The Ultimate Mobile DEEP SPACE Kit for 2024

[@Tedterranova]

What a great little adventure you took us on. I love that you worked in the promotional items in a way that made sense to the overall theme. Great video and great images. Clear skies.

[@sambilbow]

Hey Nico, big fan and thanks for all your work! I have a tip for using your phone while out doing astro, if you're an iOS user, you can easily set up an accessibility shortcut (triple-click the power button) to tint your screen red! - Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Colour Filters ON - Intensity to full, Hue to full then turn OFF - Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut > Colour Filters CHECK Now you can triple-click side to toggle a red tint and save your eyes :)

[@brianastrodoc2886]

That ultra mobile setup is exactly what I would recommend for a newbie getting into the hobby! Excellent video! You have very good skies at your local!

[@NASA2officials]

Well, that was pretty exciting indeed! Congrats Nico (cause I have nothing else to say, and the editing was quite great for a video like this!)

[@NebulaPhotos]

Thanks!

[@NASA2officials]

@@NebulaPhotos Oh btw Nico, have you ever reviewed the Meade NG-70SM Altazimuth Mount - Refractor telescope before?

[@NebulaPhotos]

I have not, and now it might be hard to get soon with Meade going out of business. I actually have another Meade product and I’m wondering if I should still do a video with it. I probably will, but it’s always interesting to make videos with stuff people can no longer buy.

[@NASA2officials]

@@NebulaPhotos Wait... Meade is going out of Production??? Since when did they say that???

[@jamiboothe]

This was one of your sweetest videos. Thank you, Nico.

[@jamiboothe]

I just looked at the E bike link, and this bike seems like a well made vehicle for the money. Can you provide feedback on the bike in the future, as you use it a bit more?

[@NebulaPhotos]

I do plan to keep using it, but I'm not sure when I'd feature the bike again on the youtube channel. But feel free to email me with any questions you may have: [e-mail] This is the first eBike I've used, so I'm no expert, but I've been enjoying it. Cheers, Nico

[@ronanhunt88]

That looks like it could bring the fun back into astro!! Love it. Would love to just bring a little rig like that with me wherever I go.

[@astrobroijer]

I couldn't be happier when you brought up the importance of using the helmet! Very nicely detailed video again Nico. That kind of bike would be awesome to try some time.

[@sageastreaus7905]

You are truly an inspiration, Nico. Another great video and I can't wait to build my own gear in time.

[@GXS_lxo]

Zwo is really inovating sooo much and has such an influence on the hobby

[@Rainy78]

Wow! Fantastic data for 60 and 90 mins! Your edits turned out amazing Nico. Thanks for sharing! ❤

[@johnnybueti]

This is almost exactly my setup! Only difference is AM5/Askar V/2600MC Duo/ASIAIR, otherwise basically identical. It was so fun to watch. The portability of it is AMAZING. I've managed without a car in Toronto for almost two years now - they are both perfectly fine for travel even via public transport. Only caveat really is all-sky PA, I was never able to get that working (no North or South view from balcony, blocked by buildings), but it's a non-problem when imaging from a park/beach in DT. Highly recommended!

[@thomasbunner734]

Really so fun and informative watching and learning with you. Thanks to all the effort you put into your vlogs, many people have taken up this very exciting hobby, including me!

[@sjpp71]

Super cool video! That telescope looks like it gives really nice stars, tight and round to the edge. And the dark skies definitely help: fantastic results for a relatively short integration. time! Thanks!

[@jonathanbush1936]

Great video and this seems like a fantastic setup for someone wanting to take that next step from shooting astro with a DSLR. I have been dragging my feet for so long in getting into this hobby, yet I’m finding that the longer I wait the easier the whole process is becoming due to the rapidly advancing features of all the components.

[@OldGirlPhotography]

Really really cool, Nico. Ease of use and portability are what got me into this hobby two years ago and it's great to see what new advances are making it even easier to enjoy the hobby. Not sure I'll strap my rig to a bike though to take it into the countryside. But it is a neat idea. For sure it has been and will be with me for weekend outings with the car. Takes up no space at all.

[@CeresIsAwesome]

I actually bought an AM3, RedCat 61, and all the other good stuff specifically to try and make a mobile setup for hiking between a 2 person team. It works ... the battery is the heaviest component, a big Bluetti bank that lasts a full night plus a laptop and lights to go camping ... but the problem is the 2 person team, and even that isn't easy. This seems like a totally fun and viable solution. My biggest complaint with smarter astrophotography is that the imaging isn't nearly as "fun" as it used to be! I like for it to be fun, so ... camping sounds cool, and I wanted to be mobile. Maybe I'll have to do this - get a bike or a motorcycle.

[@damiengalanaud3817]

Got an identical rig with one minor difference: instead of one big battery I opted for 3 small ones. They are easier to carry and, more importantly are airplane compatible. The RedCat 61, camera, batteries, AsiAir, cables fit nicely in the personal item bag, and I put the AM3 in my carry on. I am still not confortable with bringing the tripod as a carry on, despite apparently this being OK with security, so this is the only part of the kit that gets checked in. I already traveled with this kit across the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Sweden and even West Africa and every time it was a lot of fun to use.

[@jessfritsche]

I have had my eyes on the 71F since it came out, so I’m pleased to see you work with it!

[@gautamdash]

GD from Patreon here... Great video! I am all for simple rigs. I have a SW SA GTi which I bought new, a refurbished WO Redcat71 with the helical focusser, a used Nikon Z5 which is astro-modified and a new ASIAir Mini. Good rig on a budget. With a guider and a USB dew heater, I can run everything from a 20K mAh PD65W battery pack. I am pushing the limits of the mount though. As for e-bikes, I have a RadPower bike without any frills, even without any gears, but it has pedal assist and a traditional twist throttle. Been biking longer than I have been doing astrophotography!

[@davidg5898]

This was a really fun one to watch, and the results were fantastic for such little setup/calibration! That setup is _really_ tempting. But no way I could justify it right now ... Why are my hobbies so expensive? 😅

[@Vysterion]

Very nice video and I really like that setup! I finally was able to save up enough to get my Skywatcher GTI ordered today, so I'm gonna be hopefully able to get out this winter and shoot Orion's Nebula and Andromeda with my mirrorless camera and Rokinon 135mm. I'm super excited!

[@NebulaPhotos]

Congrats!

[@mariospenard5125]

E-bike and Astrophotography… Are you talking to me? ❤

[@papasito984]

Loving the content Nico! Keep them coming!!

[@Stellar-Nucleosynthesis]

I use an ebike for my photography as well. It really is great for areas you can't travel to with a car

[@NebulaPhotos]

I really enjoyed it, I’d definitely do it again

[@thomasphennigan]

Amazing video Nico !

[@jesuschrist2284]

Hmmm $10k of gear in rear basket? Id put the helmet on that :)

[@NebulaPhotos]

Ha, more like $5k but point taken

[@jesuschrist2284]

@@NebulaPhotos lol

[@Chiclets1]

And an AR for protection 😂

[@vidman9691]

Wow! You answered a question I asked in Discord. This is the setup I want. Not sure if the Air is the way to go for me tho (still questioning myself). Ty Nico.

[@ballashoes]

Yes! You're reviewing the 71f! I already bought one though lol, curious to see what you think.

[@NebulaPhotos]

It’s quite impressive. Will be interested to compare it to other scopes in a different video

[@soft-eddy3921]

Love the 71f ( here another addict )

[@gautamdash]

I am in a Bortle 5-6 zone so the F7 gives me pause but that is the only ~500mm scope my mount will handle. And I love petzval scopes. Maybe next year ...

[@MrBertbox]

Fantastic video, I am at the very start of my journey in this hobby.. and this blows my mind what you can do with a decent budget but nothing astronomical (sorry) . However having seen your other videos looking forward to just trying as much as the British weather will allow with a basic setup (dlsr couple of budget lenses and a 3d printed barn door tracker) Keep up the great work!

[@hivetyrant7]

I have one of those trailers for kids on my e-bike, the one I have has a huge amount of room behind the seats and I use that to take my gear out at night (and sometimes my son!)

[@michaelw6173]

Great kit, glad you used the 71F as I have been considering it. The 4 pieces of this kit would cost Aussies just over $8K AUD or about $5.5K USD, kinda makes it expensive. The joys of living in a country with only 28 million people.

[@kevinashley478]

I have the Apertura 60mm f/6 with the field flattener and the 0.8x reducer/flattener. That, combined with my star adventurer 2i and my canon T3i with the Ha mod, has been amazing so far. Throw in my 50mm f/1.8 and my 135mm f/2.4, and I am covered for nearly anything i want to shoot, and nearly all of it fits in my bookbag. (Minus the scope and the tripod, but thats why I have 2 hands)

[@dr.jayburness6522]

Thanks for this! I have been contemplating just such a rig to carry on a motorcycle.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Eco Nico 🌟

[@NebulaPhotos]

💚

[@40Sec]

Weight is a primary consideration for me as I use a backpack and public transit when imaging, so I went for the lighter iOptron HEM15 (5.5lb) and Celestron Powertank Lithium Pro (4.5lb). Here's my current portable setup: iOptron HEM15 mount w/TC40 Tripod + iOptron 1lb pier extension Askar FMA 180 (F4.5) and Sharpstar 61 EDPH iii (F4.43 @ 270mm, F5.9 @ 360mm) Asiair Plus, Asi120mm mini guide camera, Asi533mc with Askar C1/C2 filters I also have Bahtinov masks, dew heater straps and other misc pieces, but overall, it's pretty amazing what's currently possible for those of us without backyards or vehicles! My sessions often run between 4-8 hours, and the Celestron battery has never fully run out, although I keep my camera at -5C and don't run my dew heaters for the first couple of hours unless there's a high chance of dew.

[@40Sec]

Niko, if you ever get the chance to review the HEM15 or the upcoming HAE16c (which has both EQ and alt-az), I'd love to see your results! My setup is definitely not demanding on guiding and my experience has been wonderful as the highest pixel scale I use is still only 2.15 arc seconds (my last session resulted in zero lost subs), but I'd be curious how these little hybrid SW/worm drive mounts might handle something like a C6 with reducer.

[@NebulaPhotos]

Thanks for the recommendation! Cool kit- I really like the Askar FMA180 - I use mine on the Skywatcher Star Adventurer GTi

[@40Sec]

@@NebulaPhotos - I really like the focal length. I'll be content for a while to come, but now that the Redcat 51 Minicat has been announced, that F3.5 at the same field of view is calling me...

[@jlecomte0719]

Astrophotography with a low carbon footprint 👍🏻

[@dennis3004psp]

i think i buy the asi air mini, this will make it so simple

[@falseusername]

Well, that seems to be as easy, as i go with ZWO Seestar S50, little more heavy(not a big deal), but so impressive with a quality. I'm now know which way to go with an upgrade.

[@NebulaPhotos]

Yes, I think this would be a very natural upgrade path from a Seestar. Something I didn't mention (got cut for time) was that the Askar 71F has a manual rotator so you can get more creative with framing the objects. This is one of the limitations with the Seestar where this kit would be a nice improvement. Cheers, Nico

[@randallcollura]

Nice, I miss NH

[@iSuzane]

I’m going to try to take my set up on a bike next time, since I don’t have a car. My only issue is that it gets really dark and cold now. Have to make sure cars or bikes don’t hit me when I am out. I have the SkyMax 127 and skywatcher ax-gti Wi-Fi mount. For observatory session of course. Hoping I can get the items I need for astrophotography soon.

[@charlieseymour3438]

Nice Job..

[@AstroIsland]

Great video as always Nico. I noticed you didn’t need to calibrate each time you slewed to another image. Did you skip that just for the video?

[@ManNoName-c9u]

Excellent video, really testing my cheapskate vs 'sod it go for it' temperament in upgrading my gear! By the way, what about calibration frames, are they necessary or do you have them already resourced?

[@NebulaPhotos]

Yes, I took the darks/bias on a different night. The flats I did with my iPhone on the field, but those clips hit the cutting room floor as I took a lot of footage for this video that didn't make it in. But I'm an advocate for doing calibration frames!

[@PilotPhteven]

yea, one of mine is pretty mobile now. AM3, Redcat (minicat on order), 2600MM, guider, asiair. I will eventually go for a 2600MC Duo or air to make it ever so slightly more mobile.. and going for 1 shot colour

[@santiagomadruga4298]

Ultimate Mobile Deep Space Kit: backpack+Seestar S50

[@eamonnfanton2165]

Love the kit, but for most amateurs that kit is totally unfordable at between €4000 and €4500 (maybe the links are cheaper in dollar-land). What would you suggest as alternatives to drop the cost to between €2000 and €2500 ? Maybe the better question would be if you were slowly building up to that kit and could afford to only buy one item at a time which order would you put them in?

[@NebulaPhotos]

For sure. Check out the kit I was using in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoGuqKKqjqx1bc0 Sky-watcher GTi, Askar FMA180 Pro, cheap guider, Modified DSLR, Svbony SV220 dual band filter, should come in right around your €2000-2500 budget, and can do very nice images with it. The dual band filter is a really nice thing to add as a lot of emission nebulae regions really pop with a wide field optic, but the modified camera and filter is really what makes that work. If you were building that up piece by piece starting with nothing, I'd go used DSLR, scope, and mount first, then get the DSLR modified, then get the guide scope and guide camera, then the filter.

[@eamonnfanton2165]

@@NebulaPhotos thanks must have missed that one, KZbin keeps disabling the bell notifications to channels I have subscribed to. 😒

[@alandyer910]

Great portable rig! The way of the future surely, to minimize components and integrate the gear, shy of a smart scope, for top quality results. Can the 2600 Air not connect to the AM3 via the mount’s WiFi or Bluetooth to make for one less cable and snag point? Clear skies!

[@NebulaPhotos]

Thanks Alan, I agree. It feels like the ease of a smart scope without some of the current limitations. I'm sure it's just a 'me' problem, but I couldn't get the mount's wireless connection with the Air to work reliably. It's quite possible I was doing something wrong, as I had previously been connecting the AM3 to my phone over bluetooth to use it wirelessly with the ASIMount app, so one theory I had was that it was trying to auto-connect to my phone, and that is why I was getting 'failure to connect' with the asiair inside the camera. In any case, I gave up on it, and decided just to connect the mount and camera with USB. But again, I think the tech works, and it's just my failure to troubleshoot/understand how it works.

[@fishinginthedesert3211]

The fatter the tires are on a bike the harder it is to pedal, thinner tires are a lot easier to pedal.

[@NebulaPhotos]

Ah, makes sense!

[@jonathanbush1936]

But thin tires on a dirt road are not ideal. As long as you have the electronic assist, go with the fat tires and always be prepared for whatever terrain you encounter (and pedal when you feel like it).

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

So, that microphone. Impressive specs, and sounds quite good. Is it user repairable? At least, if the battery wears out with age, as they all do, can it be replaced? Is it a standard format LiPo cell? If the manufacturer goes out of business or loses interest in supporting this particular model, as most of them tend to do, can it be operated without the app? Does it have an open control protocol that would allow the community to write a replacement app when this happens? Or is there any way to access the settings that does not rely on the manufacturer's continued support and goodwill?

[@NebulaPhotos]

I don't see any way to open up the transmitter to check what LiPo cell they use. That suggests to me that it would be hard to repair/replace the battery yourself, but maybe there is a way? All the transmitters/receivers do pair and work just fine without the app. Sorry that wasn't clear. The app just has some optional settings like mic sensitivity (low, medium, high) and the noise cancellation (weak, strong). I am not positive, but doubtful that it supports and open control protocol for changing the settings. The only setting you don't get on the 3.5mm TRS receiver (for use with a camera) is the noise cancellation, which honestly the wind muff is very good for outdoors so I likely won't typically bother with the app in the future. The 3.5mm TRS receiver does have a physical dial for mic sensitivity, and I had it on medium for the whole video.

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

@@NebulaPhotos Thanks for the info. Probably not user serviceable then. Which was to be expected; few things are these days. Everything is becoming disposable, and as a result, we're producing e-waste at an alarming rate. Not something I like to be a part of if I can avoid it. Having to rely on a smartphone app for certain functionality is also a red flag for me: new updates could turn said functionality into a subscription service. Plenty examples of that happening lately. Or the manufacturer might go out of business, and when the app eventually no longer complies with the newest Android or iOS requirements, stuff stops working. I mean, who wants to spend their hard earned money on the next Juicero, that Spotify car thing, those cloud connected baby monitors that suddenly required a subscription for features that were previously advertised as free, etc...?

[@allenbaylus3378]

Battery question - I have a Jackery 300 - and I ran this out at Camp in Northern Maine (for the first time). I ran for around 1 hour - and was down into the 70% region - which means probably I would have had 3 hours of usable battery. This was with my SkyWatcher EQ6-R Pro, ASI AIR, ASI MC2600 Duo and a small USB heater on the WO Z61. What would you expect time wise on your battery?

[@NebulaPhotos]

If we just look at the specs, the Jackery 300 is a 288 Watt hour battery and the Apertura All Night is a 512 Watt hour battery so a little less than double the capacity which would mean somewhere in the 7-8 hour range with your example. But I'm not sure if that is the whole story as I've run very similar to that kit and done over 10 hours on a single charge with the Apertura. But I think I have noticed that the EQ6-R is a little more power hungry than the AM3/AM5 so conservatively I'd estimate 7 hours.

[@andyrawlins]

Wow you must have dark skies to be able to get single subs like that :)

[@NebulaPhotos]

Yes, Bortle 3 up here in rural NH. I love it!

[@cdz9400]

Many things are not sitting well with that titlecard 😂

[@SyriusLee]

Sorry i propapbly missed it, but did you used any filter for the shots? thanks!

[@NebulaPhotos]

No filter

[@rascaldere9327]

does the heat or the cold outside cause you any issues with your equipment? I'd love to build an observatory at my house but in the summer we can hit 95 degrees.. how would that affect your equipment in the shed as it bakes?

[@NebulaPhotos]

It may shorten the life span, but if it only gets to 95F out I think you will be fine. In the places where it gets to 110 or 120 like Arizona, I’d probably suggest installing AC in the observatory. Here in NH I’m not worried about it. The gear is turned off during the day and by nighttime it’s all cool to the touch. I think having the double bubble insulation under the metal roof + ventilation helps a lot. And cold should be no problem. The only problems I’ve ever had were stiff frozen cables (easier to break if packing them) and batteries having shorter life span in the cold. But now with the observatory I run everything off AC power so the batteries aren’t an issue and I don’t have to pack cables so that is also not an issue.

[@aaronsmicrobes8992]

As someone who lives somewhere with similar heat and humidity (it's 93F and 60% humidity right now), I wouldn't leave things out too much. I tend to leave my mount set up when we have a stretch of clear nights but otherwise I bring everything back in. Plastics and electronics can degrade from sunlight, heat, and humidity, although a cover can help a lot with those problems. The various cables and power bricks are more likely to fail first, and the humidity would encourage mildew growth inside your optics.

[@NebulaPhotos]

@@aaronsmicrobes8992 I don't have climate control or A/C in the house either so in my case it really doesn't matter if I leave the gear in the observatory or bring it into the house, it will be the same in terms of humidity and temps.

[@aaronsmicrobes8992]

@@NebulaPhotos where I live AC is a requirement for life. Summers regularly get into the 100s and even occasionally 110s, and this will be on top of >70% humidity. Arkansas really doesn't have the best weather. If I lived somewhere that air conditioning was optional I'd probably think differently, but today it's 93F and a "feels like" of 103F, and I'm not leaving my scope and camera out in that.

[@NebulaPhotos]

@@aaronsmicrobes8992 For sure. Here in NH, we also have high humidity, but above 90F days are usually in the single digits. Today, it is a high of 67F up here. Many have asked why I don't move to the Southwest, and I just really can't handle the heat (I grew up in Minnesota).

[@jesuschrist2284]

Can the bike power your gear?

[@NebulaPhotos]

It is a big battery, but the only power out is a 3amp USB, so unfortunately no

[@jesuschrist2284]

@@NebulaPhotos damn, was hoping to see you pedal to make mount slew or cool the camera, lol. Ty for the video anyway :)

[@hangerbird]

So... no laptop is needed for this?

[@NebulaPhotos]

Nope, just a mobile device (iOS or Android) for controlling the 2600 Air

[@aaronsmicrobes8992]

AFAIK you can't even use a laptop with the ASIAirs. I've only ever controlled my similar setup with my phone, the only time I used a laptop was for the eclipse, and that only controlled the camera to get shots at the right times.

[@hangerbird]

@@NebulaPhotos Would an IPad work?

[@NebulaPhotos]

Yep, an iPad would be perfect