Trouble setting up guiding in ASIAIR Plus - Forums

Topic starter

Aug 8, 2023 · Edited: Aug 9, 2023

*** found the problem. Differential flexure as my guide scope objective lens wasn't properly screwed in tight***

Anyone had any issues with setting up guiding in ASIAIR Plus?

Equipment:

ASIAIR Plus

AM5 mount

120mm guide camera + ZWO 30f4 guide scope

2600MC Pro

Redcat 51

ZWO EAF

I was battling with polar alignment (but got it to within 5 arc minutes eventually).

Stars were in focus so that wasn't a problem.

I don't have a screenshot unfortunately but the calibration steps were in weird directions.

I.e west and east calibration steps not opposite each other and same with north-south.

Started off with the preset 2000ms calibration steps and started tweaking that. Also tried ST4 cable too. Neither helped.

I'm not entirely convinced the AM5 mount was actually tracking properly and when it started guiding the stars just kept drifting.

Any advice would be much appreciated 🧐

NeilM

Aug 8, 2023

Robert, I think we need more information to help you.

You should have no trouble guiding with the ASI AIR Plus and the ZWO ASI120MM. I have the ASI120MM and it works perfectly.

A few questions:

1) Is the ASI AIR recognizing the AMS Mount and is it active in the Mount select screen? (i.e. the slider is to the right and it is green)
2). When you are in Preview is the tracking turned on? (Green dot as opposed to red dot under tracking
3) Do you have guide scope focal length set correctly?
4). When you go to the guiding screen how many stars does it find and what size does it say the average size is?
5). Have you calibrated the guiding? (a step that takes 5-10 minutes for me the first time)
6). when you go to the guide screen does it look like mine below? With stars selected and the tracking accuracy bar on the bottom?

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Maged

Aug 8, 2023 · Edited: Aug 8, 2023

I don't have a screenshot unfortunately but the calibration steps were in weird directions.

It appears that calibration was not properly done so guiding was not accurate..

In that case:

- re-set you calibration from the first icon on the right side of the guiding screen.
- ensure not to enable "Auto restore calibration" under the guide settings in the asiair.
- ensure to calibrate on stars near the meridian and celestial equator, in order to get accurate measurement points for your calibration. Then slew to your target and try the guiding.

Let us know how did it go!

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David Webster

Aug 8, 2023

I run PA at least twice. Then send it to the meridian / equator on the same side i'm imaging for calibration, be sure your Dec mode is in Auto for the Asi Air.
Be sure your previous settings aren't saving or clear your guide info, then calibrate.
I had drifting issues because my Dec mode was set to North. Switching it to Auto fixed that for me.

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Bronco Oostermeyer

Aug 8, 2023

I don’t have the answer but the Asiair guiding is based on PHD2, so you might find answers in that direction.

Burn the ST4 cable…

Joe Santacroce

Aug 8, 2023 · Edited: Aug 8, 2023

I’ve used this for 4 different rigs (all with Asiair).

I typically polar align until under .5 arc secs. I have never leveled a mount. I check balance each time (my rigs stay together and are on dollys so I don’t have to break them down), guide camera focus, I normally use 3s exposures. I also use guiding camera darks but haven’t noticed any improvement.

https://eastwindastro.blogspot.com/2021/02/how-to-adjust-asiair-guide-aggression.html?m=1

also, tracking should come on automatically set to sidereal .5x but I would check to make sure it is in when guiding.

IrishAstro4484

Topic starter

Aug 9, 2023

Robert, I think we need more information to help you.

You should have no trouble guiding with the ASI AIR Plus and the ZWO ASI120MM. I have the ASI120MM and it works perfectly.

A few questions:

1) Is the ASI AIR recognizing the AMS Mount and is it active in the Mount select screen? (i.e. the slider is to the right and it is green)
2). When you are in Preview is the tracking turned on? (Green dot as opposed to red dot under tracking
3) Do you have guide scope focal length set correctly?
4). When you go to the guiding screen how many stars does it find and what size does it say the average size is?
5). Have you calibrated the guiding? (a step that takes 5-10 minutes for me the first time)
6). when you go to the guide screen does it look like mine below? With stars selected and the tracking accuracy bar on the bottom?

*** Turns out it was differential flexure. It was my first time using a guide scope and the objective lens wasn't properly secured.

Repeated the guider calibration last night and it worked great

***

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Sean Mc

Aug 9, 2023

Don’t forget to tighten the locking thumb tabs on the am5 after polar alignment like I did. One night the am5 was struggling with pretty severe drift (and still managing 1” guiding 0.0 ). I found out after imaging that it was because I hadn’t locked the mount down after adjustment ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Maged

Aug 9, 2023

Don’t forget to tighten the locking thumb tabs on the am5 after polar alignment like I did. One night the am5 was struggling with pretty severe drift (and still managing 1” guiding 0.0 ). I found out after imaging that it was because I hadn’t locked the mount down after adjustment ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hello, Can you please share an image of the locking thumbs in the AM5 you refer to just in case? because I also sometimes have unexplained drift.
thx

Sean Mc

Aug 9, 2023

Sean Mc

Aug 9, 2023

As a side tip, snug them up a bit before doing final polar alignment adjustments, and then lock them down and take a polar alignment image before exiting polar alignment. I found that if I did my polar alignment adjustments and quit the polar alignment routine before locking things down, the process of locking down could shift polar alignment.

i feel that was clear as mud but hopefully you understand haha.

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