Space Oddities

What camera and lens are you using? Your polar alignment could be off. If you have the original version, you polar align with a straw, which I doubt is precise enough to do 4 minute exposures, even at 20mm. Another reason would be that your setup isn't well balanced, and too heavy for the gear. That's why they added an ingenious spring mechanism, to counterbalance the effect of a heavy camera/lens. Source: https://www.amateurastrophotography.com/minitrack-lx2-review

Yet another heart & soul 30x300s (2.5 hours) at unity gain with the ASI1600MM-Pro and ZWO's 7nm Ha filter, from the comfort of my hotel room in the Austrian Alps. The room had a balcony that was conveniently oriented North and almost free of any obstruction. I took these back in January. No dark, flat or bias, but I'll add them later!

Yes it supports autoguiding. I'm not using the ST4 port to do that, but I assume it's like the Star Adventurer and you can link your guide camera to the mount directly

I think the banding is due to the light source used when these images were taken. It's a common issue with rolling shutters, as explained here: https://enthusiastphotoblog.com/silent-shutter-banding/

I used the Minitrack a couple times with this tripod, but also heavier payloads: about 2,5 kg for the lens, camera and filter wheel, 1.2 kg for the mount (AZ-GTi), 1 kg for the wedge. So almost 5 kg in total for deep sky imaging, and no problem As I said, the only gotcha with this tripod is probably durability. A brand like Gitzo or Manfrotto, who are dedicated tripod companies, probably uses better quality and more proven materials than Neewer. My tripod still works fine, but isn't as smooth as its first days. But for the price, it's totally fine with me If you can find on the used market, for the same price, a good Manfrotto or Gitzo tripod that suits your need, I would go for it. If you prefer something new, carbon fiber, then the Neewer is a good option.

Have you considered the used market as well? There are good Manfrotto tripods available, like the famous 055, going for around £100. Could be a chance to get a more premium tripod for a good price. I can't comment on Vanguard tripods, but I'm using this tripod from Neewer since a couple years, and I'm very happy so far. I think a few other people on the forum use it as well. For the price, it's excellent and very stable. The ballhead is also good, and will easily carry your setup. The carbon fiber makes it surprisingly light and yet, quite solid. Also, 2 interesting features this tripod has, and that you should be looking for, IMO: a hook under the central column, that allows you to hang something and improve the stability of the tripod, by lowering its center of gravity removable rubber feet, with included metallic spikes: this is great if you're imaging in the grass. You can keep the rubber feet if you're on a hard surface, like concrete or pavement. The only downside is that the glue used on the rubber knobs starts to wear off, which makes tightening it more difficult. I need to add some glue. That's the downside of cheap Chinese brands, but to be honest, for the price it's really not a big deal! https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/en/gp/product/B01I1C8VGI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Thanks Ags! Sounds pretty cool I guess a C5 with a focal reducer and lower weight can work even better on the little AZ-GTi. I have found a 2.3 kg counterweight that could help balance the setup.

I'm considering purchasing a Celestron C5 XLT to image small DSO. With a 0.63x reducer (f/6.3 788mm), I think it's a good match for the pixels of my ASI1600, and seems small & lightweight enough (2.7 kg) for my little mount (AZ-GTi), if it's carefully balanced. I haven't found many examples of deep sky imaging with this little scope, but perhaps some of you have some feedback to share? I'm sure there are better optics out there, but given my weight/size constraint, it seems like the only option available. Thanks!

Also the ASI120 mini version, despite being USB2, is compatible with the ASIAIR. As FaDG said, it seems to be the very first version of the ASI120 that has compatibility issue, which has been resolved in ulterior versions of the camera.

For WO RedCat 51 owners, I just noticed the lens ring can also carry the Samyang 135mm. It's relatively convenient to use, though one disadvantage is that you cannot change the aperture (the collar is too large and covers the aperture ring). But you can set it up before mounting the lens, and probably don't need to change it anyway The diameter of the ring is 69mm, and 70mm for the lens, which is sufficient to hold the lens securely. It's also super easy to add an accessory (autoguider, focuser) on top of the ring, with the handle or a finder shoe.

I've studied the question and wrote an article on my blog with my findings, which you can find here You can also admire great astro pictures done with Fuji cameras, most of them unmodded! As you can see, they don't need any modding In short: the Fujifilm cameras use the same Sony IMX sensors that you can find in modern Nikon & Sony cameras, as well as ZWO, QHY... cameras. So the naked sensor is as sensitive as it can be. Unlike other brands though, the UV/IR cut filter used by Fujifilm seems more permissive than what other brands use. I have no idea why, but perhaps that's linked to their weird X-Trans pattern? The only explanation I have found is quite old, and only tested first generation cameras, but you can clearly see the effect by comparing these stock cameras at 656nm. Also, judging by the pictures postes in this Facebook group, newer Fuji cameras seem to be still very sensitive to Ha, so I don't think they have changed their UV/IR cut filter. As you can see, a stock Fujifilm camera does a better job at 656nm than Canon cameras. However, it's fairly easy and cheap to mod a Canon DSLR, and once modded, I'm sure it rivals or even surpasses the stock Fujifilm ones. You could mod your Fuji camera of course, but that's really expensive (~£250/300) and probably not worth it. Not to mention that most Canon cameras are compatible with all astro capture software, which is a big advantage. For Fujifilm, there is 0 software support, sadly, since they have no public SDK. You're stuck with the good old remote control And, the additional RAF conversion step, which complicates a bit the post-processing phase. All in all, I'm super happy with my Fujifilm cameras. They're a joy to use, the colours are gorgeous, and I use them much more often than my older Nikon DSLR. Are they better than Canon for astro? I don't think so, but they're certainly less usable, due to software restrictions. But in terms of image quality, they're as good as any modern camera STC is the only manufacturer that makes clip-in filters for Fuji cameras. Take a look here! https://stcoptics.com/en/clip_list/available-fujifilmx/ However, it seems that the 16mm 1.4 isn't compatible with the filter. I have no idea why some lenses are and some others aren't. Perhaps because something is protruding too much inside the sensor cavity?

Carole, I might be wrong but it looks to me that the foot can be removed. TS Optics sells a copy of the Geoptik adapter, and in their product pictures I can see 2 hex bolts under the foot. Have you tried removing them, to see if it solves the issue with your filter wheel? You might even be able to mount it back, in reverse position, to install red dot finder for instance. Hope that helps! https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p7835_TS-Optics-CCD-Kamera-Adapter-mit-T2-Anschluss-fuer-Canon-EOS-Objektive.html

Just noticed the Cat 51 accepts 55mm filters in front of the scope. That's very convenient for me, I had a spare 58mm LP filter that I can now use with the Cat, thanks to a 55-58 step-up filter Here is a picture!

As far as I know, they don't Mounted 1.25" and 2" filters seem to be the most standard sizes for all of these, if not the only available.

I've heard complaints about that adapter, the locking pin breaking and the lens being stuck in the adapter... Probably not the safest option for Nikon/Canon lenses. The consensus seems to be that the Geoptik adapter (and the TS Optics variant, that only exists for Canon for some reason) are a much better bet. They're twice the price, but apparently much more solid. And they come with a foot for easy mounting. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2837_Geoptik-Adaptor-for-Nikon-lenses-to-T2-for-CCD-cameras---w--1-4--thread.html Other than that, my ZWO adapter works well so far! I just hope it won't break at some point... 😕

The difference with the Intel NUC and any other PC based solution, is that it works out of the box and is extremely simple to use. That's what you actually pay for, I think, and these 2 products are for different people I would say. For beginners like me, who need to go to a public park to take pictures... that makes a huge difference! I just need my phone, click a few buttons and everything just works. Astro software on Windows also work great, but they're often not user friendly, with outdated or complex UI, lots of options and features that someone inexperienced doesn't need As an analogy, it's just like point & shoot vs. DSLR. The DSLR has more options, is more reliable, but also more complex. A point & shoot just works out of the box, and that's all you need sometimes Perhaps an in-between solution is the Stellarmate. It has more features and is compatible with non-ZWO products, and comes as an "out of the box" device. Also, they're working on making it compatible with the Raspberry Pi 4, which is much more powerful and supports USB 3.0. I think that's a great and mature alternative to small PC/ASIAIR, for those who need more control and compatibility!

I came across this blog post from Hutech, the company behind the IDAS filters. Apparently some new filters are coming, that work with ZWO cameras only, and only some models. They can be screwed directly in front of the sensor, as shown on the pictures below. Source: https://digiborg.wordpress.com/2019/12/10/idas-z-series/

Teleskop Services sells a couple rings with that diameter: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p981_Orion-Rohrschellen---Aluminium---fuer-Tuben-mit-D-76-mm.html https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10216_TS-Optics-Fotostativadapter---Haltering-fuer-Astro-Kameras-D-74-76-mm.html I believe they are the same, but it depends if you need 1 or 2 No idea if they fit the Canon 135mm though, since this lens isn't designed to have a tripod collar. There's also the Geoptik adapter for Canon EOS lenses: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p2836_Geoptik-CCD-Kamera-Adapter-mit-T2-Anschluss-fuer-Canon-EOS-Objektive.html The consensus is that this adapter is the most solid option for attaching heavy lenses to astro cameras. Hope that helps!

From the specs that leaked, there doesn't seem to be any output for dew heaters, like there is on the Pocket Powerbox. That's a pity! I was in the same situation, and went for the Powerbox instead, figured it's more future proof too.

Yes, and it was not a good quality. The rings didn't close properly, and couldn't hold my lens. I went with the one from Astrojolo.com, definitely better quality printing, and cheaper too

Sadly, no. It's some kind of bayonet mount, you can't really adjust the distance. At least on mine! Also, the filter is placed upside down (so the front of the filter faces the sensor). I'm not sure it makes a difference though?

There's a DSLR lens (Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K) to mirrorless camera (Nikon Z, Canon R/M, Fuji X, Sony E) adapter from Borg, that allows you to screw a 52mm or 2" filter inside of it. It's a bit pricey ($200), but well made. Here's the link for anyone interested! https://astrohutech.store/product/mirrorless-camera-adapters/

Don't buy any new equipment!!

Yes, I believe other solutions like mini PC or even the upcoming Stellarmate on Raspberry Pi 4, offer more value for the money than the ASIAIR. Same with the AstroBar1 from QHY or the Eagle Core from Primaluce Lab. And they are compatible with most camera brands, unlike ZWO's closed system, which is a big advantage. I think where the ASIAIR really shines though, is its simplicity. Astro software are often complex and provide a lot of options. But my time in the field is usually limited to 2-3 hours per night, so I need something that is plug and play, simple to use, to get as much photons as possible. And I really hate struggling with the software in the middle of a public park... Been there, and it's very frustrating. Also, the fact that I don't have to bring a laptop, because I control everything with my phone, is also a big plus for the ASIAIR. The native app for iOS and Android is rather simple, but works very well for my limited usage It's definitely a tool aimed at beginners and travellers, as well as people who don't want to spend too much time learning complex software. However, if I had a garden and therefore a more permanent setup, I would probably switch to a mini PC or Stellarmate at some point. Software like Ekos and NINA seem very promising, once you understand how they work Anyway, it's great to have lots of options, for different budgets and situations. We're living exciting times, and I can't wait to see what's going to happen in the next 10-20 years!

I'm using the ASIAIR, and it has a polar alignment function. I've just been testing it a couple times, but it seems to be working very well! However you're limited to ZWO cameras, so you'll need to use the guide scope or main camera to do it. The Stellarmate also has a tool to polar align, and is compatible with most cameras unlike the ASIAIR. And of course, you have the option to use SharpCap. But the reason why I went with the ASIAIR is for its simplicity, and the fact that I don't need to bring a laptop: I control everything from my phone! For my portability needs, it's really a game changer I can clamp my phone on the tripod while polar aligning, without breaking my back like with the SkyGuider Pro, and control all the imaging from the relative comfort of a public park's bench Here is a video for the polar alignment of the Stellarmate: And here is a nice video that walks you through the ASIAIR, including the polar alignment, to give you an idea: