good focus before PA. Otherwise is it just failing to solve or taking a long long time? Definitely check your focal length setting as well. Even if you know your scope's focal length, put in 0 as the focal length and let the ASIAir calculate it during plate-solving. Otherwise if you are off even by 1-2mm it will be failing to solve because the FOV it is calculating for is wrong.

[@DrunkferretKG]

How does Asiair PA compare to ipolar?

[@crm114.]

On the basis of this procedure, iPolar is much faster and easier. I can get polar alligned in

[@DrunkferretKG]

@Cliff S same here, I like it better after trying AA+ PA.

[@davidletz9123]

Anyone watching this video have this "issue?" on their ASI Air? My polar align interface never shows the RA "target" when I polar align. Granted, it is not 100% necessary to have this showing, but I just think it is odd that my ASI Air Mini won't display it.

[@frankm81m82]

I would think when you pressed finished it would be smart enough to home itself.

[@kevinhanley3023]

I find my polar scope to be faster. Interestingly, ASIair polar alignment isn’t easier or faster, and it disagrees with my polar scope alignment. I have checked the polar scope accuracy. It’s good. All that said. I see no major difference in performance either way ( I am guiding).

[@randallpatrickc]

What is your “polar scope” ?

[@AstronomyGuru84]

I got to be honest. It seems like it'd take less time to just look through a polar scope and align.

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Once you get the hang of it, the process is quite quick, but you're right depending on the accuracy needed a polar scope would work

[@wanderingquestions7501]

Easy doesn’t mean good. If you test it one will find AAP commonly cant reproduce its results. Also despite what the cute fireworks display shows if one examines the Phd log file with the Phd Log Viewer one commonly finds even when one is led to think the PA is within 20” for example the Phd log will show AAP is actually off commonly on the order of 2 arcMINUTES! I no longer depend on AAP which I’ve been using about 4 years fo PA. I go back to PoleMaster which is also sloppy but has reproducible results. The problem is AAP is plate-solving, PoleMaster has a fixed template. For the best PA one should use Phd2’s drift alignment feature. PhD2 is free and runs on Windows. I run a 10’ truss RC on a G11 Losmandy mount.

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Interesting point on reproducibility, though I would argue that at 400mm FL the accuracy is more than acceptable and good guiding makes up for any inconsistency. Assuming your RC is around 2000mm, yes you would definitely need something very accurate and reproducible. But I will definitely look into the Log Viewer, worth checking out!

[@wanderingquestions7501]

@@WindyCityAstrophotography I find the same problem even w/ my 420mm WO. But yes, AAP and PoleMaster etc are very ‘convenient’ and practical

[@ddiver7908]

Sir, has anyone told you you have a striking resemblance to Ryan Reynolds? Also, my girlfriend thinks ur cute 😔

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

LOL, I don't think I've gotten Ryan Reynolds before, but thanks 😂

[@randallpatrickc]

Argh… Muzak why?

[@astronut3496]

Never good to see an instructional video from someone who barely understands it himself. You did t even check the auto refresh button. If you post these videos for people to follow your learning process, fair enough. But don’t post them as howto’s

[@WindyCityAstrophotography]

Hmm thanks for the feedback (?). Would you consider the auto refresh button essential? And would it be clarifying or confusing for a total beginner watching this to see the alignment values updating constantly before full alt/az adjustments had been made?

[@robi4514]

It was an informative video and demonstrated the process well indeed, thank you - the omission of the auto refresh was trivial.