Skywatcher AZ GTI mount owners thread

[Yubnub]

Quote

How are you doing your alignment procedure? North level, 2 star, 3 star?  Generally North level alignment works best 

Lee 

Two star alignment typically Altair and Arcturus 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Yubnub

[AstroNebulee]

20 minutes ago, Yubnub said:

Two star alignment typically Altair and Arcturus 

Maybe try level North as your next alignment procedure, I used to find this the better one and more accurate and quicker. 

Make sure you level your tripod then scope by checking with a spirit level as suggested above and then point the scope geographical north. 

See how you fare. 

 

Lee

[Yubnub]

1 minute ago, AstroNebulee said:

Maybe try level North as your next alignment procedure, I used to find this the better one and more accurate and quicker. 

Make sure you level your tripod then scope by checking with a spirit level as suggested above and then point the scope geographical north. 

See how you fare. 

 

Lee

OK cool. Really appreciate it Lee.  Thanks 

[Pixies]

Yep - agree about north level alignment. I usually start with Polaris as the first star, then 2 more roughly at right angles. At the moment that's Alpheratz and then Altair. So you've aligned on N, E and S. After that, it's great.

Check your mount/tripod interface though. There should be no flex! What tripod are you using?

 

[bomberbaz]

4 hours ago, Yubnub said:

Hi, AZ GTi owners and experts.

Sorry to interrupt this discussion with a basic question but I have been using this mount with a Skymax 127 and have been slightly underwhelmed with the Go-To accuracy after alignment and the subsequent tracking of objects.

I am using it with a TalentCell as recommended on here.

Have checked my auto location Lat/Long with google maps and its very accurate. Once aligned by using Altair and Arcturus, using Go-To to find Saturn, it only just puts it in the eyepiece (the included 25mm) and needs further adjustment to centre. Is this acceptable?  

Leaving it to track sees Saturn disappear from the field of view after only 4/5mins

Can I ask; do I need to adjust my set up method or just my expectations? 

I have noticed the spirit level bubble in the mount doesn't match the tripod bubble at all!

I have also noticed a decent amount of flex in the mount (housing flexes in all vertical directions around the mount to tripod base plate) which lets the mount sag towards the telescope.

 

Thanks everyone 

Just checked your alignment stars, they are a touch close being around 5 hours apart.   A key to alignment is try to have your stars inbetween 30-45 degrees elevation and ideally 12 hours apart, E & W being best. This for a start does help tracking accuracy a little and improves finding accuracy loads. Arcturus is slightly low, so try Izar just above it if your can see it (Arcturus would still work ok if not)  and also use Caph in Cassiopeia or Scheat in Pegasus. Caph is probably easier to find though.  Finally, use an high powered eyepiece once you have centred each star which is out of focus as this helps make sure the star is centred.  You can use a zoom if you have one but best of all is a illuminated reticle eyepiece as this ensures you are well  centred on your chosen eyepiece.  Sounds a lot to get a good alignment but it's a simple process once you get used to it and all the above really does set your stall out for the rest of the night. 

You say Saturn disappears from the FOV after a few minutes, if this is at high magnification then it does happen without tracking, mine does the same during solar although it lasts longer than 5 minutes however it is at a lower magnification of around 60. Make sure your power pack (which I am unfamiliar with) is fully charged. (Just checked online and it looks good quality)

Try to get it as level as possible, this also helps accuracy. Use a cheap spirit level instead of the in built bubble jobs and finally if your tripod is this - Sky-Watcher Tripod for Star Adventurer | First Light Optics then they are not the best.  I got a hex key and tightened mine right up and now I leave the tripod permanently set up as setting it up and down again cause the bolts to constantly loosen.

Edited August 18, 2022 by bomberbaz

[AstroNebulee]

Finally added my extra data and processed. 

Lee

 

[bomberbaz]

16 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Finally added my extra data and processed. 

Lee

 

Very nice work Lee, very nice indeed. That is one you should be having framed and put up on your wall it's that good. 

[AstroNebulee]

4 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

Very nice work Lee, very nice indeed. That is one you should be having framed and put up on your wall it's that good. 

Thank you Steve, that is so kind of you to say, it was an absolute pig  to process, I just couldn't get it how I liked and just got infuriated with how it was looking, tried processing it 8 or 9 times over and over. The 2 sessions data looked worse than the one session. So stepped away, then came back to it and got it to this in the end. Much better that the single session image. 

Cheers 

Lee 

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by AstroNebulee
addition

[bomberbaz]

Just now, AstroNebulee said:

Thank you Steve, that is so kind of you to say, it was an absolute pig  to process, I just couldn't get it how I liked and just got infuriated with how it was looking, tried processing it 8 or 9 times over and over. So stepped away, then came back to it and got it to this in the end. 

Cheers 

Lee 

 

I note you have started using Siril. How you finding it and what you using it for.

I really do find it helps with my processing to run it through Siril before I do anything manually.

[AstroNebulee]

16 minutes ago, bomberbaz said:

I note you have started using Siril. How you finding it and what you using it for.

I really do find it helps with my processing to run it through Siril before I do anything manually.

Yep I thought I'd try siril before everything else and did help me more. I used it for background extraction, photometric colour, a histogram stretch and just on this one a median filter. Then save and move onto starnett and then ps. 

Lee 

Edited August 18, 2022 by AstroNebulee

[Ratlet]

Just now, AstroNebulee said:

Yep I thought I'd try siril before everything else and did help me more. I used it for background extraction, photometric colour, a histogram stretch and just on this one a median filter. Then save and move onto starnett and then ps. 

Lee 

Photometric colour Callibration, or as I like to call it: The 'I win button'.

[AstroNebulee]

Just now, Ratlet said:

Photometric colour Callibration, or as I like to call it: The 'I win button'.

Haha yes, in ps I can get the same colours, doing it this way I can send straight to starnett and leaves no artifacts behind. 

Lee

[bomberbaz]

47 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Haha yes, in ps I can get the same colours, doing it this way I can send straight to starnett and leaves no artifacts behind. 

Lee

Could you send me your current process workflow up to starnett Lee, I am still getting starnett artefacts and wonder if I am going wrong somewhere.

cheers pal

[CKP]

14 hours ago, StevieDvd said:

I'd suggest checking whether your moun thinks it is on daylight saving or not for one. And resolve the level using a good spirit level to see which is nearer to true (mount or trpod) and that the base of the mount has a good connection with the tripod.

 

 

 

How do I check if the mount is on daylight saving? I use the app on my phone (galaxy s9) and my phone is on automatic time settings. When I put it in manual mode it is gmt + 01:00 british summer time.

The connection between the mount and tripod is solid, I will try using a real spirit level on the tripod to compare it with the built in bubble.

[Yubnub]

16 hours ago, Pixies said:

Yep - agree about north level alignment. I usually start with Polaris as the first star, then 2 more roughly at right angles. At the moment that's Alpheratz and then Altair. So you've aligned on N, E and S. After that, it's great.

Check your mount/tripod interface though. There should be no flex! What tripod are you using?

 

using the included tripod. the flex is all in the mount components. the interface between mount and tripod is rock solid. 

[bomberbaz]

7 hours ago, Yubnub said:

using the included tripod. the flex is all in the mount components. the interface between mount and tripod is rock solid. 

Sorry I disagree. I have the skywatcheer tripod Sky-Watcher Tripod for Star Adventurer | First Light Optics which is advertised with the mount. I also have the extension pillar. The mount > pillar > tripod connection is solid, however there is a big amount of movement from the legs to tripod joint as these easily work loose through constant use. As mentioned above I re-tightened mine with a hex key and now leave it fully set up to avoid it loosening itself again.

[bomberbaz]

11 hours ago, CKP said:

How do I check if the mount is on daylight saving? I use the app on my phone (galaxy s9) and my phone is on automatic time settings. When I put it in manual mode it is gmt + 01:00 british summer time.

The connection between the mount and tripod is solid, I will try using a real spirit level on the tripod to compare it with the built in bubble.

At the point where the legs join the tripod to mount connection, this is where your free movement is likely to be.  There are two hex bolts either side of the joint which probably need a good tightening. 

[Gfamily]

On 16/08/2022 at 20:32, Ags said:

That's so true, especially as modern sensors work very well with short subs, so no need to get a heavy mount capable of 5 minutes unguided, for a small scope anyway. I am flipping and flopping between the AZGTi and the SAGTi at the moment - not totally sure the SAGTi adds value...

One factor is that the SAGTi is designed for imaging (or, at least, I assume it is), so if there are design limitations that work against that (for example, the instances of the AZGTi that don't have a threaded counterweight arm socket), you can at least return it. 

I would say though, that people who use the AZGti with the WO Eq wedge seem to be far more satisfied than those who use the SW wedge that comes with the SA Mount. 

[herne]

11 hours ago, Gfamily said:

One factor is that the SAGTi is designed for imaging (or, at least, I assume it is), so if there are design limitations that work against that (for example, the instances of the AZGTi that don't have a threaded counterweight arm socket), you can at least return it. 

I would say though, that people who use the AZGti with the WO Eq wedge seem to be far more satisfied than those who use the SW wedge that comes with the SA Mount. 

Quite possibly yes.  For myself and the results I get I see no need to swap out my SW wedge for the WO one 👍.

[bomberbaz]

10 hours ago, herne said:

Quite possibly yes.  For myself and the results I get I see no need to swap out my SW wedge for the WO one 👍.

I have both wedges, the WO version is vastly superiour IMHO. 

Now I have got the hang of it I can align it very quickly but more importantly,  it feels far more steady once aligned than it did with the SW version. 

[Elp]

You can literally PA within 1-2 minutes with the WO one if it's already altitude pre set. Ive owned 4 different ones to use with my azgtis and settled on one WO one and one Ioptron one, whatever works stick with it.

[herne]

2 hours ago, bomberbaz said:

I have both wedges, the WO version is vastly superiour IMHO. 

Now I have got the hang of it I can align it very quickly but more importantly,  it feels far more steady once aligned than it did with the SW version. 

 

2 hours ago, Elp said:

You can literally PA within 1-2 minutes with the WO one if it's already altitude pre set. Ive owned 4 different ones to use with my azgtis and settled on one WO one and one Ioptron one, whatever works stick with it.

I’ve no doubt the WO wedge is a great piece of kit.  Personally I’ve never had any issues with the SW one (4 mins to PA last night thanks to me accidentally knocking the tripod and I’ve previously taken 10 mins subs) and so see no need to change 👍.

[bomberbaz]

23 minutes ago, herne said:

 

I’ve no doubt the WO wedge is a great piece of kit.  Personally I’ve never had any issues with the SW one (4 mins to PA last night thanks to me accidentally knocking the tripod and I’ve previously taken 10 mins subs) and so see no need to change 👍.

I get that, had I not been having tracking issues I doubt I would have swapped.

TBF  as it turns out the issue appears to have been more electronic rather than mechanical, but at the time of purchase I had been unable to verify this. Damn tracking 🤬

[Elp]

11 hours ago, herne said:

accidentally knocking the tripod

It personally hurts when this happens...

[Gfamily]

Post deleted, wrong thread

Edited August 23, 2022 by Gfamily