I have a similar optical train - was SW80ED, now SharpStar 94EDPH - ASI533MC Pro, ASI174MM Guide Camera, ASIAIR (mini, now plus). I started briefly with SharpCap and laptop but found it overkill / overly complex for EAA and my "AP Lite" goals. I'm assuming that the ASIAIR can control your LX85 as I have no experience with that mount. I've used SW AZ-GTI, SW StarAdventurer GTi, SW Wave 150i and now ZWO AM5N with the ASIAIR. Here's what I have found. I am in Bortle 6 skies.
I take 120 seconds subs with default gain of 100, typically 1 hour's worth using LIVE mode, displaying on an Android tablet. Most DSO's resolve well for eyeball viewing the image in the ASIAIR UX in under 15 minutes. More than that is rarely necessary but since I dabble with post-processing I will let it run unless there is another target I want to jump to right away. I have ASIAIR save the subs to an external flash drive. If you want to save the final ASIAIR stacked image, you need to do that manually with the "save" button on the display.
I typically use a UV/IR filter with a SVBony 2" filter drawer that comes with an adapter for 1.25" filters. The 533MC Pro does not have a UV/IR filter integrated and reportedly "IR leakage messes with the color and micro-lens artifacts." I have several filters (too many). The most useful are the Optolong UV/IR, L-eNhance and SVBony SV220.
I sometimes take calibration frames which are useful in post processing, chiefly for removing the occasional dust mote, or vignetting that happens with the APEX ED-L. For real time EAA viewing calibration frames are unnecessary. For flats I picked up one of those inexpensive USB powered light panels artists use. Then a piece of translucent white plexiglas. That allows me to take all the calibration frames at the same time, rather than waiting for the right lighting for the t-shirt method for flats.
I've stepped up to guiding with the AM5N. It was unnecessary with the AZ-GTi and StarAdventurer GTI. I've read that others don't guide with the AM5's for EAA but that has not been my experience, at least if I want to post process. The ASIAIR makes guiding easy, and it works well most of the time with the default settings. A week ago, I lost guiding 30 minutes in on my two sessions. Last night, (3) 1 hour sessions with guiding of .75" or better. Go figure.
Last night I had good viewing on M81 and M82 with a hint of NGC 3077, probably my best so far. I could see a dust mote on the ASIAIR display. So I decided to take flats, darks, bias at the end of the session so I could post process the image.
- Kirk
Edited by kgrier, 23 January 2025 - 01:38 PM.