Adreneline

THe design is still evolving it would seem. The current model only works between 45 and 55 degrees North. He's going to release models for other latitudes once he has finalised the design and published it. Adrian

The link seems to imply it is EQ - "3d printable eq split ring style tracking and goto". It also idicates "huge gears that surround the camera. These result in massive gear ratios, which mean the cheap stepper motors that move the camera have to turn dozens of times for every single revolution of the final gears. This keeps movement nice and smooth." - but then I don't really know so maybe it's not EQ. 🤔 Whatever I'm impressed cos' it looks super-cool

As do I and it works a treat for me. I now use an ASIair and there is no facility to alter offset within the software - it is set at 50; you can change the gain but I always use 139. I have found 120s and 180s exposures work best for me in my Bortle 5 environment. I've gone as far as 300 and not been able to detect any improvement (using IC1396 as my reference). I have found that I waste less subs by using 120s as I live on the flight path to EMA and far too many subs used to get written off when I was regularly using 300s+ exposures with my 428ex ccd; the aircraft are so low when they fly over there is no hope of processing out the light trails - they obliterate half the image! Sticking to a given gain / offset /exposure also makes life much simpler with calibration frames. Adrian

Great mosaic. Did you use APP?

I like both but my vote is with the starless version - it helps you focus on the structure of the nebula - the very thing you're aiming to image.

Hi. Apologies for the lack of response - I only just found your post on the thread I started back in November. This is the Windows files set: and this is the MacOS file set: Hopefully you are up and running with Starnet++. Have to say I only use the Windows version as I cannot be bothered with the MacOS command line running in Terminal. The Win version works a treat on .xsif as well as .tif files. Apologies again for the tardy response. Adrian

Hi. Well I need to do the same actually as I have the ASI120MM but not the mini. As it happens it has not been a problem because the iOptron CEM25-EC is so good at tracking it hardly needs guiding with the exposures I use here (120 or 180s). There are always things with all of the products in this game that are sub what you'd like unless you sell off a kidney to finance the hobby. I have used SGPro todate and it is good but needs the PC etc. I've used it for plate solving but it can be hit and miss as can the auto focus, so much so that I gave up on both as I was just wasting valuable clear skies. The plate solving on the ASIair is just mind-blowing to my simple mind. If I PA using the ASIair and then slew to a target it is pretty well bang on straight off. If I then plate solve it is smack on and that's it - jobs done. I ccould do the same night after night if only the skies were clear - gauranteed repeatability - I love it! OK it doesn't auto focus (no big deal I can live with it) and it doesn't auto change the filter position even with a ZWO EFW - unless I am missing something, and as yet I haven't tried guiding but I will be doing so in the near'ish future - really so I can dither! The iPad ASIair app is a dream to use so I suppose will be the Android version (the SM is still a beta app without all the functionality according to their website). I look forward to hearing how you get on with your new acquisition. Best of luck. Adrian P.S. Used to visit Maine a lot in days gone by - when I wasn't being paid to be retired. Where roughly are you?

Hi. To try to answer your original question, I am no expert but looking at the PI 4 spec it comes with 2.4 and 5 capability so I imagine that is the same for the ASIair Pro as it is based on the Pi 4. I use an ASIair with an iPad and have connected with both the 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi. The only real difference I have noticed is the download speed of images to the iPad. I love my ASIair - it has transformed the way I image and the ease of setting up. Out of the box I had it set up and working in no time. It is a shame autofocus has not yet been implemented but it's not a show stopper for me. I absolutely love the plate solving capability (typically 5 seconds or less to plate solve an image and sync the mount) and the way it works seamlessly with Sky Safari on the iPad - I would imagine it would work just as well with an Android device but I have never owned one so don't know for certain. I also love the PA facility; I can do a pretty good visual PA (just using the polarscope) but the ease with which the ASIair lets me get it a very accurate PA is amazing. I hope you enjoy your ASIair Pro as much as I am enjoying my ASIair. I bought it knowing it was restricted to ZWO cameras and selected dslr cameras - I guess you are doing the same. Good luck. Adrian

Hi. The motor itself is the Sykwatcher motor. The focus unit is the Baader and is unmodified. I purchased a toothed pully from Motionco along with a suitable belt. As it turns out the teeth on the Baader unit are an exact match for the toothed belt. The motor mount is custom 3D printed to fit the Baader and allow me to mount the motor. The whole thing works a treat with the HitecAstro software combined with Sharpcap. I am sure the problems with SGPro are all down to me but I am happy with the semi-auto procedure I use and I certainly waste less imaging time. HTH - let me know if you need anymore details. Adrian

And now you've seen two in one day! Top one is the ZWO EAF on a Canon 200mm lens. Bottom one is a SW focusser on a SW ED80DS-Pro fitted with a Baader Diamond Steeltrack replacement focus unit.

I use Sharpcap and an SW focusser and also find it works well. I've also used the SW with SGPro auto focus and had little success and wasted a lot of imaging time - probably me getting the settings wrong in SGPro. I recently purchased a ZWO EAF to use with my ZWO ASIair and it works a treat - very nicely made and excellent results. Both my motorised focus units are connected to the scope/lens via a toothed belt so I have no experience of direct connections. HTH

I think you can say you've had a good year Adam and been rewarded with some excellent images. As Ciarán points out there is some real variety whereas mine have all been nebula this year except for M31. Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year and wishing you more clear skies in 2020. Adrian

Thank you! I really appreciate the kind comment - glad you like it. Adrian

You're spoiling me now. I was blown away by the "stunning"! Thank you again Adam

Thank you Adam.

A frustrating end to a frustrating year. This is 30 x 2min of Ha. I had hoped to get some OIII and maybe even some SII but as with so many imaging sessions this year it was not to be. ASI1600MM-Pro + Canon 200mm unguided on an CEM25-EC all controlled from an ASIair. The star shapes are not great and next year I plan to start guiding the iOptron and dithering. A Happy New Year to one an all on SGL and thanks for looking at this image and for all the help and feedback on my images throughout 2019. Adrian

I went for a Baader DIamond Steeltrack and it transformed my ED80DS-Pro. Prior ro fitting the Steeltrack focussing was very hit and miss and completely non-repeatable. To make things worse at high dec setting the drawer tube would just slide out of the OTA complete with camera, focus wheel, etc., resulting in hours of duff out of focus subs. The Baader was easy to fit and cured all the problems. HTH

No Christmas prizes for guessing which galaxy. Took a whole bunch of 30s reds, greens and blues and threw in a few Ha's as well using my Canon 200mm and ASI1600. All processed with copious glasses of wine and mince pies. Does make you think though - is there a speck of dust in there somewhere where they are celebrating their equivalent of Christmas. Merry Christmas to one and all and thanks for looking. Adrian

This is what it says in the attached Readme file (cut 'n pasted): STRIDE parameter comes from the fact that input into the neural network is NOT the whole image, but a small square tile of it. So image is transformed in small parts, size of which is STRIDE x STRIDE. So if you set it to 64, the image will be transformed in tiles 64 by 64 pixels. What is important, is that there can be inconsistencies between neighbouring tiles (this is usially happens near large stars), which will result in vertical and horisontal edge artefacts. The larger the STRIDE, the more of these artefacts you will likely to see, the smaller STRIDE, the smoother the result. BUT, with too small STRIDE, the running time might mecome an issue: running time is quadratic function of STRIDE, which means that if you decrease STRIDE by a factor of two, running time will increase by a factor of four. I find that STRIDE 64 works well. I use values like 128, 64, 32, but you can try any EVEN number. HTH Adrian

Magical. Adrian

I am sure the data is very good. Processing is such a challenge and there is no "one rules fits all" either. With data in short supply we have to make the most of what we've got. I do like subtle colours though so your image works for me. Adrian

Hi James, I prefer the second version. Hope you don't mind but I've had a crack at it as well. I did a little bit of noise reduction to try to reduce the coloured star rims and then bit more noise reduction to reduce noise overall in the image. I then had a fiddle with selective colour. I also reduced the star size across the image by a very small amount and tweaked the saturation a very small amount. (All in Photoshop). As you say it is purely subjective. Hope you don't mind Adrian

I really like starless images when it helps you to appreciate the structure of the nebula. Thanks for sharing. Adrian

Thanks Ragnar. Space might be spectacular but I personally don't believe it is garish. Thank you. A family portrait - just what we all need at Christmas Thanks for the kind comments. Adrian

Thank you Gina. I always use a gain of 139 and an offset of 56. The LP levels here are not conducive to pushing the gain any further. I've tried 200 gain and not really noticed any difference in the end result. Sticking to 139 and 50 makes life simpler with calibration frames. The Canon 200mm is really very good and I feel better than the Samyang 135mm in terms of star shapes in the extremities of the image. Definitely worth having a go with your f4 I would say. Adrian