The tracking speed is set at 1X for sky imaging. If I travel to South Texas, say the Texas Star Party (29 degrees), I need the low latitude version. Make sure that the tripod of your telescope mount is as level as possible. 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. With this solution you can still use your polar scope when you are traveling. How do these compare? The same process applies when using a small star tracker to take wide-angle nightscapes using a camera and lens. It can also help an equatorial mount user do polar alignment with the polar scope. The iPolar Electronic Polarscope in the RA axis of the SkyGuider Pro. Does the i-Polar only connect & work with a PC/Laptop? Uses in your polar finder scope. Im trying to decide on Skyguider pro with ipolar or without. So perhaps now it is OK (haven't checked lately), but technically Polar Scope Align is always more precise, as it calculates things like stellar aberration, nutation etc which are often ignored as they don't make a practical difference to your polar alignment. Because the Polaris is not exactly coincide with the Earth's rotation axis but rotates around it, one should know the exact hour angle of the Polaris to adjust (rotate) the finder. One of the reasons I made Polar Scope Align was because the iOptron app was way off back then - it took them a few years of mucking about to even match their hand controller, it was quite bizarre (maybe they had outsourced the app?). Set up is a breeze and can be done in 5-10mins tops and it can be carried out during those dusk hours thereby not wasting viewing/imaging time. Developers can show information here about how their app collects and uses your data. This tutorial is for users in the Northern Hemisphere, who are able to view the North Star, Polaris. The app uses the best algorithm to calculate the position of Pole Star: The algorithm calculates 3D space motion of the Pole Star itself, precession, temperature and barometric pressure corrected atmospheric refraction, nutation, parallax, aberration, and etc.). Can the ioptron ipolar also be used for guiding? Trevor, Nice review . I just got the Sky guider Pro bundled with i-Polar. Seeing as how this mount was designed for portability and simplicity, its an upgrade that may not make sense for you. is iPolar software available only on Windows? But longer exposures put a higher demand on tracking accuracy and polar alignment, and thats where the iPolar comes in. 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. Its this level of accuracy that users of the SkyGuider Pro have been asking for. Now, Stellarium and Polar Scope Align both calculate the effect of atmospheric refraction, so they will give you a different position from the most simplistic apps (the lower your Latitude, the lower Polaris will be shown lower - for an inverted reticle), so you are not to compare it with those, although if they are correct, at the 6/12 hour mark Long story short, here are my questions: 1. It's the feature described on this video if you haven't seen it. Simply put, you need to make sure that your telescope mount is rotating on the exact same angle the sky turns on. Edit: I saw the comment that you have to go to Settings > Apps > Permissions and give it Location permissions and now the GPS Longitude works. Calculation of parameters and characteristics of telescopes using different eyepieces and visualization. Thank you very much Trevor. The only trailing now was in declination due to the polar alignment being a little off. Regarding the Ipolar, is is sensible to fit along with an Asiair Plus? - Where is the polar viewfinder of my EQ6? 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. The purpose of this simple application is to quickly initialize your synscan. or to your computer?, to take the black photo and to take the 4 star photo. Now you can get familiar with Astronomy by identifying stars, planets, and constellations. Here is a look at the image I was able to capture using the iPolar for polar alignment on the iOptron SkyGuider Pro: Results using the iPolar for polar alignment of the iOptron SkyGuider Pro. This utility helps you solve this problem by graphically showing you the current position of the Polaris. Use the two outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper to help you locate Polaris. instead of my full name pls. The overall weight of the telescope attached will determine how hard it will be to turn the bolts. While Im intrigued by the iPolar, Im even more interested in that red aluminum-looking alt-azi base under your SkyGuider. What is it? How do these compare? The reticle can be illuminated in a range when rotating (I would say several degrees of difference can still make it lit). The equipment used in this example a Sky-Watcher HEQ5 German equatorial mount. How to Polar Align Easily in PHD2 Drift Align. Is it better that I upgrade my Skyguider pro with Ipolar or ASIair as you use a phone with ASIair. You'll need to enter in the lat-long coordinates of your location, which you can easily find online or using the GPS on your phone. Turn the knobs a few times while looking through the polar scope. All users should download a new copy from the link below. Just change the gain adjustment and exposure length until about 10 stars are detected. Note: This app is a companion for the Polar Loop, Polar Loop 2, Polar Loop Crystal, Polar A300, Polar A360, Polar M200, Polar Polar Beat is the ultimate free sports and fitness tracker app from the pioneer of wearable sports technology. 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. Polaris can be spotted in the sky quite easily, as it is much brighter than any surrounding stars in the immediate area. Restore the portability of the SGP. For those lucky enough to have a permanent home observatory, you can be sure that every measure was taken to ensure that the telescope mount and pier were precisely polar aligned. I am getting a star guide or tracker setup for an upcoming workshop. You may have noticed that I am using the upgraded William Optics wedge to mount the SkyGuider Pro, and this certainly makes this process a little more enjoyable. To maximize the benefits of the iOptron polar scope for polar alignment, you need to know where the Polaris is in . would you please edit my name in the comments to Mel The lack of dithering was evident in the data, and would have helped to reduce noise in the final integration. It features a large aperture optical telescope and a computerized GoTo mount. See the rest of the astronomy apps I recommend. This is Canons latest astrophotography camera, and it has some seriously impressive specs (like a full-frame 30.3 MP astro-modified sensor). Now, I am not overly technically sound, so it was a bit unnerving to open the SkyGuider up with a screwdriver. Polar alignment is critical to the tracking accuracy. The app needs to be purchased separately at an extra cost, but alignment is a breeze once installed. Polar alignment is the process of accurately aligning the polar axis of your mount with the north (or south) celestial pole. 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. Get the Polar Scope Align App. Please make sure you have an ASI 3.0 camera and your android devices supports OTG. iPad Polar Scope Align will calculate the position of Polaris or Octantis in your Polar Scope reticle for your location (using your phone's GPS or manually), allowing a quick and accurate polar alignment. Updated Review: Menu button started appearing magically. 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. 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. Since 2017, Ive captured several deep sky images with the SkyGuider Pro, with a DSLR camera attached to a camera or small telescope. Am I correct in that assumption? It Nightshift is the ideal free night sky app for the experienced amateur astronomer as well as the casual stargazer. But if its your travel/quick setup rig remember that you have given up your ability to polar align the mount without software assistance. It can also help an equatorial mount user do polar alignment with the ASICAP is a capture application on android devices for ZWO ASI USB3.0 cameras. Pro version of PolarFinder no ads. The information you have provided is invaluable. You simply download the iPolar software and calibrate the camera on the RA axis of the mount. With the polar alignment dialed-in thanks to the iPolar, I was able to shoot 4-minute exposures at ISO 1600 on the North American Nebula and surrounding area. For anyone that has used the QHY PoleMaster, this experience should feel very familiar and comfortable. The bracket has a slot that will allow you to polar align with extra photography equipment attached. Originally developed as Google Sky Map, it has now been donated and open sourced. With my Astrotech 72 ED and Sony A6500 I can currently get two minutes with my skyguider no star trails. 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. 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? Your email address will not be published. !Affiliate links for First Light Optics below. - When the moon will rise and set ? I recall being able to shoot 2-minute subs on my old Celestron CG-5 without autoguiding, thanks to the All-Star Polar Alignment routine. The nice part about the PoleMaster is, you dont need to kneel down or contort your body to look through the polar finder scope, or worry about entering the time and date to the handset. Thanks for pointing out the typo! Thanks Trevor for you hard work and clear and informative videos ! Nightshift helps you find perfect nights for stargazing, assists you in observing your favourite planets, meteor showers and deep-sky a simple portable mount for travel purposes like iOptron SkyTracker, AstroTrac or StarAdventurer. Trevor, Ive gotten a ton of inspiration and guidance from you these last few years. I have used this with my iOptron Sky Guider Pro and my AVX mounPS t many times. Sky Map is a hand-held planetarium for your Android device. Think of a polar scope, the Ekos/Sharpcap routines, or the iPolar program as a quick and simple approximation. Automatic Time/Location. Home | Hi Trevor, Nice upgrade from iOptron. Its not absolutely necessary, but at least youll know that the star is completely centered, rather than close enough. 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. The method how we achieve it is called polar alignment and it starts with a rough alignment of the RA axis. This will be magnetic north though so only an approximation. Thanks for the additional information. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Has anyone ever done this or is there an accessory tht would accomplish this? If I get 4 minute exposures, how will I deal with the light? I must say, the iPolar experience and software felt very familiar, which isnt a bad thing considering how much I love the PoleMaster. Im now connected to a laptop for polar alignment, as Ive removed the visual polar scope completely. The SynScan hand controller is now available as an app on your smart device. These are unguided sub exposures at 250mm (thats actually 400mm when you factor in the 1.6x crop factor). My second question is whether to not to go with the ipolar? Raising review to 4 stars. I think this is the easiest visual way to Polar Align, when you get used to it, it can be done in under 10 mins. It's the other way around. Olivier. PolarisView is a useful utility to assist you while you align your GEM or equatorial mount for your telescope for your An app for Astronomy and Astrophotography enthusiasts. You can see any stars, constellations and deep sky objects you are watching in Stellarium Mobile Sky Map is a fully-featured planetarium for your phone. It implements a most direct and simple method of the polar axis, and it can be realized on the mobile phone. It displays this information on a screen so you can quickly make the adjustment to the mount. When the red dot fully covers the red cross, you are all done. If so then use the star adventurer mini console. iPano AllView Pro Camera Mount. Depending on the telescope mount, the view through the polar scope may be obstructed when the telescope is in the rest position. It is mandatory when you want to track with 400mm focal lenth for 4 min. Late June may have the shortest nights of the year, but it sure beats spending extended periods of time outside in the cold winter months. I bought the SGP with ipolar already installed and had it working in minutes linked to my MacBook Pro running V1.1 of the native MacOS software. The free version simply called "Polar Scope Align" includes: Wizard to calculate your reticle centering offset and correct or compensate for it. so its not possible to Dither with SkyGuider Pro + iPolar? GPS update was made shorted for quicker refresh. For more video tutorials and astrophotography tips, please subscribe to AstroBackyard on YouTube. When loaded up, use the polar clock utility to show where Polaris needs to be in your polar scope (you need to put your location into the app). Community Forum Software by IP.BoardLicensed to: Cloudy Nights, This is not recommended for shared computers, Morpheus Eyepieces on sale at EyepiecesEtc.com, Dual-band 7 nm instead of uv/ir cut for quark, OTA to suit CGX with view to Astrophotography, The NEAF Report from nPAE Precision Astro Engineering. These knobs work in the same way that the altitude adjustment bolts did. The SynScan hand controller is now available as an app on your smart device. It can handle up to 14 lbs of gear, which means that small refractor telescopes like the William Optics RedCat 51 are no problem for the SkyGuider Pro. I used all 62 x 240-second exposures in my final image. It is now a matter of moving the mount left or right until Polaris comes into view. If you are setting up during the day, a compass will do the trick. A polar scope makes aligning the polar axis of this mount with the North celestial pole much easier. Then upgrade to the Pro version. With camera & ball-head my equipment tops out at 5lbs.