[floyd_2 (Dean)]

I've been a visual astronomer for about 20 years. My current telescope is a 10" Meade LX200GPS SCT on a Meade ultrawedge.

I've started heading down the astrophotography path with a Meade DSI Pro II camera and f/3.3 reducer, but up until recently, have been taking photos in Alt/Az. Now I'm on a wedge, I plan to increase my exposures if the clouds ever clear, and am considering getting a guidescope and autoguider in the coming months.

I was hoping that I might be able to get some advice from the group on guidescope choice. I'm thinking of using a Starshoot autoguider on an 80mm refractor and was wondering if I should consider buying a higher quality guidescope to enable me to do some widefield photography in the future as well (using the SCT as the guider). Is it commonplace to use guidescopes for widefield, or do the majority of people end up just using them for guiding only?

I guess I may use the guidescope as a grab and go from time to time, but for the most part I'm set up to do imaging / visual from my backyard only (in the suburbs) where an 80mm won't really punch through the sky glow very well.

I know that weight is something that I have to keep in mind with a fork mount as well. I intend to use a 2D counterweight and am wondering what weight guidescope an LX200GPS would support for DSO photography work, as this may help me to avoid going over the top with refractor choice.

I'm mindful of buying a guidescope that will suit me into the future, and intend to eventually purchase a more advanced camera as my photography improves and my needs increase.

Any hints that you may have if you've already been down this path would be gratefully received.

Dean