How To Find Any Target With A Star Tracker And ASIAIR

I quickly find the Elephant's Trunk Nebula for the first time using an ASIAIR and my star tracker. This is also a small ASIAIR tutorial.
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[@SuperRazor84]

What I love most about your channel is your ability to explain complex astro concepts in a very simple manner..your deliberate and occasional use of humor also makes learning fun! Wish you all the best. You got a fan in India who looks forward to your phenomenal work!! Thank you!!

[@markmurphy8850]

Another great video Walt. You have a very clear and concise way of explaining astrophotography and I thank you for it. Love your humor and your videos. I appreciate your help in navigating the rough seas of astrophotography. Here's to clear nights!

[@ianmacdonald2307]

As many other have commented. This is by far the best explanation of how to use the Asiair. I have been contemplating buying a new mount as an upgrade to my SWSA. But for half the price I can buy the Asiair and a guide camera. I just need the right time to tell the wife that I need to spend some more money😂 Thank you so much for sharing what you do with this hobby. I’m an avid viewer and love your channel

[@Wub892]

Hey hon you bought that $400 purse and $200 dress with my card by accident. I'ma just go out and buy a zwo asi 533 for about the same money and we'll forget any of it happened 😜😭😎😁

[@tristb9196]

Your videos are so incredibly helpful to those getting into the hobby. What you do is something I appreciate, with the very clear, simple explanations that make things easy to follow along. Finally decided to pull the trigger on getting an ASIAIR myself. Thanks for all you do! If you ever decide to put yourself on patreon or anything like that, I'd happily chip in for all the things I've been able to learn from watching your videos.

[@user-lt9py2pu6u]

I bought the ASIAir mini for use with my DSLR set ups and it works really well, the polar alignment function on this unit is handy to have too.

[@danno1374]

That’s cool, Walt! I have never used my ASIAIR with my Skyguider. Looking forward to trying this if we ever get a break in these clouds. Should be clear after this cold front coming through, but it will definitely be COLD!

[@akoutsouradis]

Great job and I always appreciate the humor you put in your videos! Clear skies!

[@user-kc6st7vj9s]

Great comprehensible presentation🙂

[@moemode]

Great video. 👍 I appreciate your approach to explaining information. No detailed technical jargon. I think this asi is a must have . Thanks again .👍

[@gregerianne3880]

Thanks so much, Walt. I've been searching for two weeks trying to find a video on using the ASIAir for plate solving with a star tracker, and here you are! I had a couple of very disappointing whiffs on my targets recently when using filters and I think the ASIAir plate solving will help tremendously. As for the ASIAir Plus (and the guidescope/camera), I've had the setup for a few weeks and I'll second your claim about how great it is. I absolutely love it, and (on the 2-3 rare nights there was a break in the clouds) I've been able to track with a SkyGuider Pro as long as five minutes without star trails. It's an amazing setup, really, and I'd recommend the ASIAir (and guidescope/camera) wholeheartedly. Thank you again for your great, very informative, and 'down-to-earth' videos (complete with alien cameos!) that are so useful for beginners like me. Keep up the great work!

[@deltaastrophotography]

I made the video I wish someone would have done six months ago! So many nights wasted trying to find targets. The ASIAir truly is the best accessory for beginners like us! If you have an Instagram, find me. I would love to see your photos!

[@gregerianne3880]

@@deltaastrophotography Well, I'm afraid I don't have much of a portfolio yet. I started in October and the weather has been the pits! I posted my few photos on Instagram. To be honest, I forgot I had an Instagram account!. :-)

[@chrisbarnes5994]

Thanks Walt! I love your videos, keep them coming!

[@michaelhudson572]

Another great and informative video. Thanks, Walt!

[@h.b.4443]

Excellent tutorial with clear explanations. Just what I was looking for. Thank you.

[@SteveZodiac777]

Nice work Walt! You have a good looking rig there and, more importantly, it's delivering great results!

[@Toebaksworld]

Thank you for this video, it explained what i needed to know!!! now i will be able to start using my ASIAIR plus in the correct way with my skywatcher mount! Great job!

[@robertsipes7391]

Thanks so much...you make me feel like I can do it. I always understand so much when I have watched you channel. Clear skies!

[@danielboughton6060]

Hi Walt. Great tutorial! You make it so clear with wonderful results. This was highly appreciated and saves so much time searching and finding the object of interest.

[@jonbartol7686]

Just found your post and used it to find the Elephant Trunk Nebula. Awesome. Found it in much less time and much less of a struggle. Thank you.

[@americanmaker8608]

This was my first time watching your videos. Was very happy with it. Lots of knowledge for a beginner such as myself. Thank you. Definitely going to check out more.

[@TheMalbroughs]

Thumbs up for explaining RA and Dec! Seriously, love your work. Started Photoshop processing of narrowband using StarXterminator using another one of your videos. Good stuff!

[@franciscarney6150]

Very informative and fantastic results, thanks so much for taking the time to share this with us.

[@adityathakur2653]

Awesome video! A big thankyou! This is now my go to method for searching and framing targets.

[@nhphoto]

Great video as always Walt ! Happy New Year.

[@prez226]

Great video! Just started this journey 2 months ago! Have only used the plus twice, due to clouds, but tomorrow I will be giving it a go, with using your info! Thank you!

[@stilianoskalatzis7491]

Fantastic video to say the least. I've been using a scale on my star adventurer Dec bracket and the RA / HA method which gets me pretty close most times. Now I have an other use for my ASIAIR Pro. Keep up the amazing work and clear skies.

[@TooooManyHobbies]

Can’t believe I only found this video now! I love this and it will reinvigorate my stargazing! I have an almost identical rig but had trouble finding my targets unless they were stupid easy. I’d resigned myself to waiting till I can get a nice new mount but I’m going out as soon as I get clear skies to check this out!

[@bruceking2327]

Really enjoyed Video. I’m new in the field. Equipment on hand now is a Canon T7 with a 75-300mm lens. Waiting for an Askar FM135 and Askar 65phq, along with a Skywatcher Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack. The last piece of equipment is the ASIAIR MINI. I starting this hobby fairly late in life I’m 70. And planning all you youngsters to help get me going. So I appreciate the quality of your video and will be following you. Thanks for sharing your knowledge to others

[@deltaastrophotography]

Good luck with everything! It's such a rewarding hobby!

[@psybiggs]

super useful video, I used the info last night to image the Elephant Trunk with SWSA and ASIAIR for the first time, plate solving is game changer, especially under light polluted skies like mine (Bortle 8), thanks.

[@sm0mxo]

Ordererd the Asiair + yesterday... your clip pushed me over the edge!

[@deltaastrophotography]

That's great! It'll make everything so much easier! And if you get a GO-TO mount it will become almost effortless

[@mazeedsumon]

You make things so easy to understand..thank you.

[@jeffteasdale8276]

Best video of this process I have seen!.....Brilliant ,& thank you

[@billwright9518]

Loved that video, I can see that my bank account is going to take a battering, been cloudy here in England for weeks, and no sign of it getting better yet, keep up the good work Walt 👏👏👏

[@dazastronomy]

Great video! This is the best demonstration/explanation of plate solving on the ASIAIR with a star tracker on KZbin. Super helpful. Great final image of the Elephant Trunk, too. Thanks for sharing!

[@deltaastrophotography]

When I noticed the RA and DEC coordinates in Stellarium, a light went on somewhere and I had to give it a try. This was the best discovery I have made for myself in astrophotography. Now suddenly my imagining sessions are really relaxed and stress-free. I just hope this helps other get to that level of peace with this hobby.

[@dazastronomy]

@@deltaastrophotography it definitely will help others.

[@davidbeecher9143]

Great video. Thank you for this. Just what I needed to know before I pick up an ASI air (looking at the mini) as I am shooting with a SWSA tracker.

[@BadYossa]

That was a very useful vid. I'm pretty new to this and vids like these really help gain the knowledge and understanding required to tackle this fiendishly complex hobby! Clear skies dude!

[@seanbydawn8243]

Thank you Walt... really. This was like Xmas. Goodbye laser, hello ASIAIR.

[@deltaastrophotography]

I tried to include a bit about using a laser, but the camera didn't pick up the beam so I scraped it!

[@mikebennett2015]

Just what I was looking for. Thinking of getting an Asiair but wanted to make sure it would plate solve on a star tracker. Annotate is something I was not expecting. Even better.

[@jameshermann1143]

Thanks so much for this tutorial. I’ve been looking for ways to frame up these nebula just by looking at stars in the area. Didn’t know about plate solving with my DSLR. Also, didn’t know I could auto stretch like that to see the nebula in the test shot. I can’t wait to get out again and try this stuff. Stay weird my friend!

[@AstroQuest1]

Brilliant video Walt. Plate-Solving with the ASIAIR and SkyGuider Pro is exactly what I was looking for. I have had the SkyGuider for a long time but used it occasionally but recently built a widefield setup around it. Cheers Kurt

[@michaeldobie558]

Hi Walt, I've just discovered your channel, and this video in particular is very useful. I live under the light polluted skies of Jakarta at 6 deg S, which provides a mixture of opportunities and challenges. So far I have only done planetary, but based on your ideas, I now plan to set up a lightweight aircraft transportable deep sky rig based around the iOptron SkyGuider Pro and using a DSLR. Your ASIAIR demo was very good, so this will be part of the setup. Thanks very much....

[@iteachtime]

Thanks! Just what I was looking for!

[@bojanmajic]

I love how you deliver your knowledge and passion through your humorous way... 0:25 and 1:48 are pure gold! "toy story music plays" You've got a fan in me....

[@xMMO92x]

Hey Walt! great video as always, keep it up!

[@Adam3-]

Very well . I’m started yesterday with my setup Asiair and SAbut every time Probleme! Thank you 😊

[@MazzifLOL]

Hey Walt, thanks for the vid, and Happy New Year!!! ~Clear Skies~

[@jwastroimaging2711]

Thank you. That's a great tutorial.

[@mozzamhosein6476]

Just discovered your videos. I will tell you, your videos and tutorials are some of the best I have seen. You have made the process user friendly. Kudos to you. I look forward to all your future videos. Maybe you might add some info on using the Move Shoot Move tracker. Thank you.

[@TelfordO]

Magic, now I want a Asiair.. great presentation !

[@TelfordO]

And now i have an ASIAIR Plus. The best thing for astrophotography.

[@RadAlzyoud]

Impressive result. Great video. Thanks. Subscribed.

[@dw.in.michigan]

Thank you for the step-by-step on using ASIAIR, especially on knowing the difference between RA and Declination. The lights suddenly went on for me as to why it's called a declination bracket. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling when knowledge replaces the lack thereof in my brain. I'm actually leaning toward Astroberry myself. Since I'm a noob, I have no preference, but I'm also a cheapskate and a DYIer, so I like the challenge. I'm still waiting for my Raspberry Pi 4 to ship - two-month wait...chip shortage. Sigh! As with several of your other videos, I've saved this for future reference. Thanks again!

[@deltaastrophotography]

Dude I know what you mean about the lights going on! Such an exciting feeling! That's why I made this video. When things suddenly made sense with plate solving and finding targets, I had to tell the world! No more desperately wanting a goto mount because I couldn't find what I was looking for!

[@rx7dude2006]

I just ordered the ASIAIR Plus.I have the redcat 51 and a Canon T7 along with the ZWO ASI120MM-s and the Williams Optics guide scope.It's on the Star adventurer tracker.I can't wait to be able to find those elusive targets out there and track them more precisely!

[@jeffkimble8857]

Thanks for the good tutorial!

[@BungalowBill58]

Thanks for a great tutorial as I was wondering how to do the setup and was thinking I had bought the wrong mount. I have just bought a second hand skyguider pro and ZWO ASI295mc pro and bought the redcat 51 and asi airplus, autoguider etc. I am yet to set it up as I received the Redcat the morning after the Blood Moon and cloudy skies and rain ever since. I is going to be a big learning curve for me but something to look forward to in retirement. Apart from the Sun , Moon , Mars ,Orion's Belt and that Alpha Centauri is what the Robinsons got lost going to. All jokes aside keep up the good work.

[@aniket789]

Thanks a lot. Very simple and very useful information. I have subscribed.

[@samirtorqui2723]

Vert cool, thank you for this sharing, excellent video.

[@willdobson79]

Great tutorial thanks

[@mupangamwanakatwe1300]

Great video! So out with the pesky laser pointer and endless fiddling around to find a target 😤 And in with the ASIAir Pro!! I already use it on my EQ6-R Pro with a RedCat 51, now need a second one for the portable iOptron Skytracker. 😊 Thanks and keep rollin’ em ….

[@markybarretts]

Great vid and tutorial.

[@dazedsmurf7578]

Dude this is awesome thanks for the info

[@alineradventureswithsimons79]

Thank you so much! I wish I had watched before trying to go out and image tonight. I didn't have a dark enough sky where I was camping. I thought there had to be a way to do this without a go to mount since I'm polar aligning with plate solving. I will let you know how my next session goes!

[@rmf11699]

nicely done!

[@juanm.capurro6309]

Excelente explicacion, gracias!!!

[@Adrenalinejunkey]

beautiful image and thanks

[@kevinashley478]

1:59 LOL .. I actually knew what most what you said is, just from watching your videos.

[@user-sx2gj9tp3b]

Excellent video!!! Super helpful. Keep em coming. New sub here.

[@cevoner]

Nice straightforward video on finding objects. The best simple explanation using the ASIAir and Sky guider Pro so far. I've had trouble fine tuning the search at the end. So you use the Skyguider Pro's controls? Seems like you have to have small moves at the end or you can overshoot your object. I also have a goto mount that even makes small moves to center it. SGP is great for travel however so I pack that for dark locations. Keep up your small direct explanations of certain maneuvers like Polar alignment. AsiAir has a new South polar alignment mode that really helps when you cannot see polaris. It works. Tried it out last night. It is experimental.

[@jimmazurek5589]

Excellent!!

[@albertogmail8017]

Muy muy buena información, gracias!

[@bralampt]

@Delta Astrophotography So helpful, thank you so much Walt! You do such a great job helping the new comers like me that love this hobbie! Cheers man, have a great new year!! What's the telescope you're using??

[@abulmeed4492]

Thank you 🙏🏼✨🌌🖤

[@andreguttesen8982]

It is simply easy to understand in a nice and entertaining way. : o) Have an AsiAir on the way in the mail, have a guidescope. Then have a green laser to mount in the flash shoe to get a more or less good bearing on the subject. Only clear skies are missing in the equation.

[@wazigeralph]

Nice capture

[@matthewcox5485]

Loving your vids mate, really want a spiderman Box haha

[@jimgunn4498]

Amazing video man. I have about given up on DSLR astrophotography. I do own an ASI AIR and a decent amateur telescope, and I love it, but would love to be able to take picture with my full frame Canon 6D. But as you said, it takes me hours, if at all, to find a target. At 44 years of age, I just want to point and click and see pretty pictures. I love your videos though. Keep up the good work. I always learn something new, though it may give me hives to actually think about putting it in to practice. :)

[@Ambress]

Jim, patience is not my best virtue, so I fully appreciate your frustration finding a target and that was even with my having an ASIAir Pro within about the first 2 weeks of getting into astrophotography as a new hobby. The plate solving and annotation feature of the AAP is HUGE in aiding you, and it makes the hobby so much more enjoyable I feel...After upgrading to a goto mount I was going to use my star tracker as a secondary imaging platform yet with a PC driving it along with various software for the task. That quickly began to spoil my appetite and I've just bought an ASIAir Plus, ending that frustration. :) Regardless, I will say it took a while for me to overcome making the needed RA corrections, as it seemed so often I was going opposite the direction needed and it just didn't seem intuitive in the way expected, but I quit fighting that and, somewhat as Walt mentions in his video, once one error showed me which direction was the "wrong way", I just went the other and got where I needed to be, now knowing which was was forward vs. backward in RA. I think what was going on was a question of allowing for whether I was shooting a northern sky or southern sky target. I also added a DEC scale to the platform of my Star Adventurer Pro, and that helped make the process more friendly as well. Clear skies!

[@tomwolf9420]

You cracked me when you shouted all that astro chinese at your audience 😂 This seems way better than gluing some printed scales on your tracker (like, for example Kamil Pekala did)

[@astrodad-simonb277]

As always Walt, funny ( really does make me laugh) informative and leaves me wanting to get going. I have the ASIAOR plus (15 days and counting due to rubbish weather) but I have a Canon 700D, EQ^ R Pro and cant wait to try this out as I am scared to learn it, screw up in th hope I can have a an easier workflow! Looking at, 1.Focus, 2. PA. 3. Plate solve then find the target to capture, am I missing anything ? :-)

[@Photographersforyou]

Thanks for the video very interesting. I have a larger camera set up with my telephoto lens but it keeps hitting the Sky Guide pro as it’s a chunky thing. Is it possible that you can tell me what equipment you’re using with regards to the long red plates and the holder for it and how to put the guide scope on top of my telephoto lens. I am looking to shift the camera more away from the guider as it touches the top of the sky guider (nikon Z9) and also I have the guide scope on a hotshoe on camera so by moving it like you have it I can then move my camera back incase of balance issues. Much appreciated.

[@davideb.7533]

really woooowww i like sooo mutch

[@spencerstevens4191]

Much appreciate your plain speak for us nubies. Maybe some explanation on what “darks” and “flats” are in the future. Thx.

[@deltaastrophotography]

Sounds like a good video idea to me!

[@jwdeepsky]

That is magnificent

[@mikedavis5099]

Okay, you are a little quirky (like myself) but that is a GREAT image and good video. I am getting back into this after several years of not doing anything so relearning lots. Thanks.

[@mntaskew]

Cool review and tutorial. One question.... How did you stretch the image?

[@TheMetamorphosis108]

Being able to plate solve on SKyGuider Pro using ASIAIR and Stellarium is incredibly helpful. Thank you for demonstrating this feature! Btw, after you found the target IC1396 (9:35), how did you move it from the top to the center of the screen (9:48)?

[@alexandrarosa264]

Same question🤷‍♀️

[@ShinigamiPhotography]

I have exactly the same question as you've plate solved at this point. So doesn't centreing affect the tracking coordinates?

[@fotobaerchi]

Thank you. For the video. Is it possible to use the ASIAir for polar alignment with this setting?

[@vinchenzo_88]

Awesome and informative video! I had one question. Did you need to run the polar alignment sequence in order to have the ASIAIR have correct plate solving or can we do the PA with the scope and still have plate solving correct?

[@astro_aakr]

Same question!

[@alexandrarosa264]

Discovered tool use thanks to this video! Thank you stupid question from a newbie. At what point do you turn your tracker on?

[@unclewillywow]

connect the mount direct to the asiair. its much better connection and better tracking. you then wont need to attach the guide camera to the scope. Use the EQMOD cable :)

[@sarahjanereilly9335]

Hi - thanks for your video. I need some encouragement as am struggling with my setup. I have Canon R5, Star Adventurer Pro and newly arrived ASIAir Plus, Zwo mini guidescope and ASI mini camera. I would like to see your exact cabling if possible and any advice on focussing the guidescope - this is proving to be a big challenge. There seems to be a lot of lag between changes to focus and the visual appearing on my phone! Without this I cannot begin to guide. I have seen other videos where the camera is not connected to the ASIair and I am now confused. If you have any other related videos, can you point me at them for basic setup?

[@rcuevasvidea]

A cool video. I am a begginer in AP and I am wondering if with initiation gear: StarAdventurer star tracker, ASI120MC-S, RebelT3i, SVBONY 120mm guidescope and Evostar72ed worthwhile to add the Asiair plus. I do not have expierence with autoguiding, but I want to increase my shoot times. Greetings

[@seanbydawn8243]

By the way, this video made me subscribe to your channel!

[@ShinigamiPhotography]

Hello Walt!!! I am learning a lot from your videos. Thanks for the IG replies BTW! I had to go back to basics being new to astrophotography and looked up "Celestial Coordinates for beginners" and it all clicked!!. I have been thinking of latitude and longitude in relation to the Earth and NOT the sky..... Now I understand what Right Ascension and Declination wrt to THE SKY actually mean and how to find any target in the sky and centre the target. 😂

[@suwandicahyadi9213]

Thank you for the detailed and a demonstration of capturing a DSO. Buy may I ask if the mount that you use, does it have a GoTo functionality? Because I thought with a GoTo mount, we just input what object we want to point to, and it will point to the coordinate automatically, or am I wrong?

[@davidletz9123]

For the star tracker he was using in this video, there is no GoTo functionality. That is why he manually moved the scope in RA and DEC to get the it pointed at the target.

[@doubledark2]

great video; well explained!. Any tips on using the ASIair to do polar alignment? (I can't see the SCP due to trees)

[@deltaastrophotography]

The latest firmware update has a menu called experimental features. In that menu is something called All Sky Alignment. It can be used to PA when you can't see the CP. I haven't tried it yet, but I will soon and make a video.

[@doubledark2]

@@deltaastrophotography awesome; thank you!

[@frank5angels308]

Hi Walt, great simple to follow video. I have the plus but for all reasons mentioned before, i wasn’t able to locate my targets but i think that will change now. I see you have an EOS700d, is it modified and if so, where was it done. Thanks in advance.. Frank

[@deltaastrophotography]

Hi Frank! It is indeed modified. I got the Ha modification from www.lifepixel.com

[@midnightowl3945]

Awesome video dude, thanks Walt and you too sir no face 👽 sir.. ✌&🍔's

[@Wub892]

I used to use the st4 port with plenty of issues. Was told by many never to use the st4 port. Just USB to PC only for all items that apply

[@deltaastrophotography]

Yeah I use the USB port on my EQ6 mount. My star tracker doesn't have a USB option, but since I got the EQ6 I really only use the tracker for 24mm photography. No guiding necessary.

[@ChrisNiveda]

Tnx 4 the video. Question, the pictures you have taken are only with your mini cam or wirh your DSLR?

[@deltaastrophotography]

They are with the DSLR. The mini cam is only used to guide the star stracker. It's optional!

[@saurav050206]

Hello, This is a good video explaining the use of asiair with a star tracker. Currently I do astrophotography with nikon d750, Tamron 150-600 and a simple tripod (without a tracker). I am planning to buy an EQ mount (because I am planning to buy a redcat 71) with goto ability and asiairplus. But looking at your videos and the final image, I am left confused whether I shall buy a star tracker and continue with DSLR + telephoto lens?

[@deltaastrophotography]

Go with an EQ mount unless you are really into Milky Way nightscapes. A star tracker would be much better for that. Good luck and clear skies!

[@odinson364]

This may be a silly question, but I was wondering if you have to polar align your rig prior to guiding with the ASIair? Thanks for the awesome content.

[@deltaastrophotography]

Yes for sure! Polar aligning is probably the most important thing you can do!

[@timelapsescapes]

Great video, easy to understand. Can you tell me if this system will work with the nikon Z6 as I am just start my adventure into star photography. Also what is your preferance for a tracker???

[@deltaastrophotography]

Sadly I don't think it will work with that camera. I'm currently working on a way to do the same thing with a laptop though. I'll post a video when I get it all figured out. And I would go with the Skywatcher Star Adventurer. Maybe get an extra counterweight and a dovetail clamp to go with it.

[@timelapsescapes]

@@deltaastrophotography Thanks very much for getting back with the information on the Z6. I have the 20mm 1/8 lens for the Z 6 and will start taking a few photos very soon. I was leaning toward the Skywatcher Star Adventure Pro. Will keep an eye out for some deals ?? None available on amazon currently. Maybe new version coming out?? Cheers