Auto-Guider Tutorial - SkyGuider Pro & Star Adventurer (2021 Edition)

Just wondering how accurate/practical the guiding is since there is only 1 axis that can be controlled (right ascension) with the SGP. Perhaps I'm not understanding the guiding correctly but the declination can only be adjusted manually.

Just discovered the channel as I have a Skyguider pro, sadly the manufacturer has discontinued the item. 😢

Thanks for fantastic video. Just a quick question. ZWO 120mc -s I've heard opinions color camera is not good for guiding. What do you say to that? Tia

Peter - Thank you for this video. I had a couple of questions:

While making adjustments to the camera, you mention to turn the auto-guider off. While the guiding is off, does the tracker continue to provide tracking (unguided) ?

I would hate to lose the target while fiddling with the camera.

Thanks!

hi, love your videos. in this video you mention of using PHD2 for the guiding, can PHD2 be used for capturing images as well? Or we should use a different software for capturing the images. like NINA?

very good tutorial, thanks for posting

Using a AsiMini looks like a good option if USB 3 is not needed?

Does the guide scope camera need to be orientated in a specific position inside the guide scope?

Fantastic tutorial and teaching style. Thanks for giving so much time and effort like this

Thanks for this very detailed and informative informations. Very very useful for me. Thanks again :)

A bit confused here. When you talk about the workflow at the 22.22 mark you say after step 5 is when you turn on guiding. Don't you mean Tracking!? You need to start the mount to track first, then you can turn on Guiding in PHD2 right? YES? NO?

Do you control the DSLR by the USB cable or by the Shutter cable?

I have a stupid (but really stupid question). Do i still need to do the polar alignment first?

I do not see blue line but yes white line?

Nice video. One question. I have bought stellarmate and I want to connect my ioptron skyguider pro to it. So I can make adjustments only in ra axis. Should I use usb cable or some other cable

This was so helpful! Thank you Peter for being so precise on the tutorial!

Maybe a stupid question but I seem not to find this in any guide out there. On the star tracker you have a dial. Do I put it on star tracking or in APP mode? Thanks for answering. I have a Star Adventure i2 tracker.

Excellent video however I've run into a still unsolved issue that others may have encountered. After following each step of the tutorial all appears fine. The issue I have is that once I connect my ZWO ASI 294MC Pro camera through my normal procedure (simply plugging in cables) PHD2 indicates that I'm using "another camera" and the Advanced Settings/Camera Properties panel defaults to the pixel size (4.63) of the main camera and not the 3.75 that it should be for the guide camera. All gear being used is the same as shown in the video. I'm pretty well stumped at this point. Any attempts at calibration result in failure.

super helpful and detailed video thanks, used it last night to image Elephant Trunk Nebula with my SWSA and ASIAIR, thanks.

Insanely helpful for a senior Newbie.Great video! I'm on my way!

What about AZ GTI in EQ-Mode?

Thank you, great info... Clear Skies..

I enjoy your videos and manner of presentation very much. I recalled that you had the ZWO 120mm mini as a guide camera, but recommended the 120mm-S largely due to the USB-3 interface. On that recommendation I purchased the 120MM-S, but now I can't focus it properly on my William Optics Uniguide 50/200. I'm stuck. Any suggestions?

hey
what could be the problem if the red line goes far off the chart in the first min almost every time
it's just the polar aligment or should be something else?

Great video! So to be clear, once I am done shooting one object, say a galaxy, and move the camera to another object, do I need to run the calibration again, or just let PHD2 pick another star in the new sector I am working in?

This is a pretty good tutorial! Thanks mate

Lacerta mgen autoguider is much better, has standalone features so you do not need to rely on your phone or any other machine for a similar price but less stuff to bring with you...

Can you please put up entire list that I need other than camera and lens to get this setup?

Thank you for the tutorials. I have a question, the auto guiding with sky guider pro only can do if we already have good polar alignment, right?

Your videos are just too good, you're by far the best guy explaining these details for newcomers like me. Thanks

I have the Star Adventure pro 2i and I use an Astro-Tech 70mm ED APO on it. I have bought all the Arca Swiss adaptors to attach my 50mm guide scope to my L bracket on my 60D. I haven't used ASIair for polar alignment but I have used Sharp Capture Pro with its Polar alignment procedure. I plan on using my guide scope to do the polar alignment with my DSLR.

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Good morning Pete, do you have an alternate option for the ASIAir Pro/ Plus? They seem on permanent back order/ out of stock. Thank you.

I bought the ZWO 120 mini and guide scope, followed your video to set it up with my Sky Adv Pro 2 and Laptop, worked perfectly! Thank you!

such amazing videos!! how much you want to bet that pro is a arduino !!! I am thinking of having a giant solid concrete block poured out back and setting up my camera on that. surround it with "gym matt" so me walking around is isolated from the ground a little and that giant multi thousand pound concrete block should provide some good inertia. just got to save up for the goodies!

As always, great detail, thank you

This is a great tutorial as I have tried some others and seem to make this process rather complicated. Your video is superb in that it clearly walks you through the equipment required for basic guiding. I have a similar set up but have a HEQ5 mount, but should be simple enough to make the necessary adjustments. I will be taking notes from your video and translate them into my first PHD2 guiding session in the near future. Well done :-)

I really appreciate this video Peter. I appreciate your calm, focused manner in outlining the steps one by one. This makes it easy to use this video, almost as a checklist. This video wil help so many in bring the wonder of our world into a better view. I live in a fairly light poluuted area and was mostly trying to use SharpCap to giude and image with my Star Adventurer but it would just never work correctly. It doesn't take long to realize what a steep learning curve astrophotography is and videos like this help make it so much easier.

Hi, excellent video. Why is the camera not attached directly to the mount and mounted on a spacer block or something? I have my camera attached directly to the Star Adventurer. Whats the benefit of doing it your way?

Peter, I have a Canon RP. I don’t see any L-bracket on the side. Do certain cameras come with the side bracket attached or is it available on the market to attach it to a camera? If so, there are no 3/8” screw threads for an attachment. Forgive my ignorant questions. Thanks.

Great job, well done! Highly appreciate your contribution. Keep going on!

I'm having trouble getting through the video. Your voice makes me want to fall asleep. Just kidding. I picked up a svbony 32mm f4, and a usb camera module. Now I need to print out a holder for the camera. I haven't settled on the tracker quite yet. Was planning on using the svbony for polar alignment to start with.

Thank you very much for making this video. I am very sick and have always wanted to take up photography and astrophotography really interests me so as a bucket list sort of thing I bought a star adventurer 2i, guide camera and scope, modified mirrorless camera, and the ASIAIR Plus. I have been beating my brains out trying to figure this all out but was becoming disheartened. THEN ..... I saw your video. You explain things in a very detailed and articulate way that even I am now looking forward to doing this. Thank you again. I don't know what the cost of your courses are but I will certainly be looking into it.

I guess the days of hand guiding and Tech Pan film are long gone....LOL

Question.

If iOptron Skyguider only has RA motor, this means we can only control RA axis. Does this mean that all the autoguider is doing is minimising the internal gear mesh error in the Autoguider RA assembly? And that only makes sense when precisely polar alligned?

For the cameras can you buy the colour version of the camera or do you need the mono version in order to use it as an auto-guider? I'm guessing the colour camera is more useful if you want it to do double duty later on and work both as a camera for an auto-guider and for imaging planets.

Awesome tutorial, Peter! Hope I should be able to do autoguiding my SkyGuiderPro mount soon, Thank you for sharing the tutorial.

hi Peter, nice video. I'm trying to make your recommendation, I have a Sigma 150-600, Nikon Z5, FTZ Adapter mounted on top of my Star Adventurer, and I add the guide camera just like you do with the L Bracket. My problem is with the weight distribution, this is with a decline towards where the guide camera is, I can't balance it. How did you manage to prevent it from swaying to one side?

Looks like that Model of auto tracker isn't made any more.