SA + ZWO ASIAIR - Forums

Topic starter

Sep 10, 2022

Hi everyone

Did anyone here tried the ASIAIR on a star adventurer and a DSLR? Is it worth it?
My concern are the extra weight and the fact that the SA (not GTI) can only be corrected along one axis.
I also wonder whether the ASIAIR really makes a difference during polar alignement.

Thanks for your answers
CS
Pablo

Abdul Thomas Jnr

Sep 10, 2022

The asiair makes a huge difference with polar alignment. Makes things so much easier for me but haven't used it on my Sky-Watcher star adventurer. Use it on the the Neq6 pro and Edge hd and Rasa 8 instead

JFrijhoff

Sep 10, 2022

Haven’t tried it, but have seen people that ‘velcroed’ it to their tripod, to avoid the extra weight.

Caddis68

Sep 10, 2022

I have an ASIAIR pro on my star adventurer pro travel rig. I think it is great for the PA, tracking in RA only for longer exposures and the plan and automation for exposures. Mine is on top of my 72ED APO

Tony Garrity

Sep 10, 2022

I have used the ASIair with the Star Adventurer, and still do when I travel or go in the field. I started with a DSLR (Canon EOS D60) and progressed to using it with a cooled CMOS camera (ASI294mc pro). I tried various ways of mounting the ASIair, depending on what camera or lens that was being used. I would also use it to help as a counterweight for the imbalance in the DSLR's weight on either side or mounted on the dovetail to help counterbalance the whole rig.

As far as Polar Alignment is concerned it is very helpful indeed. I still use it as my preferred method, having tried all the other options out there.

What I would say, is that the native Star Adventurer Wedge is the biggest obstacle in getting and keeping good polar alignment. A combination of the William Optics Wedge and the ASIair, made PA a simple and quick procedure for me and gives alignment good enough for acceptable guiding using both a Samyang/Rokinon 135mm f2 or a WO Redcat 51 at exposures up to 180 seconds in my experience.

Helpful Respectful Engaging

pabloa

Topic starter

Sep 13, 2022

Thank you all for these useful feedbacks.

Let's go writing to Santa, now

Tom Gray

Nov 20, 2023

Slightly off topic, but I use an RPi4 with Stellarmate OS - very similar to ASIair but open source (Indi). I mount it on my tripod. Otherwise, as others say very easy, light and gives good results. I’ve achieved up to 600s guided exposures with 80mm refractor mounted on SA 2i pro.