ASI air pro / Celestron 6SE

[bf79]

Hi folks, just got myself an ASI air pro and waiting on my ASI 290MC camera getting delivered from FLO. 

Cant wait to get started with them but while I wait for the camera I'm looking for inspiration on how best to mount the Air pro to my telescope, a Celestron Nexstar 6SE

Anybody here use a similar set up that could give me some pointers, and maybe a couple of pictures to help out?

Also, any general pointers on using this set up appreciated. I really want to get some nice images of Jupiter and Saturn so hopefully this should be capable of that

Thanks in advance

Brian 

[SmokeyJoe]

Will it fit instead of the finder?  Don't have the same scope as you but I don't use my finder when using the asiair Pro (you really don't need it).  If you do want to keep the finder on the scope double brackets are available.  Have fun with your Asiair Pro. It makes life so much simpler. 

[Martthebass]

Late to the party but in line with SmokeyJoe above, the finder is pretty much not needed if you go through EQMOD rather than the alignment process on the mount.

[paulhummerman]

I also have a Celestron 6SE, the same camera and an ASIAIR pro, which provisionally I've just mounted on the tube using duct tap. At the moment I have several problems. (1) the wifi signal is weak, so I added an extender, connected by an ethernet cable (2) the wires going to the Asiair tend to get wrapped around the telescope - especially when it slews by a large amount (I find that often instead of moving 10 degrees to a target it will often slew 350 degrees in the opposite direction. (3) although I can manually slew the scope using the 4-arrow Asiair display I find it doesn't work right. Note that the 6SE has an AZ mount while the Asiair is primarily intended for equatorial mounts. I use it mainly for the wifi and camera control. I first do a 3-star (skyalign) align using the handset. This works reasonably well in providing go-TO to the desIred object and gives pretty good long-term tracking. But when I switch from the eyepiece to the camera I have to recenter the object (mainly because the FOV is smaller), and while I would prefer to do this inside my warm house  using the Asiair controls (main reason I got it!) the moment I adjust the centering the object starts to drift off. The only way to stop this is to switch off the tracking on the Asiair then switch it back on again - by which time I need to recenter again! So I end up having to go outside again and recenter using the 6SE hand-controller. Very annoying. Perhaps it's because the asi-air thinks I have an equatorial mount (but that does not fit with the initial good tracking, which is definitely  going through the asiair because drift starts immediately I switch off the tracking on the asiair.

By the way I was born in Leeds and grew up in Wakefield!

Edited December 6, 2020 by paulhummerman

[SmokeyJoe]

6 hours ago, paulhummerman said:

Note that the 6SE has an AZ mount while the Asiair is primarily intended for equatorial mounts

I suspect this is the cause of your problems. 

[paulhummerman]

Thanks Dom for confirming my hunch. Next question -what can I do about it? Nicest would be if AsiAir had a setting one could change from Eq to AZ, so one could at least properly control the scope and use at least some of the nice features. Maybe I should get a wedge, though everyone seems to say that's a poor substitute for a proper equatorial mount.

[SmokeyJoe]

I don't think there is  a way to use the asiair on an AZ mount, you could check the ZWO forum 

https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/t/asiair

There is also a Facebook page that you Coul check

[And_yB]

Hey Brian

I've recently bought a 6SE and I'm having no end of problems trying to set it up to work with my MacBook.  If you are happy for me to speak with you and pick you brains, I would appreciate it.  The main issue I'm having is installing the CFM and updating the Firmware.

Regards

Andy

[bf79]

On 17/12/2020 at 23:43, And_yB said:

Hey Brian

I've recently bought a 6SE and I'm having no end of problems trying to set it up to work with my MacBook.  If you are happy for me to speak with you and pick you brains, I would appreciate it.  The main issue I'm having is installing the CFM and updating the Firmware.

Regards

Andy

Hi Andy

Happy to help where I can but unfortunately Im still trying to figure a lot of this out as well. I don't use a MacBook and my laptop is pretty much past it now thats why I bought the ASIAir to control the camera. I still use the starsense and hand controller to control the mount. 

Ive bought most of my equipment second hand so mine is the older style connector on the handset, and i downloaded the file manager and firmware updates and tried to update using the Celestron wifi adapter to connect to my laptop but when i managed to connect them I couldn't get the firmware to update properly, even after several attempts. I think Im just going to have to bite the bullet and buy the proper cables and adapters. 
Ive been reading up on updating the firmware and seen a few people saying it does take several attempts though whether through wifi or hard wired

Ive been tempted to save for an AVX or HEQ5 mount or something I can control from my ASIAir as well but still debating what to go for... sadly as always its the cost of these things thats the problem for me just now so that might need to wait a while. 
 

I love the scope though so can confidently say you made a good choice. Ive had some great views of Mars Jupiter and Saturn with it and now starting to try and find some DSO’s. Unfortunately living in the west of Scotland doesnt help, i think we’ve had about 2 clear nights this year 😂

[And_yB]

Hi Brian, going by what you have said I guess we are both fairly new to this and learning at about the same rate.  I'm not sue if I've said already - I have in other threads -  but I'm getting quite close to retirement and this will probably be my main hobby for a few years, along with my continued passion for golf, and my house in the mountains of Spain give me great opportunities, both when considering light pollution and weather.

With regard to your equipment, I'm not really sure what you have at the moment.  No doubt I will get to know more over coming months and years.  As for my set-up, it was actually my brother who is into ornithology who gave me a steer.   He knew I was aiming to do this and pointed me in the direction of a 6SE that was a 'black Friday' deal.  Admittedly I've bought a few other things as well, and I'm fairly sure there are few things under the Christmas tree that will make my Christmas morning and keep me busy for a few days.

Other than the ongoing issue of loading the Celestron Firmware Manager (CFM) to my Mac, which appears to be problematic still, most of my initial issues have now been resolved.  I can now control the mount using a cable connected to the Mac and using the Starry Nights 8  software, that I intend on spending quite a bit of time learning about.   Ive also now managed to establish some connectivity using a replacement wifi module where the last one was either faulty or suffered from interference issues with existing house wifi sources... where there are many.

Anyway Brian... happy to talk through any issues/problems.  Not a nerd... but an energetic enthusiast  

[Dhuddy]

Hi Folks -

I just joined SGL because of this post!!

I have a lot of experience with the ASI Air, both original and Pro versions.  The ASI Air actually works quite well with Alt Az mounts.  I have been using it with an iOption AltAz Pro and its fantastic.  I’ve also used it with no problems with my Meade LX90 Alt Az.  I just received my Nexstar 5 SE and experienced the same problem... I slew to an object and the mount just drifts....  I only spent a bit of time with it tonight and intend to fully vet it tomorrow night.  I was a huge Celestron Fan for many years and finally gave up on them about 3 years ago and switched to iOptron.  

I often had problems with the ASI Air and both my CGX and CGX-L.   Interesting that it was a similar toggle on/off the tracking to correct it.  I don’t think this is an ASI Air problem.  ASI Air uses the INDI mount driver library, so my gut tells me that Celestron has done a poor job of creating that driver.   I’ve also noticed that the “Sync Scope” button is missing under the telescope connect/configure screen for Celestron (not to be confused with plate solve and sync).   Both my iOptron and Orion SynScan work just fine and I can sync (time and GPS cord).

I’m going to give it a go tomorrow night and if it gives me problems, I’ll just sell the 5se... I’ve lost way too much of my life and valuable clear sky time fussing with Celestron.

Dave

[StevieDvd]

If you have trouble with an INDI based driver it's worth going to the INDI lib site and checking for a solution. For example the drivers for Celestron are not written by Celestron themselves but by the INDI crew - who can obviously debug their own code - https://www.indilib.org/telescopes/celestron.html

In their forum thay have given instructions, to people having issues, on adding a debug version of the driver to get more detailed log information and hopefully get a fix sorted.  Though to be fair to INDI, if the issue is in the Nextsar protocol they call, then it may not be fixable from the INDI driver side.

 

 

[cplee42]

On 16/01/2021 at 05:26, Dhuddy said:

Hi Folks -

I just joined SGL because of this post!!

I have a lot of experience with the ASI Air, both original and Pro versions.  The ASI Air actually works quite well with Alt Az mounts.  I have been using it with an iOption AltAz Pro and its fantastic.  I’ve also used it with no problems with my Meade LX90 Alt Az.  I just received my Nexstar 5 SE and experienced the same problem... I slew to an object and the mount just drifts....  I only spent a bit of time with it tonight and intend to fully vet it tomorrow night.  I was a huge Celestron Fan for many years and finally gave up on them about 3 years ago and switched to iOptron.  

I often had problems with the ASI Air and both my CGX and CGX-L.   Interesting that it was a similar toggle on/off the tracking to correct it.  I don’t think this is an ASI Air problem.  ASI Air uses the INDI mount driver library, so my gut tells me that Celestron has done a poor job of creating that driver.   I’ve also noticed that the “Sync Scope” button is missing under the telescope connect/configure screen for Celestron (not to be confused with plate solve and sync).   Both my iOptron and Orion SynScan work just fine and I can sync (time and GPS cord).

I’m going to give it a go tomorrow night and if it gives me problems, I’ll just sell the 5se... I’ve lost way too much of my life and valuable clear sky time fussing with Celestron.

Dave

Thanks Dave for joining because i am having the same issue. If i set up my Nexstar 8SE (i use star sense HC) i get good tracking. I connect to AAP, see my image and all good. I can goto an object from the AAP database and it knows where it was pointing so the AAP is taking to the mount before it sets off and stars to slew correctly to the new target. It finds and frames this. As an aside, on my Nexstar 8SE i get about 5secs subs before multiple stacking failures arise (and in fact on ipad i can’t modify the defaults (5sec or 10 secs) - seems to be a known bug). Anyway i personally prefer to use Sky Safari to get context of the night sky and whats out there and what nearby my targets. I also use it to record my observations via Live Sky. So i open up my SS on my same ipad and “connect” at which point the scope mount seems to detach from AAP. The image location is always off (not where i was observing) and tracking is somehow toggled off on AAP. The SE handset reverts back to “Awaiting Alignment” and the stars in the FoV of the camera are now tracking fast across the image.
 

I can’t seem to find the correct connection sequence to insert SS into the chain yet i see others are doing this and using it for “go tos”. Like you said i have no “sync button” on the AAP mount page (outside a plate solve). Driving me nuts!

[SpaceDave]

Hello all,

Sorry for jumping in on this post. I’m struggling to use my 6SE with the ASIAIR Pro and was hoping someone could help me.

Anyone know how to successfully connect a Celestron 6SE mount to the ASI Air Pro?

I have connected it from the USB 2.0 port on the ASI Air Pro to the micro USB port on the mount's hand controller. I used a USB 2.0 to Micro USB cable - I've tried two different cables.

When I go into the ASI Air Pro app's mount section, and I try to connect to the mount I get a 'Connect Failed' message (see attached screenshots).

I have updated the firmware on both devices.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

 

[StevieDvd]

Is there another Celestron choice such as Celestron AX available, if so try that.

[SpaceDave]

1 hour ago, StevieDvd said:

Is there another Celestron choice such as Celestron AX available, if so try that.

Thanks for the reply, StevieDvd. I just tried all the Celestron options and got the same result from them all, unfortunately. “Not found” and “Connect Failed”.

[bf79]

Ive still not managed to get mine all connected up as yet. 
Ive now got a wedge and the cables to go from the handset to a USB, and got a guidescope and brackets and an ASI 290MC which i could probably use as a guide camera for now, but not really had a go at connecting everything together. 
 

My handset is the older type connector on the bottom, not the micro USB, so I think I might have to do a firmware update as well. 
 

unfortunately, being in Scotland, I think its about a year since I last had a clear sky

[SpaceDave]

8 hours ago, bf79 said:

Ive still not managed to get mine all connected up as yet. 
Ive now got a wedge and the cables to go from the handset to a USB, and got a guidescope and brackets and an ASI 290MC which i could probably use as a guide camera for now, but not really had a go at connecting everything together. 
 

My handset is the older type connector on the bottom, not the micro USB, so I think I might have to do a firmware update as well. 
 

unfortunately, being in Scotland, I think its about a year since I last had a clear sky

Yeah, I’m having the same problem with the weather! 
 

Good luck connecting it all together!

[SpaceDave]

Can anyone describe how they connected their ASIAIR Pro to their SE mount. Cables, setup procedure, etc.

I've had zero luck. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

David

[bf79]

I picked up a 3 way mini dovetail bracket  in a bundle i found on Facebook marketplace, which Im using to connect my ASI AirPro, guidescope and red dot finder. 
It seems to work well for mounting everything, I just dont know where to start to get it all working 😂

 

I think my handset might be faulty though so next on the shopping list is a replacement then I’ll take it from there
 

[Xsodouse]

Maybe this help : https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/373541-how-to-connect-asi-air-pro-to-celestron-6se-mount/ 
1.Do Alignment
2.Connect.

[Suwat Panitkullawat]

Can you successfully connect the Se mount to the ASIAIR PRO?

[johnpd]

You might want to check the ZWO User Forum for the answer. A number of people with Celestron Evolution mounts were having the same connection issue. They narrowed it down to apparently a new USB to serial chip used by Celestron. ZWO needs to incorporate a new driver for it. There is a temporary fix available that references a different mount, but it apparently works. Check this thread for details.

https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/d/12787-connecting-asiair-pro-to-celestron-evolution-mount/97

JohnD