The FAS observatory at Bullington is now equipped for astrophotography. Please note that you MUST go through a training session to use this equipment. Here are the instructions for using the observatory and equipment. This document is very much a work in progress and will likely be updated several times over the next few weeks.
FAS Observatory Checklist (short two page summary of all this)
Start Up
Open The Observatory
Power Up and Align the Mount/ASiair
Start the ASiair App
Operate The ASiair
ASiair App Navigation and Settings
Take Images
Shut Down
Home The Telescope
Shut Down The ASiair
Close The Observatory
Post Processing
Stack Your Images
View Your Images
More
Calibration Frames
Observatory Equipment
Manuals & More Information
Open the Observatory
- Retrieve the key from the lower lock box.
- Unlock the door.
- Push the door open. The door stays locked, so don’t lock the key inside.
- Put the key back in the lock box.
- Sign-in in the logbook.
- Make sure the telescope is horizontal (in the home position).
- Release the Roof Hold Down Latches on either side.
- Use the blue strap and roll the roof back so that it is even with edge of the wall. Do NOT push it beyond the wall.
- Remove the bungee cord and plastic bag that is covering the telescope.
- Hang the bungee cord on the hook and fold the plastic bag up and place it in or on the cabinet in the corner.
- Remove the large dust cover (not the small center piece) from the main telescope and place it on the cabinet with the plastic bag.
Power Everything Up and Align the Mount
- Make sure the roof is open!
- Power Up The Mount
- Turn on the mount power switch, which is on the wall above the cabinet in the back left.
- Turn on the power switch located on the mount itself.
- Power Up The ASiair
- Turn on the ASiair device using the toggle switch found on the ASiair (Turn the switch to |).
- Wait around a minute for a “booting sound”.
- Plug your USB Thumb drive into the USB Hub on the ASiair device.
- Align The Mount (the roof must be open!)
- Find the handheld controller on the side of the mount.
- Follow the directions below and use the handheld controller to align the mount.
Handheld Controller Display | Your Response |
CGE Ready | Press Enter |
CGE Ready / Press Enter to Begin Alignment | Press Enter |
Set to Switch Position | Press Enter |
Please Wait | Wait |
Enter Time | Enter time in Military time (e.g., 19:20 for 7:20PM) |
Select Time Zone | Choose Standard (EST) or Daylight Savings (EDT). EDT is from March 10, 2024, to Sunday, November 3, 2024. Toggle to the correct answer using the [#9 Down] key. Then Press Enter. |
Select Time Zone | Choose Eastern. Then Press Enter. |
Enter Date | Enter Current Date as MM/DD/YY. Then Press Enter. |
Select Alignment | Scroll down using the using the [#9 Down] key to Select Alignment / Last Alignment. Then Press Enter. |
— Optional Below — | The steps below are option – only if you want to align the C11. |
CGE Ready (Optional) | Choose your first target (e.g., M31, or NGC1700) using the [M #1] or [NGC #4] key. |
Enter Number (Optional) | Enter the Messier or NGC Number. Then Press Enter. |
Chosen Object (Optional) | Wait while the telescope homes in on the chosen object. |
Connect to the ASiair Device
- Go to the Wi-Fi settings on your phone or tablet.
- Connect to the ASiair Wi-Fi on your phone or tablet.
- Log onto the ASiair using the password “12345678”
- Open the ASiair App on your phone or tablet. If you do not have the app, download it from here:
- Click on “Enter Device” in the lower right-hand side of the screen that shows an image of the ASiair device.
- The first time you connect to the ASiair, you will go to a screen, which allows you to choose the ASiair device.
- The ASIAir device will be listed on the right-side column in the next screen.
- Choose the device and click on Connect at the bottom of the screen.
- This will take you to the Connected page, where you will see information about our location and the cameras. Review it as necessary and then click ENTER to go to the Main screen.
- On the Main screen, click on the eMMC icon at the top and switch over to your USB drive. The top icon will change to a USB drive rather than the eMMC icon.
ASiair App Navigation and Settings
- The Main screen shows a series of icons across the top. Each will take you to the another page with more details as noted below.
- ASIAIR Settings, including Wi-Fi and other information.
- Main Camera Settings.
- Guide Settings.
- Telescope Settings.
- EFW: Filter Wheel Settings (N/A for FAS).
- EAF: Focuser (N/A for FAS).
- Storage Settings (Files, including storage media). Click and choose your USB drive.
- eMMC – files are being saved to the ASiair.
- USB drive icon – files are being save to your USB drive.
- The Main screen right hand side has icons for the main functions.
- Preview. Go here to take a preview image.
- Focus Adjustment. Don’t do this.
- Polar Axis Calibration. This should be set (don’t mess with it).
- Live Staking Mode. Go here to take live images.
- Planned Shooting Menu. More to come here.
- The Main screen left hand side has icons for various tools (Histogram, Guiding, Crosshair, Annotate Image, …).
- The Main screen lower left has a button with the Big Dipper. Click here to select an object to view.
Take Images using ASiair
Repeat the following steps for each object you wish to image. Make sure you have chosen your USB drive (eMMC or USB icon).
- CHOOSE AN OBJECT
- Click on the “Big Dipper” icon to choose an object to image.
- Choose an object to image. Use your finger to adjust the view, if necessary.
- Wait for ASiair to plate solve and find your object.
- Return to the previous screen.
- SET A GUIDE STAR
- Click on the graph in the top left to set a guide star.
- Click refresh and then the button below refresh.
- ASiair will find a guide star.
- Wait for the graph at the bottom to track and show numbers.
- Return to the previous screen.
- PREVIEW YOUR IMAGE
- Choose Preview from the drop down.
- Click [EXP] to choose an exposure time (say 3 sec).
- Click on Preview.
- Return to the previous screen.
- START TAKING IMAGES
- Choose Live from the drop down.
- Click on Live.
- Click on the menu (three vertical dots and lines) to choose your settings (Light, EXP, Save Every Frame).
- Click on the big white button to start taking images.
- STOP TAKING IMAGES
- Click on the big white button to stop taking images.
- Click on the SAVE button to save the final stacked image.
- STOP GUIDING
- Click on the graph in the top left.
- Click the stop button to stop guiding.
- Return to the previous screen.
Home The Telescope Before Shutting Down
Handheld Controller Display | Your Response |
Not CGE Ready | Press UNDO |
CGE Ready | Press ENTER |
CGE Ready | Click key [#3 Menu] |
Utilities | Scroll Down using [#9 Down] key to Utilities / Home Position |
Utilities / Home Position | Press Enter |
Home Position / GoTo | Press Enter |
Shut Down The ASiair (and retrieve your USB Drive)
- Go to the ”Files” screen on the ASIair app.
- Click on the USB Device eject button to eject the drive.
- Go to the ”Wi-Fi” screen on the ASiair app.
- Slide the red button at the bottom to shut down the ASIAir.
- Power off the ASIAir via the switch on the device itself.
- Remove the USB drive from the ASiair device.
Close The Observatory
- Turn off power on the mount and then on the wall.
- Place the Control Pad in its storage position.
- Replace the main telescope dust cover.
- Replace the plastic bag over the Telescope and secure it with the bungee cord.
- Move the roof to the closed position.
- Hook the Roof Hold Down Latches on either side.
- Sign-out in the logbook.
- Close the door to the observatory.
- Go Home.
Stack Your Images using ASIDeepStack
- Open the ASIStudio App.
- If you don’t have it , download it from here: https://www.zwoastro.com/software/
- You can view and download the manuals from here:
- Open ASIDeepStack to stack individual fit images.
- Add Calibration Frames (if necessary)
- Select BIAS and then click on “Select Bias” to load your Bias frames.
- Select FLAT and then click on “Select Flat” to load your Flat frames.
- Select DARK and then click on “Select Dark” to load your Dark frames.
- Select LIGHT and then click on “Select Light” to load your Light frames (fit files).
- The files will fill the window.
- In the Stack window:
- Click on the folder (ASIDeepStack) to view and remove old processed images.
- Click on the “arrow” to start processing.
- The app will perform the stacking and alignment.
- Click on the “swirly” icon next to the “arrow” to toggle back and forth between a single image and the stacked image.
- Make sure the Auto button is highlighted. This tells the software to automatically stretch the image.
- Go to the Image Processing window, to adjust the final image.
- Click the save button at the bottom right of the image to save the stacked image. The final image is saved in three formats (light_stack_#.fit, light_stack_#.jpg, and light_stack_#.tif).
- Click the question mark in the upper right to display the pdf help document.
- Note that the folder ASIDeepStack is the default location for processed images. Go to settings to change the location of this folder (if necessary).
For more information, see: “ASIDeepStack: What Is It And How To Use It To Stack Files For Astrophotography.” ZWO. August 26, 2021.
View Your Images using ASIFitsView
- Open the ASIStudio App.
- If you don’t have it , download it from here: https://www.zwoastro.com/software/
- You can view and download the manuals from here:
- Open ASIFitsView to view individual fit images.
- Open your final stacked fit file and click on the save icon to convert it to a jpeg, png or tiff image.
- Click on the histogram icon to view the image’s histogram.
- Use the AutoWB button to remove the white balance.
- Use the Auto and Reset buttons to remove and redo the image stretching.
Calibration Frames
Taking and using calibration frames can be an important part of your process.
- Flat Frames: Taken against a white background. These smooth out differences in light intensity due to dust and other impurities.
- Bias Frames: Taken against a dark target. These are used to eliminate camera noise from your images.
- Dark Frames: Taken against a dark target at the same temperature as your imaging. These are used to eliminate thermal noise (temperature differences) from your images.
- Light Frames: These are your images (fit files).
- Point the telescope to the zenith.
- Place the LED Light Pad over the top of the telescope. From the ASiair menu, Choose Flat and the number of images. Return to the main screen and take the images.
- Place the dark page (back of the clipboard) over the top of the telescope. From the ASiair menu, Choose Bias and the number of images. Return to the main screen and take the images.
- Tell the ASiair to use the flat and bias frames in its image processing.
Equipment
FAS’s Bullington Observatory utilizes the following telescopes and accessories. (Need more here)
- A step ladder for people (like me) who are vertically challenged. 🙂
C11 telescope, which is not used for astrophotography.80mm Main telescope and ASiair Main camera.- Five inch telescope and ASiair Main camera.
- Guide telescope and ASiair Guide camera.
- ASiair device.
Manuals and More Information
Here is some additional information including on-line manuals. Note that FAS has the ASiair Plus. The ASiair Pro User Manual is close to what we have and can be used.
- “ASIAir Beginner’s Workflow.” Peter Zelinka/YouTube. November 11, 2023.
- “ASIAir Plus – Review & Tutorial.” Peter Zelinka/YouTube. September 2, 2021.
- “ZWO ASIAIR ULTIMATE GUIDE | High Point Scientific.” High Point Scientific/YouTube. April 16, 2023.
- “ZWO ASIAIR ULTIMATE GUIDE.” High Point Scientific.
- “Everything you need to know to image with the ASIAIR TONIGHT!” Dark Rangers/YouTube. July 7, 2023.
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