What sequence to follow for setting up ?

ZWO ASIAIR Plus ZWO EAF Acquisition Beginner Deep Sky
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Eric Gagne avatar
Eric Gagne avatar
Hello,

I invested in some equipment to improve my astrophotography and I might have taken a byte bigger than I can chew.  I got a Goto mount, an ASIAIR plus, ZWO EAF, ZWO Guide camera and scope and now that I’m looking at it I am not sure what would be the best sequence to follow.

I think I have to do all the following but not sure if I got it in the right order.   How do experienced astrophotographers do it ?


Rough focusing of guide scope and camera
Polar alignement
Start tracking (if it doesn’t start automatically)
Slew to a bright star
Focus guide scope
Focus camera with EAF
Slew to home position then to target
Start EAF (is this actually a step or does it start automatically when powered)
Start guiding (same question as above)
Configure autorun, start it and let it do its magic all night.


I don’t know if it matters but I am shooting with a DSLR and a Samyang 135mm.  Sorry for asking such a basic question, I should have taken the time to learn a bit but shopping for AP equipment is so fun I got a little carried away,
Engaging
Quinn Groessl avatar
Quinn Groessl avatar
That’s more or less the order I do things. My rig never comes apart really, so I can skip the rough focus. I use the ASIAIR as well. 

polar align, go to home, slew to target (it should start tracking on its own here), then calibrate and start guiding, EAF on the filter I plan on starting with, then set up my auto run or plan, push go. 

I don’t think I’m forgetting anything.
Helpful
deleted avatar
deleted avatar
Bonjour du Nouveau Brunswick.

Pour répondre à ta question, voici ma séquence, à noter que j'ai un observatoire permanent, donc ma séquence sera un peu différente de la tienne:
  • Installation du télescope et de la caméra.
  • Balancement ou équibrage de la monture en m'assurant que le poids est bien réparti sur les deux côtés, ainsi que vers le haut et bas, donc en AZ et en DEC.
  • Allumer la caméra et partir le refroidissement.
  • Faire les "flats" et mes "Dark-for-flats" pendant que je fais autre chose.
  • Mettre la monture au point de départ (position zéro).
  • Faire la connexion avec la monture.
  • Choisir une étoile brillante dans la région ou je planifie de faire mes images, y envoyer ma monture - je me sers de NINA, je 'ai donc pas besoin de faire l'alignement de la monture. NINA le fait par "plate solving".
  • Une fois centré sur l'étoile, faire la mise au point du télescope, soit manuellement avec un Bahtinov, ou automatiquement avec un focuseur électronique.
  • Une fois ma mise au point faite, Je fais la mise au point de mon télescope de guidage.
  • Laisser mon autoguideur faire sa calibration.
  • Partir Stellarium, sélectionner mon objet et transférer les coordonnées à NINA.

Je suis prêt pour ma session. Ma séquence est déja pré-programmée dans NINA, je n'ai qu'a la partir.
A noter que je n'ai pas besoin de faire mon alignment polaire à toutes les fois, vu que je suis sur un pillier. Je ne le fais q'une fois aux six mois.

Au plaisir.
Helpful
Sean Mc avatar
Sean Mc avatar
I’ll add a few things that make each time easier. 

i put patio bricks in my lawn under the tripod legs after i found out where i wanted the scope and found polar alignment. I then drilled a small divit for where each tripod leg spike goes. Makes the job of setup way way easier.  

make sure your tripod is level, or guiding will go to crap.  The patio bricks help with that.  I don’t change the length of the tripod legs when i take it in the house so everything stays level for the next time. 

you probably won’t need to change your guide scope focus after the first time. 

eaf and guiding start automatically if you “plan” your imaging session.
Helpful
Baronvonsmoogle avatar
Baronvonsmoogle avatar
It is pretty much the way you do it except I don't take apart my guidescope/camera so they very rarely need to be refocused.
Baronvonsmoogle avatar
Baronvonsmoogle avatar
It is pretty much the way you do it except I don't take apart my guidescope/camera so they very rarely need to be refocused.
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