Trevor thank you for your excellent review. - what is the Polar Clock is a lightweight, easy-to-use app, designed to help with the setup of an equatorial mount. iOptron SkyGuider Pro - Frustration - Digital Photography Review Use the mount's (optional) dovetail L-bracket and counterweight shaft with the counterweight attached. Peter Zelinka | iOptron SkyGuider Pro Review I am just starting out with the SkyGuider Pro with iPolar and a Williams Optics z61 and heres my noobie question do I point my camera towards Polaris whe I first start using this? I like the Polar Scope Align app as it has other reticles if I ever get something else (unlikely). Before you can use the IPolar camera, you need to take a dark frame click settings and the then, leaving the IPolar cap on, take a dark frame. Any regrets With iOptron Sky Guider + iPolar? - Digital Photography Review Connect the VNC client to the Server an do the alignment from your phone. In fact, there are currently more than a dozen iOptron mounts compatible with the new iPolar device: I know that owners of the iOptron SkyTracker Pro star tracker have been looking for a solution like this for some time now. I think that that iOptron should develop a smartphone app and connect to the camera with wifi or bt. SharpCap can help you align the RA axis of your telescope mount with the NCP by comparing images. It is important to note that the tripod needs to be pointing North before leveling. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The North America Nebula in Cygnus is a large, bright, and beautiful target thats located in an area full of hydrogen gas including the impressive Pelican Nebula. Just change the gain adjustment and exposure length until about 10 stars are detected. Thanks again! My second question is whether to not to go with the ipolar? For anyone that has used the QHY PoleMaster, this experience should feel very familiar and comfortable. This guide originally appeared in the February 2022 issue of BBC Sky at . Ive been extremely satisfied with the results Ive achieved using this method of polar alignment, but its time to push the SkyGuider Pro mount even further. or you did the polar alignment with all the combo on the mount? When astronomical observations or imaging is done using an equatorial telescope mount, the right-ascension (RA) axis should be parallel with the rotation axis of the Earth to avoid star-trails and errors in guiding. As long as you are not near the equator you can set the expected temperature / atmospheric pressure by clicking the Default Atmospheric settings button. Am I correct in that assumption? would you please edit my name in the comments to Mel **Telescopes**https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescopes/ref/astrolavista/ **Mounts**https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-mounts-by-type/ref/astrolavista/**Cameras/Astrophotography**https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astro-photography/ref/astrolavista/ **Eyepieces**https://www.firstlightoptics.com/eyepieces-barlows/ref/astrolavista/ **Filters**https://www.firstlightoptics.com/filters/ref/astrolavista/ **Accessories**https://www.firstlightoptics.com/accessories/ref/astrolavista/**Binoculars**https://www.firstlightoptics.com/binoculars/ref/astrolasvista/ I used all 62 x 240-second exposures in my final image. Thank you very much Trevor. I have found that these do not seem to affect anything if left at the default settings I have not changed them since. !Affiliate links for First Light Optics below. Lastly if one was just shooting with a DSLR and camera lens oh, would you also recommend a ball head attachment to the Skyguider pro? No human interaction required when iOS devices can using location service normally.iOS users can manually enter the location when location service is unavailable. As for the rotating RA and polarscope just rotate it so that the illuminated reticle is lit and oriented the same as it is displayed in your polar alignment reference (I use the Polarfinder app on my phone)! so its not possible to Dither with SkyGuider Pro + iPolar? Polar Scope Remember, all features & updates are free forever, the only in-app purchases are donations (tip jar). APT Darkness Clock (APT DC) is a free app without ads, that calculates the suitable time for deep sky astrophotography or observing in selected night and location. It doesn't have exactly that function. The only thing I cant decide on is whether or not I should get it with iPolar or not since I am by definition, a beginner. I like the Polar Scope Align app as it has other reticles if I ever get something else (unlikely). ioptron SkyguiderproASIairipolar. It is mandatory when you want to track with 400mm focal lenth for 4 min. The process involves removing the control board and unplugging a few small cables. In the meantime since more people asked I did check the current status of the iOptron app and it doesn't look good And a quick tip: To ensure your 12:00 position is spot-on, center Polaris on the center-line and then adjust your latitude up and down. First off thanks for creating this awesome community, I found many a helpful information on your website and at channel. Just hold up and point the device to the sky and have fun! I enjoy the simple setup and dead simple software to polar align the mount however, Ive now lost some of the portability of this mount. Best regards While the SkyGuider's polar scope does work well, for precise alignment iOptron offers a version of the SkyGuider Pro equipped with their iPolar camera, for $600. We'd love to hear from you! And most of all, we hope you'll enjoy the products as much as we do. In beta testing at the moment but I can tell you it works exceptionally well. A William Optics RedCat 51 Refractor mounted to the iOptron SkyGuider Pro. Old Review for Historical Purposes: Useless on a Pixel 3 with Android 9. Long story short, here are my questions: 1. Using IPolar to polar alignment once it has been fitted and aligned is really easy and is my goto method for fast and accurate polar alignment. In my latest adventures in the backyard, Ive set up the iOptron SkyGuider Pro once more, but this time Ive added a rather simple device that makes a critical step of the astrophotography acquisition stage process easier, and more precise. The NexStar series of SCTs have been around for over a decade, and I was finally able to experience this beginner-friendly telescope for myself. Thanks for the additional information. Hi! The best astronomy and stargazing apps for your mobile phone. There are a number of tools you can use to help polar align your equatorial mount, such as: PolarFinder Mobile App SharpCap Software Polar Alignment Feature iOptron PoleMaster Electronic Polar Finder The Importance of Balance Speaking of balance, the actual balancing of the weight on top of the mount (the payload) is extremely important. Map iOS Polar Finder - Apps on Google Play Aligning using its electronic polar finderscope and iOptron Polar Scope app is simple, and like most of its rivals, it also tracks the sun, moon and allows 1/2-speed motion time lapses at night. Absolutely brilliant wealth of information. You can get a pretty good polar alignment with this in the middle of the day or night. This narrowband filter blocks nearly all light from hitting my camera sensor except for very specific wavelengths emitted from emission nebulae like the North America Nebula. Im in Dallas at 32 degrees. Its this level of accuracy that users of the SkyGuider Pro have been asking for. Im about to purchase my first tracker, and Ive chosen the SkyGuider Pro. To get closer to your objects, fit a longer, heavier lens. I often use them as their graphics are better than the HC display. Hi I use polar alignment pro app it does everything right from setting the mount it also does day time alignment I found it to really good I checked it again last night I polar align using the polar scope then checked with the app and was spot on. Mobile Observatory Free is the perfect tool for anybody interested in the sky's wonders, from the occasional sky gazer to the passionate amateur astronomer. If you do not have a mobile device or internet connection where you are setting up your telescope, you can try Polar FinderScope software online. Nam Glad to hear this was useful for you its a great option for SkyGuider Pro owners. The app is free, no contributions or ads and I have several upgrades already in the queue. There's also a "Wiki Align" section, useful for beginners - which details a . you can do the same thing with software such as SharpCap or with a system like the ASIAIR using you main imaging camera to do your polar alignment so no separate alignment camera needed at all For Polar alignment you don't really need an app, however, there's an app for Android called 'Calibration' which will clibrte your phone's accelerometer then give you a compass so you can see where 'north' is. Its a rather simple process for German equatorial mount (GEM)owners. It can also help a Sky-watcher equatorial mount An app for Astronomy and Astrophotography enthusiasts that use a German Equatorial Mount for your telescope. Is it better that I upgrade my Skyguider pro with Ipolar or ASIair as you use a phone with ASIair. iPano AllView Pro Camera Mount. The closest function to what you ask, is if in the DSO Database you go to Sorting->Configure and press "select by pointing" - then pointing the phone to the sky and clicking "Select Point" will list the objects from the catalogs you have selected that are closest to where you are pointing. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. The lack of dithering was evident in the data, and would have helped to reduce noise in the final integration. Quality tutorial/review. The telescope mount should have a latitude scale posted on one side, with an indicator of what latitude your mount is currently in line with. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. A step-by-step walkthrough of my deep-sky astrophotography process. Trevor, Ive gotten a ton of inspiration and guidance from you these last few years. In a very short time, Telescope Zoom Camera improves your Zoom Level and expand your View. iOptron offers their own electronic polar scope for the SkyGuider Pro - the iOptron iPolar - which can be hooked up to your computer/laptop. Can the ioptron ipolar also be used for guiding? Review: List - ioptron.com These cookies do not store any personal information. Do I need am extra scope and camera or is it possible with the iploar and laptop? In my latest video, I captured a wide-field deep sky object using an impressive little star tracker, the iOptron SkyGuider Pro. As a beginner, am I better off starting without the iPolar, or should I jump to the improved technology? for the Great Red Spot and Olympus Mons: I was looking at the William Optics base. Polar Scope Align Pro 4+ - App Store iOptron Skytracker Pro Review -Best Photography Star Tracker? Hi Tom. Continue this balancing act until the North star appears in the approximate horizontal plane that was displayed in PolarFinder. I show how t Polar Alignment App Part 1 of 2 -. This is the first Android app predicting whether SynScan Photo can control a Skywatcher AZ-Mount(i.e. Also, when entering longitude manually, regardless of whether you set it to display degrees, minutes, and seconds, or decimals, you have to enter the longitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Its not absolutely necessary, but at least youll know that the star is completely centered, rather than close enough. Use this app to program the SkymemoT for astrophotography and time-lapse photography. It is really a great app. 1. So many utilities you never knew you needed. I have a question that I found no answer from the manual and the web. I'll be looking up some of those apps mentioned myself now. Does the i-Polar only connect & work with a PC/Laptop? I recently used it to polar align my iOptron Sky Tracker Pro. But if its your travel/quick setup rig remember that you have given up your ability to polar align the mount without software assistance. Scope Friend nutzt die GPS-Funktion und Bluetooth um sowohl die genaue Zeit, als auch die Position zum Teleskop Handcontroller zu PolarDrift calculator is a simple polar alignment assistant tool helping astrophotographers to solve the question of optimum polar alignment sufficient to minimize the effects of field rotation. With a focal length of 250mm (400mm equivalent with a 1.6X crop-sensor DSLR), the RedCat will fit this entire area in a single field of view. Your email address will not be published. Ill have to try it out soon . Even a careful polar alignment routine that is slightly off will begin to negatively affect your images after about 2-minutes. Your email address will not be published. Anyway, I digress. It is now a matter of moving the mount left or right until Polaris comes into view. I have a Samsung Galaxy S8. The same process applies when using a small star tracker to take wide-angle nightscapes using a camera and lens. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. No matter what app you use,you need the "hour angle" of Polaris to determine the relative position (rotation) of Polaris to the north celestial pole (NCP). And the stunning images! You will need to adjust the mount to your current latitude using its altitude adjustment bolts. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "aee7cbd88a234c02efcd4b6a9c202fef" );document.getElementById("cfd2c22fe2").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. Now, go back to the Altitude adjustment bolts to raise or lower the mount further. Map Android | Deep Sky Tracking: iOptron's SkyGuider Pro Tracker - When the moon will rise and set ? The final image includes 62 x 4-minute exposures for a grand total of 4 hours and 8 minutes. You may find this information via an iPhone/iPad app (iOptron Polar Scope in Apple iTune store). Trevor, Nice review . It's the feature described on this video if you haven't seen it. Make sure to view the current position of Polaris in your mobile app, and make any adjustments necessary to your mount.