Cventer:
Hi: I'm into this astrophoto disease thing too. And in my the New CCD Astronomy book by Ron Wodaski, he says that even with a german equatorial mount correctly aimed to the Earth's polar axis, there would be some star giggling pattern caused by backlash in the worm and worm gear.
That's if you're not using an autoguiding camera. But when you use that autoguider, it corrects for PE as well as tracking error due to not so correct polar alignment.
Maybe you already know that. But I too am trying to use PHD to make my pics better and no trail or gerk to my stars. Also, too I have an ST-2000XCM (dual sensor camera), but only got the main sensor to work with PHD. There maybe an ASCOM non complaince thing going on that won't allow me to use the guide CCD on my 2000XCM.
And yeah, I'm excited because soon I'll have my cool 80 ED from Orion semi APO scope. That should better allow me to do autoguiding.
In the mean time I've been trying to use a little 1/4-20 threaded mount on the top of my 10" Meade SCT, but it's bent wrong, so I've got to compensate with the DEC on the handcontroller to compose the picture. So I'm looking forward to the little scope with tube rings.
Hi, this is David again:
I've got the Meade LX200GPS 10" F10, with T2i and a newer CCD an ST-2000XCM, and I've tried M31 and recently (though n hemi attainable) M51.
But they still have star trailing in those pics. I'm trying to use CCDSoft too and PHD for autoguiding.
PS: that CCDSoft's autoguide screen shows you can invert the x-axis direction. And tinkered with that, and the CCD head position. PPS: I'm trying to use the ST-2000 through the main OTA and piggy back my T2i with a 70-300mm APO lens. Is that an okay setup? And what CCD head orientation should I use?
It corrects for somethings. Like the resultant T2i pic shows zig zag lines.
And I'm wondering if it's thinking backward or something. Like I've got an inverted scope. But my EOS lens is proabably non-inverted.
Any advice?
PS: here's my pic of M51, using a 214mm fl on my APO EOS lens, piggyback with T2i, on Meade.
Thank you.
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