187 replies to this topic

[Yuri N]

I personally never used ASIAIR but I am sure many other people did.

I used AZ-GTi with StellarMate which is similar to ASIAIR and has the same core (INDI).

They work great together.

I used AZ-GTi/Stellarmate combination for a couple of years and really enjoyed it.

Thank you, Max! Can't wait for my telescope to arrive.

[Goverman]

Thank you all for this topic! It really helped me.

[maxsid]

I looked through my historical sessions with AZ-GTi in standalone mode (no computer, just SynScan. Using a DSLR with lenses ranging from 50 to 180 mm.)

About 20 sessions total.

Most of them showed noticeable star trailing.

Some of them produced nice results nonetheless.

Only one of them was perfectly aligned with no trailing and perfect centering on the object.

 

Yesterday I drove to a dark site and gave it another try.

-- 2 star alignment

-- polar alignment

-- clear alignments

-- 2 star alignment again

after this I shot for about one hour.

-> the target was about 2.5 degrees off with noticeable trailing.

 

Did another

-- 2 star alignment

-- polar alignment

-- clear alignments

-- 2 star alignment again

shot for another hour.

-> the target was about 4 degrees off with horrible trailing.

 

Came back home.

Found and read SynScan manual - it actually recommends to do star alignment (2 stars, not 3!) - polar alignment - reset star alignment routine 3-4 times to be good.

Will give it a try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Yuri,

I complained about the same recently - https://www.cloudyni...unt/?p=11387330.

Not really complained - I was just a bit frustrated at the moment after fighting with the mount for a couple of hours.

I have quite a lot of experience with this mount but it often gives me problems when run without a computer but with SynScan.

 

I can see that you figured out the key points already:

-- mount/tripod need to be levelled

-- camera/lens need to be properly aligned with the mount axis. <-- this item is the main source of my problems.

 

If the above two items are good then the star alignment and polar alignment become easy and not bad.

 

On a good night I can shoot 60 sec exposures with a 180 mm lens without stars moving much. And the target pretty much in the center.

 

I usually align the mount with SynScan and then switch over to Sky Safari to find and aim to the target and start tracking.

Edited by maxsid, 10 October 2021 - 05:35 AM.

[ShropshireLad]

I looked through my historical sessions with AZ-GTi in standalone mode (no computer, just SynScan. Using a DSLR with lenses ranging from 50 to 180 mm.)

About 20 sessions total.

Most of them showed noticeable star trailing.

Some of them produced nice results nonetheless.

Only one of them was perfectly aligned with no trailing and perfect centering on the object.

 

Yesterday I drove to a dark site and gave it another try.

-- 2 star alignment

-- polar alignment

-- clear alignments

-- 2 star alignment again

after this I shot for about one hour.

-> the target was about 2.5 degrees off with noticeable trailing.

 

Did another

-- 2 star alignment

-- polar alignment

-- clear alignments

-- 2 star alignment again

shot for another hour.

-> the target was about 4 degrees off with horrible trailing.

 

Came back home.

Found and read SynScan manual - it actually recommends to do star alignment (2 stars, not 3!) - polar alignment - reset star alignment routine 3-4 times to be good.

Will give it a try.

I find that after doing the same kind of alignment as you, I'ts best to set the mount to find a few targets (and centre them), the more you find I think the better the alignment is, as this is how it builds its Sky Model I believe.

If after doing your set up you go straight to your target then that may be your undoing?

[boxerdog]

Hello everyone. Just received Skywatcher 72ED and a slightly used Az-gti, on a skywatcher wedge.

 

Using it with a mirror and a 25mm super-plossl, which should give aproximately the same FOV like my Olympus, which I can't connect yet due to lack of adapter.

 

I've read all the alignment process here and yet I am unsure of something - I'm pointing it at Polaris before powering it on, then turning on and beginning the 2 star alignment process. However, it does point in their general direction but neither of these stars are nowhere in the field of view, I have to move around quite a bit from the original position the telescope is pointing in order to get the star in the view and then in the center. Is this normal behaviour or am I missing something?

 

If it's normal, is there a way not to move around in all directions as basically I have close to no clue if the star is up, down, left or right (borttle 8/9, so very few things to guide me).

 

Thank you

[Mitchell M.]

Pretty sure using the two-star alignment you start with the scope level (doesn't have to be bubble level, eyeball is good enough) and lined up with NorthCelestrialPole (Polaris is less than 1 degree from NCP).

Edited by Mitchell M., 17 January 2022 - 09:01 AM.

[boxerdog]

Pretty sure using the two-star alignment you start with the scope level (doesn't have to be bubble level, eyeball is good enough) and lined up with NorthCelestrialPole (Polaris is less than 1 degree from NCP).

Thanks Mitchell.

 

The scope is in equatorial mode, so i set the wedge at 90-latitude, created a user object with -90 and 90 on Az/Alt just like instructed here on page 1 (which is basically the same as its starting position) and also put that on goto after i start the mount in order to be sure. Indeed, that 1 degree may be what's causing it, if no other ideas are on the table...?

[Mitchell M.]

Depending upon the firmware on your Az-Gti, you may have to select Eq or Az-Alt. I'm just brain-storming here. 

[boxerdog]

Yes, definitely, of course I'm selecting equatorial when the app starts. Point north, the beginning the 2 star alignment. And it's not far away, but it never manages to get the star being looked for in the field of view in order to just make adjustments, although I'm looking through a 25mm, so I need to start going in circles trying to locate, which is a bit weird and adds to the set up time. Anybody else experienced this? Should I be using a wider eyepiece (I don't own one at this moment)?

[Mitchell M.]

Probably want to add a finder scope of some sort like a red dot. Inital slew will get you in the area, red dot will get object in fov and then use eye piece to center.

[ShropshireLad]

I am having so much trouble with the azimuth clutch, I have done the sleeve mod and that worked for a while ,but now thinking of permanently locking it ... will that pose any problems

[RazvanUnderStars]

I'll give my AZ-GTi another try now, seeing reports that with SS7 the pointing errors are now fixed. If you want to refine the alignment (i.e. by centering another object), can you do it by tapping the Align button in SS or it has to be done from the SynScan app?

 

Thanks.

[Bigzmey]

I'll give my AZ-GTi another try now, seeing reports that with SS7 the pointing errors are now fixed. If you want to refine the alignment (i.e. by centering another object), can you do it by tapping the Align button in SS or it has to be done from the SynScan app?

 

Thanks.

Yes, I adjust alignment as necessary in SkySafari  by tapping the Align button.