Autoguiding via iphone app instead og PC?

[Mai Ai Bing]

Newbie here. Is there a way to autoguide through an app by using the scope's on-board wifi (to avoid all the wire clutter and having to use a laptop etc?). Using a Celestron Evo model. Or should I ask my kids to write one... 😇

[SmokeyJoe]

The only way I know of (and I know very little) is to use a Zwo Asiair Pro or possibly an Primaluca lab eagle.  I love my Asiair and now wouldn't be without it but it does restrict you to Zwo camera's although you can use a Dslr for imaging. Does a lot more than guiding, PA, runs the imaging session, controls a Zwo filter wheel or auto focuser, plate solves and all through your phone or tablet. 

[Mai Ai Bing]

Thanks! I am looking at this right now. If I do this am I right to expect that I can use a Zwo camera to better see DSO objects etc. realtime on the ipad in a light poluted area. Or will the camera need to stack pictures over many minutes (so not that useful in real life). My ideal situation is to get the Asiair Pro and the Zwo 1224MC color camera and view the skies on a screen when looking from my heavily light polluted big city garden.

[SmokeyJoe]

I'm afraid live stacking is exactly that, the camera stacks pictures over many minutes, as far as I know you are not going to get instant images no matter where you are or what equipment you have. 

However the better the equipment the fewer images you will need to stack.  I'm currently using a Dslr with my Asiair and no guiding it takes a few 2-3 min exposures to start building a decent image.  I don't have experience using the asiair with a dedicated astro cam so I cannot give an opinion on haw good the 1224mc would be. 

Maybe someone in the EEVA community can suggest a better option. 

[Mai Ai Bing]

8 hours ago, SmokeyJoe said:

I'm afraid live stacking is exactly that, the camera stacks pictures over many minutes, as far as I know you are not going to get instant images no matter where you are or what equipment you have. 

However the better the equipment the fewer images you will need to stack.  I'm currently using a Dslr with my Asiair and no guiding it takes a few 2-3 min exposures to start building a decent image.  I don't have experience using the asiair with a dedicated astro cam so I cannot give an opinion on haw good the 1224mc would be. 

Maybe someone in the EEVA community can suggest a better option. 

Thanks. I understand that the dedicated asi camera can do a lot of pictures fairly fast. But it will apparently have to be a compromise between time and viewing quality.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Mai Ai Bing