#1  
Old 18-01-2016, 06:24 AM
OneCosmos's Avatar
OneCosmos (Chris)
Registered User

OneCosmos is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 537
Orion deluxe autoduide scope

Hi,
I'm just wondering if anyone has tried using the Orion deluxe autoguide package (http://www.bintel.com.au/Astrophotog...oductview.aspx) to guide a main imaging scope that is 900mm focal length or longer?

I'm not actually bothered which camera is used, as I have the lodestar already but I am interested in the feasibility of using the rather small 50mm f3.2 guidescope. I know in years gone by it would have not been possible but with sub pixel guiding perhaps it is? Anyone tried?

Chris
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 18-01-2016, 10:21 AM
OneCosmos's Avatar
OneCosmos (Chris)
Registered User

OneCosmos is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 537
As an update I spoke to someone who has used it very successfully with a 900mm refractor - which exactly matches mine so I will acquire it and report back here with how well it copes.

If it doesn't work for the 900mm scope I may just be able to use it for the 450mm scope mounted a-top the main one. Alternatively there may be a 50mm f3.2 guide scope advertised on IIS
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 19-01-2016, 11:34 AM
Slawomir's Avatar
Slawomir (Suavi)
Registered User

Slawomir is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: North Queensland
Posts: 3,240
Hi Chris,

Small guidescope should be sufficient. Having said that, after a lot of tweaking I stopped using Orion's guide scope some time ago scope because of flex. Flex may not necessarily be entirely caused by a guide scope; actually it largely depends on how rigid is you main scope. Installing a larger and heavier guide scope may cause even more flex, so I would certainly stick to a small and light one that is rigidly attached to the main scope. I personally did not like plastic thumb screws in my Orion's guide scope.

Ultimately though, off-axis or on-axis guiding generally yields superior results.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 19-01-2016, 04:32 PM
billdan's Avatar
billdan (Bill)
Registered User

billdan is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Narangba, SE QLD
Posts: 1,551
Hi Chris,

I use the Orion Mini Guider with a Lodestar and it works OK for me.

I'm imaging at 1000mm with 5 micron pixels. The Lodestar is 7 micron guiding at 160mm.

Just make sure its bolted down real tight and it will be fine.

I just have to be aware that a 1 pixel movement in the guide cam is equivalent to approx 5 pixel movement in the image cam.

Attached is a typical guide graph I get with a stock EQ6, this one was with clouds around so could have been better. I lost 7 subs to clouds.

Regards

Bill
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (ngc1532 phd-crop.jpg)
189.4 KB34 views
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 19-01-2016, 06:25 PM
Robert9's Avatar
Robert9 (Robert)
Registered User

Robert9 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Mt. Waverley, VIC, Australia
Posts: 741
Hi Chris,
i am using one of these units with my 900mm SW ED100 or 1500mm Celestron 6SE on an HEQ5Pro mount with no problems.
Robert
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 19-01-2016, 06:51 PM
RobF's Avatar
RobF (Rob)
Mostly harmless...

RobF is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 5,716
Agree with comments that FL and pixel size not the issue. You have to have very rigid mounting of the scopes relative to each other. A tiny bit of flex in either means you'll loose some subs to egging or even streaking.

OAG more fiddley to set up but generally best outcome for round stars.

One nice advantage of a guidescope is being able to platesolve the finder to figure out generally where your main scope is. Also easier if you change around your main OTA lightpath/camera not having to reinvent OAG config and spacings.

Having used both I wouldn't go back from OAG now where its an option.

Last edited by RobF; 22-01-2016 at 03:36 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 21-01-2016, 01:21 PM
OneCosmos's Avatar
OneCosmos (Chris)
Registered User

OneCosmos is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 537
Thanks to everyone for a great set of responses. The guidescope is currently sat at the post office awaiting collection, so I may get a chance to try it tonight.

Bill, your post show the typical PHD output is very useful. I may even PM you when I get down to the nitty gritty of configuring it.

Previously I have always used the Orion ST 80 for guiding but then I bought a Tak baby Q which I mounted atop my 152mm in the observatory with a view to using it as a smaller imaging scope. Until now however the TAK has been used for nothing except guiding
The most expensive guide scope on the planet!

The motivation then for the Orion was something I could replace the existing finder with to free up both scopes for imaging as and when. I ike the idea that the Orion guidescope will attach directly to the finder foot. I have a Starlight Instruments focuser which has a finder connection point which I presume is a standard one that Orion will also fit. If it doesn't there will be pain.

The mount is an EQ8 Pro so long as I can really tightly secure it to the focuser there should be no movement. Worse case scenario is I only use it to guide for the Tak, which is only 450mm FL but it would be cool if it works for the 900mm FL 152mm too.

I have attached a photo of the setup and you can clearly see the APM 50mm finder which would be replaced by the Orion 50mm f3.2. The lodestar and Orion X-Y shifter is on the TAK at the moment as you can jus about see.

Worst, worst case scenario is that I have spent another $269 on another piece of unused kit

I'll reply to this thread when I have some results.

Chris
Attached Thumbnails
Click for full-size image (image3 - Copy.JPG)
145.1 KB21 views
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 11:52 PM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement