ZWO AM5 Review for Visual Astronomy

The ZWO AM5 dan in fact be used for visual astronomy. Not much is talked about concerning this but it can be done and there are actually three methods that I have used so far.

Method 1.
Using an asiair paired with a guid camera and printable guid scope to plate solve the sky and thus point to targets. It takes some extra setup but once you have done it pointing to obscure objects in the sky is so easy it is almost like cheating. Not to mention the reliability of the pointing is superb.

Method 2.
Just slewing to your targets using the hand controller. It is quite simple and this more primitive way of doing it does teach you the sky a lot faster.

Method 3.
This is my favorite. It is easy to use and requires no additional equipment. It is in some ways similar to doing a three star alignment on a traditional mount too. I also think it teaches you the sky better than using an archaic hand controller.

If you would rather read a nice and detailed page on controlling the mont Wido did a great writeup here.

[thomasheatherington]

I purchased an AM5 a few months ago and, until last night, had used it exclusively for astrophotography. Coincidentally, I used it for visual last night (the day before this video was released) for the first time. I used a version of 'Method 1'. Because I have a refractor, I first put the mount into alt-az mode (5 minute process that, for me, involved moving the mount into a different latitude configuration). I aligned the scope physically so that the altitude axis was in line with polar north (starting with the mount in the home position the raising the altitude to the level of Polaris, then rotating the mount head). Then, just used 'solve' in the asiair which took less than three seconds. I could then use the asiair to slew the scope to any target. One lesson I learned: cable management is more of an issue with visual observing. Typically, when doing astrophotography, you are targeting one (or two) objects in a night and cable management around that object is easy. When visual, you could be slewing all over the place in one setting so really testing the robustness of your cable management setup. Also, for me anyway, this was and all-new cable setup so had not been tested before last night. Likely this is more of an issue with 'Method 1' than the other two options. Thanks for the video!

[Amadgaz]

I was just thinking about this last night using a guide scope to position the scope, and then i find your video

[astric.celestiustolls]

Thanks for the excellent review. I have been watching many reviews on this mount and it is good to see everyone's perspective. Perfect timing with the rooster!

[AstroEscape]

LMAO, the rant about hand controllers! I agree, time for an update, along with your point about learning the night sky. Well done!

[thomasmiller]

Good review! Good to see someone who appreciates the telrad😁.

[AstroGuy]

A great video for us visual astronomers wondering whether upgrading to the AM5 would be worth the cost.

[greglisk]

OK! I paniced when you said "You will "NEED" an asiair and a guide scope. You should have started with the simplest method then added complexity and add-ons.

[wanderingbrummie]

Nice review.

Have you tried using it in alt az mode, and if so is there a star alignment routine to calibrate its position so it can then GoTo objects? I don’t want to bother putting a camera and my ASIAIR on, I just want to use an eyepiece and my telrad. I want alt az mode because I think that’s better for controlling to angle at which you view the eyepiece.

[shadowpuppet]

just got my am5 in. was thinking about the visual side last night. to do a polar alignment you have to have a main camera designated in asi air. what im thinking is either using the guide cam as a main cam, or a main cam( when it gets here) do the polar alignment and then switching the guide cam back. then when you slew to a target, turn on the guide cam and sync it. i tried doing just a rough polar alignment last night and it would go roughly to where the object was but it was often off quite a bit. so im thinking the polar alignment is a must, then remove the camera and use eyepieces. or i was thinking about just slewing to a target, centering it, and turning on the guide cam and syncing it to see it it would just track that way. second method seems simplest. but youre right, no one talks about using the am5 visually.

[Peter.A-A]

Great review. And it also looks cool. I know what telescope you are waiting for....🙂

[druid]

Nice one ben. I’m gonna get the am5 too, as soon as the wallet allows. Want to see how it works for DSO photography

[greglisk]

Hi, I've just purchased an AM3, mainly for visual. I was quite dissapointed and surprised to see that when the mount goes into connection mode on start-up (Flashing red/green awaiting connection) it simply never gives up. There appears to be no way to boot up the mount without at least connecting it to my phone via wifi. It will simply sit in connection mode until the end of time. I would really like to be able to simply switch it on and use it as a manual alt-az mount with the hand control, even with no tracking. The hand control is such a pleasure, manual tracking even at high power would be a trat compared to the old slow-mo cables. The mount seems to track in alt-az simply by connecting my phone by wifi without even opening the app. does the mount have all the necessary firmware to track on it's own? Or is it using data from the phone to track?

[davidletz]

Until now I have used my AM3 exclusively through the ASI Air...but now I want to use the hand controller and use sharpcap to do some planetary imaging. So, I connected the hand controller to the mount, powered up the mount, and... nothing. The controller doesn't do anything, and the status light on the mount flashes green and red. Any idea what the issue could be? Thank you!

[snowflakeete]

Thanks a lot for the video. I have a question for method 3, so what is the starting position/ home position for using this method ? Like for EQ mounts scope pointing to north? Or the vertical AZ ALT home position ?

[ShevillMathers]

How much counterweight are you using? They look like 5kg each? Thank you for your presentation. Clear skies from the Southern Cross Observatory-Tasmania 42 South.

[Peter.A-A]

Btw. Since I have not seen this huge light-bucket before. Do you consider them as a good alternative in Deepsky? I mean, if u take like $1000, u get more reflector than refractor, for that kind of money.
🤔😀

[johnadastra]

So how are you doing polar alignment for AP? No polar scope, no adapter for PoleMaster... Maybe use SharpCap with your guidescope, or is PA part of the ZWO ware?

Thanks much :).
John

[charlesowillford]

I have my mount configured Altaz. And pointing North in a Horizontal fashion. How do I sync it so the goto features work? I have the ASI Mount app loaded on my Tab.

[figzastro-photography]

Hey great video. How much weight is the tube and how much are the weights?

[dougrigel]

Do there is no hand controller with goto capabilities like the Celestron or Meade has? You have to use an app?