Beginner’s Guide to Camera Setup & Technique for Meteor Photography

 Beginner’s Guide to Camera Setup & Technique for Meteor Photography

If you’re anything like me, you may be feeling a little frustrated recently. I headed out to capture the Leonids a few weeks ago and was completely defeated by thick cloud cover. Now I’ll be waiting impatiently for the next decent shower - the Geminids - in December. At least the nights will be longer and darker by then. And this year, 2025, the moon will be just past the last quarter - so, not so much of an issue. Controllable! 

But if you’ve never photographed a meteor shower before and want a solid, beginner-friendly guide, read on. This will walk you through everything from location scouting to camera setup and even how to composite multiple meteors into one stunning final image.

Geminids - copyright PhotoPills website 

 Lets start with some basics - what is a meteor? 

They are bright flashes of light that move quickly across the night sky, caused by pieces of dust and debris from space entering the atmosphere - where they slow down and burn up. Meteor showers are periods when there are a larger number of meteors, normally because the Earth is moving through a trail of debris left behind by a comet or asteroid. 

So, this December, where should you be looking to catch a glimpse of a Geminid meteor or two? 

The Geminids emanate from the constellation Gemini. Look for the two bright stars Castor and Pollux. Find Orion - locate Rigel and Betelgeuse - draw a line from Rigel to Betelgeuse and keep the line going for the same distance to find Castor and Pollux. This is where the Geminds will appear from. 

Location: Finding the right spot is half the battle in meteor photography. Look for:

·       A dark sky site ideally bortle 3 or darker – the darker, the more fainter meteors you’ll catch

·       Big open sky view, especially to the sides of the meteor shower’s radiant. The wider the unobstructed sky around you, the better.  

·       Aim your camera 50 – 60 degrees above the horizon – it avoids the murky lower atmosphere and keeps star trailing manageable.

·       Cover at least 40 – 60 degrees in all directions from the radiant – Meteors fan outward; they won't appear right on the radiant itself. On the other hand, if you do aim towards the radiant, you will get shorter trails but show clearly how those trails appear from a single area of the sky.

·       Best time - typically after midnight until dawn, when the radiant is higher and your side of Earth is hitting more debris.

I'll add a note of controversy here which I will pick up again later - but you need to decide whether or not to include a foreground. You maximise your chances of catching a trail if you don't. On the other hand, foregrounds provide a beautiful context to a meteor trail. 

 

Equipment: you don’t need high end gear but there is some basic kit that makes it easier:

·       DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual controls

·       Wide angle lens (14 – 24mm) – I use a Samyang 14mm f/2.0. Wider = more sky = higher chance of catching meteors.

·       Sturdy tripod – keep it at mid height for stability and easy access to your camera controls

·       A programmable Intervalometer with 2” gap between exposures – prevents buffering issues and reduces sensor heat. One that is ‘lockable’ is a bonus.

·       Dew band – to stop your lens fogging

·       Plenty of batteries + memory cards - Continuous long exposures drain batteries fast and eat storage. Every hour or so when you re-align your frame (see below) – check your SD card, batteries and dew bands – you don’t want them running out or ‘fogging’ building up on your lens.  I tend to use a dummy battery powered by a large power bank in my camera – eliminating the ‘battery’ worries.

 

Framing your shot: Composition matters—beautiful images come from more than just catching a meteor.

If shooting sky only:

• Some astrophotographers try to keep the radiant in one corner of the frame.
  Meteors streak outward across the sky, so you want surrounding space. I centre my camera at around 60 degrees above the horizon and then decide which cardinal direction I will focus on. I then orientate my camera – by ensuring the long axis of the frame points back towards the approximate radiant position.
• If you choose the ‘long-axis’ orientation method above, remember to realign your frame every hour or so, as it will have drifted off alignment.
• With an ultra-wide lens (14 mm), don’t zoom or crop—you want the maximum sky coverage.

If adding foreground: A well-chosen landscape element can add scale and visual interest – but remember, at the sacrifice of sky area

• Include trees, hills, coastline, or architecture to give scale and grounding.
• Mind the balance of light vs. darkness—too much empty sky can feel flat.
• Try test exposures before peak activity to refine your composition –
• Use the rule of thirds loosely: horizon on the lower third if you want the sky to dominate, and foreground or radiant near intersection points for a dynamic feel.
• A diagonal element (a tree, rock formation, or shoreline) can help lead the viewer’s eye toward the radiant.

Helpful tool:

·       Use a star-chart app (Stellarium, SkySafari, Star Walk) to locate the radiant before you start shooting.

 

Copyright: stargazing website 

Camera settings on the night: These settings are a solid baseline and work for most cameras.

• Shoot in RAW. You’ll want maximum flexibility for noise reduction and colour.
• Manual mode for both exposure and focus.
• Long exposure noise reduction: OFF. Otherwise, your camera takes a dark frame after every shot, halving your chances of catching meteors.
• Drive mode: Continuous shooting.
• Aperture: As wide open as your lens allows (f/2.0–f/2.8).
• Focus:
• Set lens to manual focus.
• Use live view to zoom in on a bright star.
• Adjust until it becomes a precise point.
• Tape the focus ring to stop accidental movement.
  (Infinity marks are notoriously unreliable.)
• ISO: 800–3200. Darker skies allow higher ISO without too much noise. I normally start at 1600 on my test exposures – which I tend to do for 20 – 30”.  Overexposed? Shorten exposure length and take another test shot.  
• Shutter speed: 15–30 seconds.   Longer exposures increase meteor-catching probability but introduce star trailing. Start with 20–25 seconds, zoom in to check star sharpness, and tweak as needed.
• Capture as long as you can -  Once the setup is dialled in, shoot continuously for 1–2 hours without moving the tripod.

 

Practical Tips for a Successful Meteor Session

• Be patient. Even during peak showers, meteors can come in clusters with quiet gaps.
• Avoid moonlight. A bright Moon washes out faint meteors and reduces contrast.
• Let your eyes dark-adapt for at least 20 minutes. Use a red torch to preserve night vision.
• Check weather and cloud forecasts (satellite maps are best).
• Dress warmly! Layers, gloves, hat, and insulated boots are your best friends.

When you get home, check your images – download them to your laptop/computer and go through each frame – looking for that trail! Don’t get confused with plane or satellite trails!  Rename each ‘genuine’ meteor trail by just adding a prefix letter at the end of its file name.

 

How to Capture and Composite Multiple Meteors

Capturing a single meteor is exciting—but capturing dozens in one polished image feels magical. Here’s how to create that iconic composite.

Step 1 — Capture your sequence

Shoot hundreds of frames as described above. If you’re lucky, 5–15 will contain visible meteors.

Step 2 — Choose a base image

Pick your cleanest frame:

• sharp stars
• no meteors
• minimal cloud
• well-exposed foreground

This becomes your master background.

Step 3 — Prepare your meteor frames

In your editor (Affinity Photo, Photoshop, etc.):

• Open each RAW file. In affinity photo – that would be in ‘develop persona’
• Apply minimal corrections: lens correction, light noise reduction, exposure, and white balance.
• Do not crop or rotate—perfect alignment is crucial.

Place each meteor frame as a full-size layer above the base image.

Step 4 — Blend with “Lighten” mode

Set each meteor layer’s blend mode to Lighten.

This reveals:

• the meteor streak
• any stars brighter than those in the base frame

…and hides the rest.

Step 5 — Mask out unwanted areas

For each meteor layer:

• Add a mask
• Use a soft brush at 20–40% opacity to remove clouds, plane trails, or light pollution.

Step 6 — Final polish

• Global exposure + white balance adjustments
• A gentle noise reduction
• Curves adjustment to add subtle contrast
• Optional: light high-pass sharpening on meteor layers

When everything looks natural and cohesive, export your final image.

 

Final Thoughts

Meteor photography mixes patience, technique, and a bit of luck—but when everything comes together, the results are unforgettable. With preparation, the right settings, and a thoughtful workflow, you can go from “I hope I get one meteor” to creating stunning composite images full of movement and wonder.

 If you want further information about shooting meteors - i found this presentatiuon by PhotPills vcery useful: https://www.photopills.com/articles/meteor-shower-photography-guide#step12

 

Imaging session IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia

 Imaging IC 63 – The Ghost of Cassiopeia

A few nights ago, I finally met up with two exceptionally talented astrophotographers - WA Emery Photography and Snapadile Dundee Photography - down at one of my favourite haunts: Wembury Beach on the South Devon coast. It’s the sort of place where the sky feels close enough to touch, like someone has lifted the lid off the world and left the universe steaming gently in the cold night air. Both gents have their own Facebook page by the way, if you are interested in seeing some of their astrophotography work. 

These two know their craft inside out. Spending time with them is like sitting beside some seasoned sailors I know, who can read the sky the way others read newspapers. Luckily, I’m a lifelong learner—happiest with a notebook full of new ideas, and a mind grappling with fresh tricks and techniques.

WA happens to own the same mount as me—the EQM-35 Pro. His was bought new and ‘serviced’ by Dark Frame Ltd; mine is a well-travelled third-hand veteran that’s survived three different owner styles!  Anyone who owns this mount knows balancing it can feel, on occasions, like coaxing a rusty gate to swing smoothly - thanks to Sky-Watcher’s famously “thick” factory grease in both RA and DEC.

(I have done a beginners guide to doing a meridian flip with your ASIair Mini - here - https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/beginner-tutorial-how-to-set-up.html )

To my surprise, my old mount wasn’t quite the cantankerous creature I believed it to be. After WA let me try balancing his setup, mine suddenly felt less like a “drifting spacecraft fighting micro-gravity tumble and more like a mount settling calmly into alignment.”

I started imaging IC 63, the Ghost of Cassiopeia, at around 19:00. For a while, everything ran beautifully. Then came the meridian flip at 22:00 - and the night then suddenly unravelled like a dropped ball of string.

I’m convinced meridian flips on the ASIAir Mini qualify as a dark art. That few minute lead up to the flip – the app timer taunting me, watching my confidence peak… only to be let down after flip time passes – crushing disappointment!

WA’s flip was perfect, effortlessly done, as if ASIAir itself were bowing in respect to his considerable knowledge and professionalism. Mine? My mount stared at me with all the enthusiasm of a mule refusing a steep hill. I had to flip manually, losing twenty minutes reframing. Then the guiding decided to misbehave. Star trailing everywhere. No tweak, nudge, setting, or prayer could fix it. Maddening. Infuriating actually!

Regardless of my technological stupidity and mount mutiny, the night itself was pure magic - crisp, cold, and clear. The new crescent Moon dipped behind the Great Mewstone around 20:00, scattering a last golden shimmer across Wembury Bay like an artist dragging a paintbrush of light golden hues over dark water.

At around 19:00 we caught sight of a Starlink launch low on the southwest horizon - a surreal greenish glow followed by a pearl-string parade of fast-moving satellites racing into lower Earth orbit. For a moment, it felt like the universe was staging its own UFO sci-fi theatrical moment just for us.

Between sips of hot coffee and glances at each other’s ASIAir screens, I learned settings and functions I didn’t even know existed. A proper steep learning curve - but a satisfying one. Despite the guiding wobbling, I managed steady 7-minute exposures, though it’s clear my mount is ready for that long-overdue service; WA was pulling off flawless 10-minute subs like it was nothing.

As the temperature dropped, the cold crept up from the gravel car park, chilling our bones, despite all our thermal layers and double duvet jackets. Breath plumed into silver clouds. Hands stiffened. But the Primus jet boil, flasks of hot drinks, and an unhealthy quantity of snacks kept the icy bite at bay.

I can’t speak for WA or Snapadile, but I loved every moment. Their advice, patience, and generosity made the night feel less like a solitary mission and more like a shared adventure beneath a friendly sky. Thanks guys. It was great meeting you both; masters of your craft and generous with your tips. Appreciated.

 

Equipment Used

• Canon 800D with clip-in Optolong L-eNhance filter
• William Optics Zenithstar 61II + 61A field flattener
• Sky-Watcher EQM-35 Pro mount
• ASIAir Mini + ZWO 120mm guide camera + RVO 32mm guide scope
• Celestron Lithium Pro power tank
• Dew bands (main + guide scope)
• Two small power banks dedicated to dew bands
• Dummy battery + power bank for the Canon 800D
• MSM green laser pen with polar alignment adapter
• Sky-Watcher right-angled polar viewer
• Neewer intervalometer

Shooting Details

• 15 × 420″ lights at ISO 1600
• 15 darks
• 25 bias
• 25 flats

 

Sometimes I get so excited to start imaging that I forget to do the basics. “More haste, less speed” - a lesson the night drove home. I checked my test shots on the rear viewer, but not the histogram, and only later realised everything was slightly underexposed. The histogram peak was kissing the left edge—not clipped, thankfully, but not ideal. Longer subs or ISO 3200 would’ve made a world of difference.

Still… even with technical gremlins, underexposed frames, and a rebellious meridian flip, it was a night full of learning, talk, laughter, and starlight. The Ghost of Cassiopeia may be faint and elusive, but the memories from that cold Devon beach feel anything but. A cracking night, top stuff.

I have fallen behind with my post editing recently, but I will add my first effort on this DSO as soon as possible - so keep checking back on this page to see a 'first' result. I will also share my post editing work flow of the image as well. 

Update: well here is the final image

This is how it came out of post editing using Siril 1.4. YES! I have updated to Siril 1.4 and I have also downloaded the SetiAstro Cosmic Clarity Suite Pro as well! 

Huge step forward and lots of time following various Youtube channels to understand the basics.  I am currently writing/researching my final workflow order and when I have finalised it - I will publish it as a separate post. Suffice to say that the above image was my first attempt. 

So to the image below: 

My second attempt with some finishing off in Affinity Photo. I think this image is still too noisy and the nebula is overcooked - I overstretched it - again! But it is an improvement is it not. Maybe you don't. 

Let me know which image you think looks better and why - in the comment box below. Also drop in any tips to help us improve images such as these using SIRIL 1.4 and the Cosmic Clarity suite with GraXpert too. 

In the meantime, clear skies to you all, stay safe out there and have great fun observing and imaging

Steve  PlymouthAstroBoy 

PS: Finally, to the videos that helped me get started on the new Siril Version with Seti Astro python scripts - here they are - I suggest you subscribe to this guy if you haven't done so already - wonderful stuff - Astroislander 

and don't forget this channel - an absolute game changer where learning Siril is concerned: 

Deep Space Astro 

Beginner tutorial - how to set up a meridian flip on a ZWO ASIair Mini

 How to Set Up Meridian Flip in the ASIAIR Mini

My experience of Meridian flips using the ASIair Mini and my EQM – 35- PRO mount has not been a good one thus far – twice I’ve failed to get a meridian flip to work. However, a few nights ago I saw what it should look like and gained some useful tuition from WA Emery, when we were both imaging down at Wembury.

So, in this post, I go through

·       What the meridian flip is

·       What you need to check before programming one into your ASIair

·       How to make the settings changes

·       What happens during the flip

 

Let’s get stuck straight in then:

A meridian flip is an automatic manoeuvre that slews the telescope to the opposite side of the mount when the target crosses the North-South meridian; preventing a collision between rig and mount and continuing your imaging session safely.

 

Before you start, make sure:

·       Your mount supports GoTo and ASCOM/EQMod protocol when used with ASIAIR

·       Your mount is correctly balanced on both sides

·       You’ve done a successful polar alignment

·       You’ve checked that plate solving is working and is correct

·       Your time, location, and mount parameters are correct in the ASIAIR app

To program the flip:

·       Connect Your Mount in ASIAIR as normal

·       power everything up and open the ASIair app

·       Connect the ASIAIR Mini to your mount (via USB cable or WiFi depending on mount).

·       Confirm mount is set to "Equatorial" mode.

 

This will all ensure that your ASIAIR knows the mount’s exact position and orientation to calculate when the meridian will be crossed.

 

To enable the Meridian Flip in the app:

 

·       ASIAIR App → Mount → Meridian Flip Settings (may be AMF – auto meridian flip)

·       Toggle AMF to on - This tells ASIAIR to monitor the mount’s RA position and automatically execute a flip when needed.

·       Enable Auto-Guiding Interaction – mount – flip settings menu – ‘stop guiding before flip’ - you need to enter the number of minutes you want to stop guiding before the flip – I normally do it 3 minutes before the flip time – which you can find at the bottom of the app screen. Your ASIair app and mount will work together now to identify when your imaging object will cross the N/S meridian – and it will stop the guiding (but not the tracking) X minutes before hitting the meridian line.

·       “Do AMF X minutes after Meridian” – this is how long you want your mount/guiding to wait after passing the meridian before slewing to target once more, plate solving and resuming guiding and shooting images.

Next:

·       “Recalibrate After Flip” is optional (usually not needed with high-quality mounts) but I do it because it prevents guiding from fighting the flip and ensures post-flip guiding resumes cleanly on the opposite pier side. Again, enter a time for when the mount/guiding will resume after the meridian flip.  

Points to note:

The bottom of your screen shows the time to elapse before a meridian flip is required.  I always watch my meridian flip to ensure no cables snag during the process. Remember, if your imaging exposure time risks crossing the meridian flip time, the ASIair will stop imaging before the flip so that you don’t get a partial image. This means it could be a lengthy wait before things resume the other side of the flip – e.g. 3 mins stop before flip +cancelling a 5mins exposure+ 5mins after flip+ restoring guiding and plate solving – you could lose 15 – 20 minutes of imaging time for the whole process to complete.

 

When you have entered your settings, all you need do is then start an imaging plan or autorun as you’d normally do.

Once started, the ASIAIR will display a Meridian countdown beneath the mount info (e.g., “Meridian in 32m”). The flip will only occur during an active imaging session.

 

What Happens During the Flip (Automatic)?

 

When the flip moment arrives, ASIAIR will:

·       Finish the current exposure

·       Stop guiding

·       Slew the mount to the opposite side

·       Plate-solve to re-centre your target

·       Restart guiding (with/without recalibration based on your settings)

·       Resume imaging

 

I hope this helps – this is the crib sheet for my next outing to ensure I haven’t forgotten to do anything. I will let you know how I get on.  You can find another tutorial here about the ASIair Mini which I wrote back along - https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-using-autoguiding.html

In the meantime, as always, if I have forgotten any stages, got anything wrong or you just have some further tips to make a meridian flip experience better, do drop a comment below so we can all better learn.

Clear skies, stay safe and have enormous fun as always

Steve

PS I found this video useful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOZFmxMBbZM

What's in the night sky for December 2025?

 What’s in the night sky for December 2025?

December 2025 features the Geminids meteor shower peaking around December 14th, the Super Cold Moon on December 4th, and the winter solstice on December 21st. Key celestial objects to find are bright Jupiter in the east and Saturn in the west, with Mercury visible in the morning sky before its greatest western elongation on the 7th. 

Meteor showers

• Geminids: A major highlight, peaking around December 14th with up to 120 meteors per hour possible.
• Astrophotography tip: The peak occurs when the Moon is a thin crescent, providing excellent dark skies for capturing this shower.
• The Ursids:  Also active, peaking around December 22nd with lower rates (up to 10 meteors per hour). 

Planets

• Jupiter: The brightest object in the evening sky, visible in the east after sunset and moving towards opposition in January.
• Saturn: Visible in the south-west in the early evening. It sets earlier in the month as December progresses.
• Astrophotography tip: Look for the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters in the constellation Taurus
• Mercury: Best viewed in the pre-dawn hours in the southeastern sky, with its greatest western elongation on December 7th.
• Neptune: Will require binoculars or a telescope to spot, located near Saturn in the constellation Pisces. 

Other events

• Super cold moon: The Full Moon occurs on December 4th and is a Supermoon, meaning it appears larger and brighter than a typical Full Moon.
• Winter Solstice: Occurs on December 21st, marking the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
• Andromeda Galaxy: Can be seen in the southern sky on darker nights. 

Astrophotography tips

• Meteor showers: The Geminid meteor shower is ideal for photography due to its high rate and the favorable moon phase.
• Planets: Consider capturing Jupiter or Saturn, but remember they are best viewed from a location with less light pollution.
• Deep sky objects: The Andromeda Galaxy and the Pleiades star cluster are excellent targets for astrophotography, but require darker skies. 

1st Dec		This blog gives some excellent astrophotography targets for the month: https://starwalk.space/en/news/december-deep-sky-objects
2nd	Ganymede’s shadow crosses Jupiter’s disc 0610 – 0925.	This website adds further to the calendar details shared here: https://starwalk.space/en/news/night-sky-tonight-december
4th	98% lit waxing gibbous moon occults M45 Pleiades from around 0300. Uranus is 4.6” south of the moon at this time. Full moon at 2315 – a perigee full moon today	If you want to image Orion during December, this website gives so good targets to try and image or visually observe: https://elanvalley.org.uk/uncategorized/eyes-on-the-night-sky-december-2025/
6th	Ganymede reappears from behind Jupiter around 0235
7th	Mercury reaches greatest western elongation – 20.7 degrees west of the sun in the morning sky - meaning it is at its farthest point from the Sun from our perspective.  87% lit waning gibbous moon this evening – sitting 3.5 degrees from Jupiter around 1900.	The ideal time for spotting Mercury will be just before dawn on 7 December, looking to the east. However, its not prudent to observe Mercury through a telescope as it will be very close to the sun and you risk pointing your scope directly at the sun as it rises
8th	Titan transits Saturn between 1730 – 2350 Callisto begins transit of Jupiter between 0210 and 0620
9th	Low altitude views of Saturn around 2348. Should see Titan and Rhea as well.
10th	Regulus is occulted by the 66% lit waning gibbous moon around 0718 during brightening dawn twilight
12th	Ganymede is eclipsed by Jupiter’s shadow around 2355 – reappearing around 0558 on 13th.
14th	Peak of Geminid meteor shower – with little interference from the moon (in a waning crescent phase)
16th	Titan occulted by Jupiter’s globe – 1623. Reappears 2205. Callisto occulted at 0744. Ganymede completes transit of planet – 1800 to 1950
21st	December Solstice
22nd	Peak of Ursid meteor shower
23rd	Ganymede’s shadow transits Jupiter’s disc 1947 to 2308. Ganymede does its transit 2120 to 2309
24th	Titan transits Saturn 1625 to 2305 Io, Callisto all transit as Jupiter rises.
25th	Watch out for Santa and his sleigh transiting everything after dark!
30th	Ganymede’s shadow crosses Jupiter’s disc 2158 to 0123 on 31st. Ganymede itself transits 2300 to 0228 on 31st.

Sources "Sky at Night" and "High Scientific"

Imaging session on NGC 1499 The California Nebula

 A Night in the Back Garden Under the Stars

Target: NGC 1499, the California Nebula
Mood: Mischievous Backyard Astronomer

There are glamorous observatories on mountaintops… and then there’s my back garden: a patch of grass with a steep incline above it, and a band of trees that act like they own the southern horizon. A slice of sky that runs from the northwest around to the east. Everything else? Hidden behind a wall of woodland darkness, as if the universe pulled a curtain halfway across the stage. Frustrating? Absolutely. But also, oddly charming.

I often joke that imaging from the back garden is lazy astronomy—as if I’m somehow cheating the grand tradition of freezing atop windswept hillside car parks. Yet, every time I do it, I feel delightfully wicked, like a child raiding the biscuit tin when no one was watching. No packing the car. No driving at ungodly hours. Instead, I get to nip inside for a cuppa or catch a bit of TV while the mount gently whirrs away outside under the stars. The nightscape? Hooting owls, prowling cats, and the occasional fox strolling down from the woodland like it’s popping by to check on my guiding graph.

Shamefully luxurious behaviour… and I adore it.

A few months ago, in the spirit of “back garden decadence,” I upgraded the observing area. I installed three perfectly spaced patio slabs for my tripod. Then I brought some colourful 12mm children’s foam jigsaw mats to lay across the decking. Functional? Extremely. The deck turns into something between a skating rink and a death trap this time of year, and those mats keep me from performing accidental gymnastic routines while carrying expensive optics.

So, a few weeks back, on a crisp moonless night, I finally aimed for NGC 1499. From the kitchen table (aka mission control), I could see the mount through the window while stirring hot soup and basking in the warm red glow of my head torch. I seem to feel the cold more these days—an unexpected betrayal, considering how many winters, long ago, I spent stomping through snowfields or dangling from an ice axe on frozen waterfalls. Back garden astrophotography, therefore, feels like a snug loophole in the universe’s rules.

Despite the suburban light pollution, I managed several solid hours on the nebula over two nights. Below is the kit list for anyone curious—or for future me, when I inevitably forget which power bank ran what.

 

Equipment

• Canon 800D with clip-in Optolong L-eNhance filter
• William Optics Zenithstar 61II with 61A field flattener
• Sky-Watcher EQM-35 Pro mount
• Guiding: ASIAir Mini + ZWO 120mm guide cam + RVO 32mm guide scope
• Celestron Lithium Pro power tank
• Dew bands on main and guide scope
• Two small power banks dedicated to dew bands
• Dummy battery + power bank for the Canon 800D
• MSM green laser pen with polar alignment adapter
• Sky-Watcher right-angled polar viewer
• Neewer intervalometer

 

Imaging Data

Night One

• 30 × 360" lights
• ISO 1600
• 12 darks
• 20 bias
• 30 flats

Night Two

• 43 × 360" lights
• ISO 1600
• 15 darks
• 20 bias
• 30 flats

Guiding behaved surprisingly well for an un-serviced, third-hand mount. The RA axis is a little stiff – a bit like me – a ‘sometimes’ reluctant older bloke getting out of a comfortable chair. Nothing disastrous with guiding - RA hovered around 0.80, DEC around 0.90. Honestly, not bad considering I’m still getting acquainted with the ASIAir Mini and its app.

This was my very first rough post edit of the data and I’ll update this post further once I process the images properly; and I will share my full workflow - warts, wonders, and all. Stay tuned for a hopefully better edited California Nebula in all its crimson glory!

As always, collecting thge data is the easy bit

Post editing is a dark, dark art though! 

I am still getting to grips with how SIRIL v1.2.6 works. Throw in GraXpert and then also learning how to use Affinity Photo 2 - and it all fries my brain.

As always, the same issues are cropping up in my post editing work flow - over stretching, noise etc. 

On the bright side? Two years ago I knew absolutely nothing about photography, astrophotography, basic astronomy - so I am making some progress - all be it is small baby steps! 

Equipment review: - A review of the ASIair Mini from ZWO

 New to this blog, then welcome, and after reading this post why not stop off here and find out more about me and this blog at https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/welcome-to-my-new-astronomyastrophotogr.html

Some pieces of equipment feel like they earn their place in your kit bag. Others, feel like they deserve a small shrine to techie ingenuity!

My ASIair Mini is one such beastie which needs a shrine! A palm sized marvel of technology that punches above its weight. Equal parts tech wizardry and control tower, in this blog today, I review my ASIair mini, 9 months on from purchasing it. The good, the bad and occasionally the plain baffling! So, I’ll cover

·       A very quick tour of its key features

·       Outline its standout advantages

·       Examine its quirks, drawbacks and disadvantages

·       Review what other users and reviewers say about it

·       Who I think the ASIair Mini suits

And, if you are new to the ASIair Mini cosmos, you might want to also check out my beginner’s tutorial to setting up and using the ASIair mini on your own rig.

https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-using-autoguiding.html

Copyright for all images  - Alan Dyer on Cloudy Nights forum

So, let’s start with:

Features I like

Hardware & connectivity – is it the Swiss army knife of astrophotography hubs? Let’s find out.

• Compact size & light weight. It really does fit in the palm of my hand and is lighter than many eyepieces I own
• Made of CNC-machined aluminium, giving a sturdy, dust/dew-resistant body. It just looks compact, elegant and efficient (I’m so shallow!). A ’premium gear’ vibe.
• Built-in WiFi antenna supporting 2.4GHz and 5GHz for wireless control from phone/tablet.
• USB Type-C port (for e.g. connecting to computer or export) and 4 × USB 2.0 ports.
• Four 12V DC output ports (to power accessories such as camera, dew heaters) and a DSLR shutter release port.
• Power monitoring: A mini mission-control in the palm of your hand - the unit allows monitoring of input voltage/current, and reports temperature, devices connected etc. Not just smart, its ‘thoughtfully’ smart!
• Software/firmware features: Plate-solving for alignment, polar-alignment routines, focusing assistant, multi-target planning, image stacking on-device (for supported cameras) etc.
• Storage: Internal eMMC storage (e.g., ~32 GB) for saving captures. But you can use a usb stick in one of the usb ports as well

 

Workflow & usability

Tired of a spaghetti mess of cables, laptops, power bricks? The Mini may well feel like a breath of fresh night time air for you!

• You can use a smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android) to control the camera, mount, guiding, focus, filter wheel etc. Moreover, I can do it from the kitchen! Make a cuppa, keep warm, monitor everything happening outside – its living the dream!
• All-in-one imaging hub: The Mini replaces a laptop + multiple control boxes + messy cables with a simpler one-box solution. A simple portable rig without a power-hungry laptop etc – brilliant.
• Good WiFi range: I can go back in the house, sit in the kitchen and it still works.
• Imaging feature set: The app supports tasks like focusing (with curves/HFD), plate-solving, dithering, calibration frames, filter switching, auto-guiding, multi-target sessions. Confession time – I haven’t even scraped the surface of some of these functions yet! I literally learn something new every time I use it!

 

Here is my take on advantages, but I also researched this on some of the popular forum threads.

Advantages (What the Mini does well)

1.      Simplified setup & workflow
It took me a couple of sessions to work out the basics. Like deciphering hieroglyphs, but that maybe because I’m a tad dim. It does make astrophotography much easier — especially for deep-sky imaging – centralising everything and reducing cable clutter, eliminating the need for a laptop etc. It’s probably the simplest and most user-friendly controller around.

2.      Portability & power efficiency
So compact and low-power compared to a full laptop – brilliant for my “grab-and-go” setups. The aluminium body makes it robust for field use and a good WiFi range gives flexibility in positioning. It is easy to switch between my two rigs. A backpacking astronomer’s dream!  

3.      Integrated control & monitoring
Many reviewers and users commented on the fact that having power-ports, USB ports, monitoring of voltage/current etc means you can run camera, mount, focuser, heaters etc from one hub — reducing separate controllers. It’s a conductor orchestrating your astrophotography symphony. Now, I haven’t done all this yet – mine acts as a hub connecting the mount, guide camera and DSLR camera (which it does easily). I run dew band heaters from a separate power pack. Autoguiding and dithering run very well by the way. Basically, it has plenty of bells and whistles for beginners new to astrophotography to be getting on with.

4.      Strong value
Weigh up its capabilities against its price and its real value for money. The price point relative to capability is often mentioned in reviews. I got mine bundled with the ZWO 120mm mini guide cam and also a guide scope.

5.      Good support for ZWO ecosystem
If you already own ZWO cameras, focusers, filter wheels etc, then the integration is generally ‘plug and play’ heaven – seamless integration.

 

What comes in the box 

Now there are disadvantages with the ASIair Mini; its less shiny side is where it gets a little tricky – some are to do with the unit itself but many are to do with the control app. No product is flawless and the Mini is no exception.  

Disadvantages / Limitations (What to watch out for)

No product is perfect, and the Mini has several caveats noted by users & reviewers and me for that matter.

1.      Hardware compromises (to achieve “Mini” size/price)

o   The USB ports are all USB-2.0, not USB-3.0. and some reviewers note that full frame cameras will not work with the live stacking feature.”

o   The unit lacks some features of the larger ASIAIR Plus/Pro models: e.g., there is no Ethernet port.

o   Because of its simplified / cost-cut design, some more advanced features and high-end workflows may be constrained. Not ideal then for ultra-demanding setups.

2.      Ecosystem lock-in
A frequent criticism: you are somewhat locked into the ZWO ecosystem (cameras, focusers, filter wheels) if you want full functionality. The Mini plays nicest with its own family! Software not including drivers for cameras, focusers, or filter wheels from competing manufacturers and where it does occasionally occur, you aren’t guaranteed full, smooth integration. My tip? Do a compatibility check before buying if you have non-ZWO gear already.  

3.      Software/firmware stability & glitches
Some users report bugs, wireless disconnects, or setup quirks. And this is a major issue I feel – put it this way, once I got mine set up and working, I switched off automatic update on the app. Why? Some of the app upgrade releases have on occasions come with bugs, stability issues, random disconnections and more. It isn’t often but it is frustrating when it happens.

4.      Power supply caution
The Mini needs a proper power source – ideally 12V/5A. Underpower it and you risk instability. A power bank of say 12V/1.5 could endanger the electrical integrity of the ASIair. Hence, I run dew band heaters off a separate power bank, just to play safe.

5.      Not optimal for very high-end / high-speed camera workflows
Running a large camera sensor? Doing high speed planetary imaging? The USB-2 ports become a bottleneck if you are trying to connect many accessories such as camera+guide cam+focuser+filter wheel+USB stick.  The Mini may struggle in workflows that demand very fast data transfer, live-stacking full-frame cameras etc.

6.      Avoid “cheap” cables/adapters that may cause voltage drop or mis-outputs.

7.      App/User-interface quirks

o   Some beginner users find the app somewhat unintuitive initially and mention that the downloadable PDF manual is lacking specifics, outdated and rather vague on some important aspects. I really had to rely on YouTube experts and then draw up my own guide sheet when first using it as there was so much to take in. I strongly urge you to check out my other post with its videos and ‘cheat sheet’.

o    Plate solving bugs with the ASIAIR mini crop up - completely failing GoTo – is one I occasionally experience it’s as frustrating. The telescope develops schizophrenia, traversing in a seemingly random direction, confirming a plate-solve on your target but pointing to a completely different area of the cosmos. Makes me a very confused stargazer at times!  My solutions have been to check the sequence of powering mount vs the Mini. (Turn on the ASIAIR Mini first, then mount/power gear. Also, make sure plate-solving and GOTO are correctly configured; check mount parameter settings, orientation, and that image orientation is correct.)

o   Freeze firmware updates if you have a working setup. Some users recommend not updating immediately after app/software releases or waiting to see feedback in forums after a release. As I have already said, miner is permanently frozen on one version and I haven’t updated it since, with no ill effect thus far.

 

Recommendations: What rigs the ASIAIR Mini suits (and which it doesn’t)

OK, getting into dangerous territory now, as I am still a beginner to this, but here are my thoughts:

Best suited rigs

The Mini is particularly well suited to:

• Portable / field rigs: especially “grab-and-go” setups where you want minimal cables, quick setup, remote control from your phone/tablet.
• Deep-sky imaging with mid-sized sensors: If you have a camera of moderate size (e.g., APS-C or smaller), and you are doing exposures of a few minutes, the Mini will work well as the hub controlling mount guiding, camera, focuser, filter wheel.
• ZWO ecosystem users: If your camera, focuser, filter wheel etc are ZWO branded, the integration will be smooth and you’ll benefit from the Mini’s streamlined workflow.
• Simplified rigs / beginners: For someone looking to avoid the complexity of a full PC + multiple control software, the Mini gives a more “plug-and-play” experience and is a good choice for those who want quick results. No headaches here!

A very similar set up to my own rig

Less suited rigs / when to consider something bigger

You might consider a more advanced controller (or a full PC) instead of the Mini when:

• You are using large-format sensors (full-frame or very high-megapixel cameras), or doing high-speed imaging (e.g., planetary, lucky imaging) where USB 3.0, more bandwidth, and faster I/O matter.
• Your gear is heterogeneous, i.e., a mix of non-ZWO cameras/focusers/filter wheels, or if you want maximal flexibility across brands. The Mini may limit you due to driver/support constraints.
• You need advanced/custom scripting, very complex automation, or run multiple heavy tasks (e.g., very large mosaics, heavy live-stacking) where a full PC might be more robust.
• Your power supply situation is marginal or you are using a lot of accessories drawing from the Mini’s 12 V outputs: you’ll need to ensure a good battery/power rig, otherwise you might face instability.

My verdict

If you said “Steve, you are biased about this piece of equipment”, I think that would be a fair challenge. I think the ASIair Mini has made my astrophotography real fun. It has stripped away complexity, clutter and laptops! A very capable, well-designed controller for deep-sky astrophotography, uncomplicated, portable simplicity and wireless control. I think it fits the bill for a first standard deep sky astro rig with an APS-C size camera, smaller refractor, decent mount or larger tracker. From my perspective, it is excellent value. Now, as a beginner, I know I will not be upgrading my kit until I have better understood and mastered some of the post editing skills, so I’ll be keeping the Mini for some time to come. A trusted co-pilot in my cosmic adventures.

On the other hand, if your ambitions are “enthusiast/pro” level with large sensors, many accessories and multiple brands, you might consider stepping up (e.g., to ASIAIR Plus/Pro or a dedicated mini-PC) so you don’t outgrow the device. And, don’t forget, you are locked into the ZWO ecosystem regarding other accessories such as focusers, filter wheels etc.

Bottom line – The ASIair Mini is a pocket-sized computer for your astro rig – smart, efficient and on the whole quietly brilliant. It won’t do everything, but what it does do, it does exceptionally well in my experience.

The ZWO ASIair Mini teamed with my Canon 800D, a RVO 32mm guide scope with ZWO 120mm mini guide cam

and below the rig mounted on my EQM-35-PRO mount 

This review gives some more details that you may find useful: https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/astro-gear-today/reviews/zwo%E2%80%99s-new-asiair-mini-reviewed-r4669/