Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[Crist Rigotti]

10 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

 Go up the 'E' listings and pick EQ mod in the mount settings

OK I chose the EQmod setting.  I didn't realize it was a separate setting.

Tonight should be clear skies and I'll report back.  But I think you guys nailed it!  Thank you.

[AstroNebulee]

3 minutes ago, Crist Rigotti said:

OK I chose the EQmod setting.  I didn't realize it was a separate setting.

Tonight should be clear skies and I'll report back.  But I think you guys nailed it!  Thank you.

Brilliant. Good luck tonight and looking forward to your report. Clear skies 👍

[bomberbaz]

Just checked my measurements and don't know how I managed to miss putting on that 21mm spacer now I think about it. 

TBF to myself I have had a lot on my plate other than astro related stuff so I will forgive myself overlooking it. thanks for the heads up though Lee

[AstroNebulee]

38 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Just checked my measurements and don't know how I managed to miss putting on that 21mm spacer now I think about it. 

TBF to myself I have had a lot on my plate other than astro related stuff so I will forgive myself overlooking it. thanks for the heads up though Lee

No problems, look after yourself Steve 😊

Edited June 16, 2022 by AstroNebulee
addition

[Crist Rigotti]

And...........we have it working great!  PA went great, then auto focus, then Home Position, then several targets around the 4 cardinal headings, then some live stacking of M81 and M99.

Couldn't be happier.  Your help is very much appreciated!

[AstroNebulee]

1 hour ago, Crist Rigotti said:

And...........we have it working great!  PA went great, then auto focus, then Home Position, then several targets around the 4 cardinal headings, then some live stacking of M81 and M99.

Couldn't be happier.  Your help is very much appreciated!

So pleased it's all working as it should for you. Enjoy the clear skies 👍

Cheers 

Lee 

[Ags]

I normally appear on this thread to hate on my AZ-GTi, but I had a nice photo session last week. It just worked and tracked properly. The Moon was full and it was hazy, so really not promising so I shot a few targets like NGC 7000, M57, M27, and Albireo. I only did 10 minutes on each, so a kind of delayed EEA for when I processed the data later. I just levelled the tripod, slewed to the targets manually and hit point-and-track, to avoid the heartbreak of goto alignment.

I am quite pleased with this M27 - it is only 11 minutes of 4-seconds subs, shot with my ASI485MC and Zenithstar 66 @ f4.3.  I would have shot more subs on this target as it looked promising on the laptop screen, but ran out of disk space. That's what you get with a relatively big unbinned sensor and 4 second subs 🤣

Edited June 17, 2022 by Ags

[AstroNebulee]

47 minutes ago, Ags said:

I normally appear on this thread to hate on my AZ-GTi, but I had a nice photo session last week. It just worked and tracked properly. The Moon was full and it was hazy, so really not promising so I shot a few targets like NGC 7000, M57, M27, and Albireo. I only did 10 minutes on each, so a kind of delayed EEA for when I processed the data later. I just levelled the tripod, slewed to the targets manually and hit point-and-track, to avoid the heartbreak of goto alignment.

I am quite pleased with this M27 - it is only 11 minutes of 4-seconds subs, shot with my ASI485MC and Zenithstar 66 @ f4.3.  I would have shot more subs on this target as it looked promising on the laptop screen, but ran out of disk space. That's what you get with a relatively big unbinned sensor and 4 second subs 🤣

Brilliant image Ags for 11 minutes. So pleased you had a better time with your AzGti this time around, it can play nicely 😊. Good luck on your next session with it 👍

[tompato]

My Az-Gti and AsiAir are outside as I type this capturing some 120s subs on M27.

All worked pretty seamlessly, I plonked it down facing Polaris, popped it into PA mode and it went through its stuff. I then fiddled about for about 10 mins and got it to around 1 arc minute and a smiley face and stopped. Then set it to go to Deneb and it was spot on.

Pointed it at M27 and took a snap and hey presto. Did a couple of focus checks. Then I figured I would try guiding and had a play with the menus. Realised I've never used my 120mm mini before and so it was not in focus at all so had to fiddle with that until I realised the 120 stands for 120mm focus distance (I think?) and so extended my guidescope so it was around that. Struggled to get it perfect but it was good enough for guiding.

Swung it back to M27 and set the guiding to calibrate and started a run of 30 x 120s subs. I tried 180 but the stars has slight movement so figured I would play it safe.

Edited June 18, 2022 by tompato
Typo

[adyj1]

1 hour ago, tompato said:

the 120 stands for 120mm focus distance (I think?

It is the guide scope focal length you need, which isn't anything to do with the camera. Mind you, if you have the ZWO mini guide scope, then by complete coincidence that has 120mm focal length. 😁 👍 

[herne]

7 hours ago, tompato said:

My Az-Gti and AsiAir are outside as I type this capturing some 120s subs on M27.

All worked pretty seamlessly, I plonked it down facing Polaris, popped it into PA mode and it went through its stuff. I then fiddled about for about 10 mins and got it to around 1 arc minute and a smiley face and stopped. Then set it to go to Deneb and it was spot on.

Pointed it at M27 and took a snap and hey presto. Did a couple of focus checks. Then I figured I would try guiding and had a play with the menus. Realised I've never used my 120mm mini before and so it was not in focus at all so had to fiddle with that until I realised the 120 stands for 120mm focus distance (I think?) and so extended my guidescope so it was around that. Struggled to get it perfect but it was good enough for guiding.

Swung it back to M27 and set the guiding to calibrate and started a run of 30 x 120s subs. I tried 180 but the stars has slight movement so figured I would play it safe.

Good stuff, looks like you’ve got your problems turned around nicely 👍.

[tompato]

6 hours ago, adyj1 said:

It is the guide scope focal length you need, which isn't anything to do with the camera. Mind you, if you have the ZWO mini guide scope, then by complete coincidence that has 120mm focal length. 😁 👍 

Ah I see! Yes it's the astro essentials one which I think is f4 and 30mm so 120mm focal length it is! I'll hopefully get my stacked and processed image up this afternoon

[AstroNebulee]

10 hours ago, tompato said:

My Az-Gti and AsiAir are outside as I type this capturing some 120s subs on M27.

All worked pretty seamlessly, I plonked it down facing Polaris, popped it into PA mode and it went through its stuff. I then fiddled about for about 10 mins and got it to around 1 arc minute and a smiley face and stopped. Then set it to go to Deneb and it was spot on.

Pointed it at M27 and took a snap and hey presto. Did a couple of focus checks. Then I figured I would try guiding and had a play with the menus. Realised I've never used my 120mm mini before and so it was not in focus at all so had to fiddle with that until I realised the 120 stands for 120mm focus distance (I think?) and so extended my guidescope so it was around that. Struggled to get it perfect but it was good enough for guiding.

Swung it back to M27 and set the guiding to calibrate and started a run of 30 x 120s subs. I tried 180 but the stars has slight movement so figured I would play it safe.

Great to hear you have sorted your issues from the last outing and had a good time with your set up. As said previously the 120mm is your guidescope focal length and just type that in your asiair settings. 

Looking forward to your image 👍

[adyj1]

9 hours ago, tompato said:

Yes it's the astro essentials one which I think is f4 and 30mm so 120mm focal length

I have both and was about to say the Astro Essentials one is 32mm and so 128mm f/l, but I had a quick check on @FLO before posting and the description  now says it is 30mm. Something is afoot, as the product code is listed as "ae_32mm_guide_scope" - hmmm... 🔎

There probably is that much difference between the two to worry about. 

[bomberbaz]

Ok so tracking in RA is not what it should be and I am attributing at least some of that to the SW wedge. From all I have read and heard the WO version is much better, I am therefore upgrading to the WO version. 

Now a QUESTION. How much free play does anyone have in the AZ/RA axis please, I have some free play and a little here and there all affects results. I am also concerned this may be affecting tracking a little. 

Thanks all

Steve

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by bomberbaz

[herne]

17 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Now a QUESTION. How much free play does anyone have in the AZ/RA axis please, I have some free play and a little here and there all affects results. I am also concerned this may be affecting tracking a little. 

None ( I use the SW wedge).  A few weeks ago I did notice some play stemming from a couple of hex bolts (not in RA though) which needed tightening.  Double check everything 👍.

[AstroNebulee]

28 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Now a QUESTION. How much free play does anyone have in the AZ/RA axis please, I have some free play and a little here and there all affects results. I am also concerned this may be affecting tracking a little. 

I have the WO wedge and have no free play in the RA axis. 

Lee 

Edited June 23, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[Priesters]

Added some bits and bobs to my AZGTi/EvoGuide set up and can now more easily frame and swap filters - all seems pretty sturdy which surprised me tbh.  Whole set up currently working well with EQMOD, SharpCap, CDC and PHD2 so haven’t had to dig in to the Astro wallet for an ASI Air (yet).  Loving being able to leave it set up and left in a corner so I can just grab and go (albeit then spend half an hour polar aligning/focussing etc 🙄).  Overall really happy I took the plunge on the AZGTi.  EQ6 doesn’t know what it’s done wrong. 😂

[LaurenceT]

15 minutes ago, Priesters said:

Added some bits and bobs to my AZGTi/EvoGuide set up and can now more easily frame and swap filters - all seems pretty sturdy which surprised me tbh.  Whole set up currently working well with EQMOD, SharpCap, CDC and PHD2 so haven’t had to dig in to the Astro wallet for an ASI Air (yet).  Loving being able to leave it set up and left in a corner so I can just grab and go (albeit then spend half an hour polar aligning/focussing etc 🙄).  Overall really happy I took the plunge on the AZGTi.  EQ6 doesn’t know what it’s done wrong. 😂

Do you  not have a field flattener in the train?

[Priesters]

Yes it’s the Starizona evo FF v2 - 55mm back spacing. 

Edited June 23, 2022 by Priesters

[LaurenceT]

1 minute ago, Priesters said:

Yes it’s the Starizona evo FF v2 - 55mm back spacing. 

I couldn't see it, is it hiding in the T2 tubes?

[Priesters]

It drops within the focusser so it’s barely visible in the train and actually threads on so it’s pretty secure.  

[LaurenceT]

2 minutes ago, Priesters said:

It drops within the focusser so it’s barely visible in the train and actually threads on so it’s pretty secure.  

Ah yes, the penny didn't drop that it was the Starizona, I use the Skywatcher FF.

[AstroNebulee]

7 hours ago, Priesters said:

Added some bits and bobs to my AZGTi/EvoGuide set up and can now more easily frame and swap filters - all seems pretty sturdy which surprised me tbh.  Whole set up currently working well with EQMOD, SharpCap, CDC and PHD2 so haven’t had to dig in to the Astro wallet for an ASI Air (yet).  Loving being able to leave it set up and left in a corner so I can just grab and go (albeit then spend half an hour polar aligning/focussing etc 🙄).  Overall really happy I took the plunge on the AZGTi.  EQ6 doesn’t know what it’s done wrong. 😂

Looking very nice indeed. Really pleased you are enjoying your time with the az gti 

[bomberbaz]

I have around 1 mm of free play in RA axis, I am going to pull my mount apart and see if there is anything I can do to take this up.

I did this a few years back but one of the adjustment screws broke so stuck a spring in to take up the slack, I don't think it is cutting it.