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Old 07-05-2013, 03:18 PM
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alistairsam
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Originally Posted by alistairsam View Post
also account for a filter draw or wheel if you'll be using filters. they'd need to be in front of the OAG.
correction, the filters will need to be behind the OAG as Stuart mentioned, so no filters used for the guidecam. just the main camera.

As for the NEQ6, they work well enough for the price. They do have higher PE than Losmandy or other mounts, but that can be corrected with guiding and/or PEC training.
EQASCOM works well with a PEC curve along with ASCOM guiding so it takes into account both the PEC correction and the guiding correction before sending it to the mount. this can't be used with ST4 guiding.
But other mounts mentioned are definitely more precise.

Other bits to account for are software.
A good planetarium software with plate solving, mount control is invaluable but can cost a fair bit. The SkyX seems popular here. but the whole suite is substantial.
Something that has guiding built in and support for sequencing also helps a lot so you get the most out of the time the skies stay clear.
Something like T-Point or Maxpoint can help with improving pointing accuracy. PEMPro or similar can help with PEC training.
Imaging software can also be pricey but there are good alternatives.
Then you have the processing software. PI and startools do a very good job at image processing, Photoshop can yield similar results but experience is handy at getting the best.

Having two scopes, one short and one long FL would be ideal. You can use reducers with the SCT's and RC's, but an F4 or similar does have its advantages. At F8, integration times would be quite long so mount and tracking stability are very important, and that's where AO or OAG's help.
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