ASIAIR Mini

Reviews

1. 

   Emanuel Shulman – August 20, 2025

   Comprehensive Review of the ASIAir Mini.
   I give this review as someone new to astrophotography. I consider myself a “hobbyist”, not an amateur astronomer.
   I am using an older Meade 10″ 1600mm f6.3 SCT, a reducer, with a Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro. When I first got my ASI533 ZWO camera, I starting using it with the software on a PC and with my mount. I used a IOptron polar alignment camera to do the PA. Then I would do a 2 star alignment with the mount. Then, if that worked, I would attempt to image a deep sky object. I did have some success, had some nice images of the ring nebula and M13. No filters involved and limited success with stacking. This is an all new learning curve for me.

   I decided to simply things and go for the ASIAir mini. Received it and setup in the backyard during the day to see if it all worked. Everything went well until I tried to get it to talk to my Skywatcher mount. Did some web searching and saw that there might be a driver update needed for the USB port due to the skywatcher mount, or, I could buy a cable that plugs into the hand control port. I ordered the cable from Amazon for $16.

   After some more research that afternoon I found that the USB would work if I selected the Skywatcher WIFI option, then it communicated perfectly via USB at high speed, FANTASTIC.

   I played around with the software on my ipad and that evening I setup the telescope in the backyard. I had intended to do the polar alignment with the Ioptron, but decided to use the ASIAir MINI.

   It took me about 20 minutes to get familiar with the menu options, but then I VERY successfully did a polar alignment with the ASIAir Mini. At first it could not plate solve because I had entered the wrong focal length. I changed it to 0 and the ASIAir calculated it for me. Although my telescope is 1600mm, I have a reducer installed to accommodate the camera.

   I had only “eyeballed” the home position of the mount because I didn’t realize that I did not have to do a star alignment using the ASIAir. I selected the ring nebula and off to the races it went. Due to my poor home position setting, it took two attempts to center the ring nebula. It did a plate solve in 8 seconds!. Then, there it was! I made a few exposure changes, then started the stacking. I stacked 110 images and OMG, it looked amazing!

   I made an attempt to image another object that evening, but the telescope fogged up because in my excitement and rush, I had not put on the dew shield.

   So, what is my thought on this product?

   5 stars our of 5.
   It simplifies my setup, allows me to go inside and control everything, eliminates having to do a star alignment (BIG PLUS), quicker to setup and take down the scope, better images than I was getting on the laptop. It seems very well engineered, and in one evening I had everything working.

   The system with the ASIAir is not complicated as I imagined. I am still in the severe learning phase and am trying to understand how to use the dark and bias images, but that will come with time. I have nobody local to “show me the ropes”, so this is all self taught with the aid of YouTube.

   I would say that the ASIAir is one of the best tools for Astrophotography I own. I cannot wait for another clear night to get out there and play. (I am in NY, so clear nights are hard to get).