Regarding Guiding with ASIAIR PRO

Hriman

Hi!
I really want to know if my asiair pro will work without a mount and can guiding work without a mount?
I hope someone answers!
Clear Skies.

wvreeven

Hriman ASIAir Pro certainly works without a mount. You can then use it to take pictures and to focus if you have a supported electronic focuser. Without a mount connected to ASIAir guiding can work via the guide camera if your mount has an ST4 port.

Lain402

Hriman But you not going to guide anything without a mount. You need a motorized mount to track the stars and guide. No need to invest money on an ASIAIR if you don’t plan to buy a mount.

w7ay

Lain402 But you not going to guide anything without a mount.

I think what @wvreeven means is that you don't need to connect ASIAIR to a mount.

As he mentioned, you can autoguide without ASIAIR connected to a pulse-guided mount. You can go through a ZWO camera's ST-4 port to the mount.

I do exactly this with Solar work, by the way. I use ASIAIR to focus and capture images through an etalon, but the mount (both a RainbowAstro RST-135 and a Takahashi EM-11) is controlled through the ST-4 port using a Hinode Solar Guider. ASIAIR has no idea there is even a mount.

Chen

Hriman

Lain402 I want to buy EQM-35 and is finalised. But unfortunately it is not in stock.
So I am till then practising untracked and just wanted to know of Guiding will work without mount.

Lain402

w7ay Yes, I still use my iOptron Skyguider guided trough ST4, what I understand is that the OP doesn’t event own a mount or a star-tracker, if so it’s going to be complicated to guide on a tripod… but as @wvreeven said you still can use the AIR.

wvreeven

Lain402 w7ay I did mean without connecting a mount. Without a mount or even a tracker it is nearly impossible to take pics without getting star trails. And without a mount or tracker you cannot guide.

wvreeven

Hriman No, for guiding a mount is needed.

w7ay

Hriman I am till then practising untracked and just wanted to know of Guiding will work without mount.

You can actually practice mount controls such as autoguiding, plate solving, polar alignment, auto meridian flip, etc by using a mount simulator that I had written a while back for macOS to test programs such as ASIAIR.

The simulator takes the place of a real mount and the main camera is replaced by a small camera (can be a guide camera) with a C mount lens. The camera points to the computer's screen which displays the stars (no nebulas :-) that is seen by a main camera that is placed on a real mount. Pick a known good mount protocol (e.g., RainbowAstro) that I have well debugged.

http://www.w7ay.net/site/Applications/MountSim/

Chen

Hriman

w7ay Damn thats a lot of info! I will surely try it once my exams are over.
Clear Skies.

Hriman

Wanted to know that as ASI STUDIO is offering their own Photo Stackers which can very well open FITS.
So according to your experience what do you suggest should I use ASI Deep Stack or "DEEP SKY STACKER"?

Lain402

Hriman Deep Sky Stacker is far more used than Asi Deep Stack that’s is also more basic so you will find more tutos on YouTube for DSS. If you are on Mac you can try Astro Pixelpricessor also.