Guidescope - short tube vs long

[Outbackmanyep]

Hey guys, im just bucking up on my new years resolutions, im gonna try to achieve to have a guidescope set up to my 8" SCT next year!

One thought plagues me is that if i use a short tube 80mm guidescope would it be more sturdier than the long tube??

Whats the difference in the optical quality?? (depending on brand?)

Anybody compared the Short OTA to the standard OTA??

Cheers!

[Bassnut]

The ST80 is much lighter (and cheaper), optical quality doesnt matter squat for guiding. Your guiding will be much better with a lighter guide scope, less load on the mount. I had an ED80 on a Lx200 12" OTA/G11 for guiding, woefull (not the ED80s fault ;-), then I went the ST80, and alls well, The wider field gives much more choice of guide stars too. Use good autoguiding software tho.

[Alchemy]

hmmmm.. interesting, if you only want to guide go the cheaper one, also dont know how sturdy your mount is, that could be a consideration

[Outbackmanyep]

Thanks for the info Bassnut,
The only problem is im not auto guiding, all my pics are hand guided, my PEC mount doesn't have guiding port to use with computers.....
If I'm imaging @ f/10 I'll need a good scope to also see f/10, i'm swaying towards a Celestron C80ED OTA, some good reviews around, the tube dia is 10mm smaller than the Orion ED80.

The pic attached is my scope set-up, Alchemy! :thumbsup:

[Bassnut]

ahh, I see, well then, aperture counts, and a balance between long FL and stars bright enough to see. I still wouldnt worry about optical quality tho.

[Alchemy]

:sadeyes:

never mind a new guidescope will spur you on

[[1ponders]]

Maybe you could try contacting Shoestring Astronomy to see if their EQ autoguiding mod could be modded to suit your setup. I'm sure it wouldn't be too much of a challenge, I mean there are only so many ways a wire can be soldered to the paddle contoller buttons.

[Hagar]

I have just purchased a WO 66 SD from Andrews as a guide scope and it works a treat for $399. It comes with a soft foam lined carry bag and will make a great grab and go scope which will fit on an ordinary camera tripod and has a great 10:1 focuser. I don't see much point in spending similar money on an achromatic which can only be used as a guide scope when you can have something like this and get some use out of it.

Cheers
Doug

[Outbackmanyep]

Thanks guys!
I was thinking of the WO 66 but i was more inclined to think if i get a good enough gidescope i could always image through it as well for wider angle stuff, what i should do is wait to have a look through some scopes and see what appeals to me!
I don't mind hand guiding, at least i know i'll have to be good at what im doing to get good images!

William Optics scopes are pretty good price for their quality, but have never used one myself, but i needed to know how good a Short OTA was on guiderings!


Cheers!

[Outbackmanyep]

I'll look into that!!
Thanks 1ponders!

I'll email them and see what they have got for me!

[[1ponders]]

From all account the 66 is a great little scope. Just be aware that it will not take a standard refractor 2" diagonal, you will need a 2" SCT diagonal if you want to go the 2" route for viewing. You may even need it to image with a DSLR as I am not sure if the standard length SCT to T adapter is long enough to allow focus to be reached. If someone would lend me one I could test it out and let you know;)

[mick pinner]

if your hand guiding you will need a very long f/l to hand guide through especially imaging at f/10, probably f/27>.
l hand guide all my shots and there is a direct corellation between object movement in the final image and the f/l of the guide scope.
hand guiding an imaging scope at f/10 will be a very hard chore indeed.

[Terry B]

Chris
Bring your hand controller with you next week if you are going to be at the meeting. I'm sure there will be a way of connecting it to a computer for autoguiding.