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Old 23-04-2015, 10:03 AM
gaston (Gaston)
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Glenmoore, PA, USA
Posts: 46
ONAG Helical focuser

I thought you maybe glad and interested to know that all ONAG (SC and XT) models come now with a helical focuser for the guider.

Also OPTEC is going to release in few weeks a beta version of a new software, known as Focuslock, which implements the SharpLock technology for any applications supporting ASCOM devices, such as Maxim-DL, The Sky X, PHD, ...

A quick comment on NIR guiding. The seeing (FWHM, or HFD) drops as the 6/5th power of the wavelength. This means that between 500nm (mid visible) to 800nm (mid ONAG NIR guiding range) the seeing improves by about 70%.
Since there is less star wander the tracking is smoother, but also the guide star is tighter, leading to a better SNR, which offsets partially the drop in flux, if any, while using NIR starlight only.
More than 70% of the main sequence stars have surface temperature below 3700K, radiating a lot of NIR (for further information on this matter you can visit http://www.innovationsforesight.com/...-infrared-nir/).

Clear skies!
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