Autoguiding Equipment

[kkara4]

So I have pulled the trigger on the following:

Orion ST80
QHY5L-II Mono Guide Camera
and all the necessary mounting accessories to avoid flexure.

What I am confused with at the moment is how to physically hook the camera up. At the moment I have a dedicated computer for the telescope which connects via ethernet to the Gemini 2, and USB/BackyardEOS for the Canon 5D MK III imaging camera.

The Gemini2 has an ST4 port, do I need to buy an ST4 guide cable to connect the QHY5L-II to the Gemini 2, in addition to a USB cable between the QHY5L-II and the computer? Or is only the USB cable required between the computer and QHY5L-II, and then using ASCOM commands over ethernet the scope can be controlled without an ST4 connection?

[Amaranthus]

If you do pulse guiding via ASCOM (e.g. EQMOD), then you can forget about the ST4 port and plug the QHY straight into your USB port.

[kkara4]

Thanks Barry!

Is one method preferred over the other, as in if ST4 is available then that is preferable?

[Amaranthus]

Not really. You can do ST4 if you are not hooked up to a PC, but if you are anyway, then pulse guiding is arguably preferable as you can do PG + PEC.

[kkara4]

Thanks Barry, appreciate your guidance (no pun intended!).

I will definitely have it hooked up to the PC, so will read up on this pulse guiding you speak of and use that method!

[Amaranthus]

Your SCT is mounted on a GEM, right? If so, I would definitely recommend you installed EQMOD, Stellarium, StellariumScope and PHD2. It's a terrific combination.

[peter_4059]

He has gemini2/Losmandy mount. Eqmod isnt going to help.

[kkara4]

Yep Pete, Losmandy G11 with Gemini 2.

Cheers Barry, Stellarium, Stellarium Scope, PHD2 and BackyardEOS were always on my list of things to install, anything else I should go for as well Peter/Barry?