"Sock" guiding

[multiweb]

Here's a quick tip for anybody who's got one of those GSO 8x50mm scope finder. The ring that holds the plastic cross hair eyepiece has a little lip (5-6mm) that's nearly the same size as the internal thread diameter of a QHY5. It's a M42x0.75 pitch. If you just put a thead on that part you can screw your guider directly on the finder and start guiding out of the box. You will reach focus. It guides very well with PHD. You can guide out a C11 with it. I don't know how it would hold at F/10 but it certainly work very well with the hyperstar, which is equivalent to a 5" at F/5, 2.5 arcsec/px image scale. So in short you'll guide as good as guiding through an ED80 at prime focus, which is significantly heavier. Food for thought. :) :thumbsup:

PS: the sock keeps the dew off. The other finder is because my alignment is so good I still need to see where I point. :P

[DavidU]

Awesome idea! The sock idea is great too.

[multiweb]

I've got the same model with a black sock ;)
Here's 1x10min guided on Achenar from last night thought the finder. I think it is very reasonable.
The odd corners are caused by my collimation at this stage, not guiding. Still in the process of aligning my C11 optics. That's the uncropped field from the C11 1:1. It's looking better and better.

[AlexN]

For someone who just picked up a GSO 8" Newtonian telescope with one of these finders attached, this is awesome news. I was wondering how I was going to go about attaching a guide setup... I was however considering cutting the finder tube down by a little bit and wedging a 2" to 1.25" adapter up the butt end of it.. giving me the ability to easily put the QHY5 into that, then switch it back to the ZS70ED that is hard bolted to the TMB's rings..

Tee hee hee!! Free guide scope! :D

[multiweb]

It's simple and elegant. Light weight. No flexure problems. (with the guider at least)