Guiding

[keppar (Graham)]

Hi all
Do I need a set of guide rings for my guide scope if I am using a guide camera (QHY5 ) I have some where that it is not nessesary to change the direction of the guide scope to get a guide star, The camera will allow me to do this

[Tandum (Robin)]

You'd want guide rings to be safe. I have guide rings but have never had to change them. I'm sure I'll have to one day. There is a new toy from Orion, Orion X-Y Guidestar Finder, which may replace the job that guide rings do. It's on Bintels front page.

[Terry B]

Originally Posted by keppar

Hi all
Do I need a set of guide rings for my guide scope if I am using a guide camera (QHY5 ) I have some where that it is not nessesary to change the direction of the guide scope to get a guide star, The camera will allow me to do this

I have fixed rings. I've always had a guidestar with my QHY5.

[Tandum (Robin)]

Originally Posted by Terry B

I have fixed rings. I've always had a guidestar with my QHY5.

Exactly how dark is the Armidale sky Kepper might be in the middle of Sydney

[keppar (Graham)]

Thanks Guys
I live in Albury NSW Some Light pollution ,but not like Sydney

[keppar (Graham)]

Ok I want to buy the QHY5 guide camera ,do you know of a good place to purchase. I have been to web.aanet and I get a google warning that site has spyware detected.Is there any other stores that sell this camera

[Hagar (Doug)]

I can assure you Gama's site is safe to enter. As for purchase I wouldn't buy a QHY5 or 8 off anyone else. The after sales service is exemplary. Theo will answer any questions you have, give relevant advice and spend time assisting you with everything you need.
Example. I have a qhy5 and have had it for quite some time. A week ago it stopped working. I rang theo and a new camera was delivered to me within 2 days. That kind of service can't be purchased from a shop.
http://web.aanet.com.au/gama or give him a call on 0414666877 or email him at gama@aanet.com.au

You won't be sorry.

[allan gould]

Ive used an X-Y shifter for the past 12-18 months and would never do without it or go back to using oversized rings and pointing to a guidestar that way.

[Gama]

Originally Posted by keppar

Ok I want to buy the QHY5 guide camera ,do you know of a good place to purchase. I have been to web.aanet and I get a google warning that site has spyware detected.Is there any other stores that sell this camera

Can you please copy and send me the google screen image of the warning, as i do NOT have anything on there except the Hits counter.
I also have never heard anyone else or seen myself this warning.

Theo.

UPDATE: I have found out that the Domain web.aanet.com.au has been hacked in the past with Malware, but has been fixed sometime back, but google has not updated the list. So any users of the Domain name will get the same notice, regardless of which web accounts on the site.
Currently the site is down while they fix this.

Theo

[AlexN]

I've been using fixed rings on my Megrez102 when its guiding my C11, and with a DBK31AU I've had the odd problem finding a guide star for certain targets... QHY5 is on the list of things to buy...

[Astrod00d]

I've always used fixed rings with my guidescope for their compact size and minimum flexure.
My guidescope is piggybacked off the main scope via a 13mm thick alloy bar. I have filed a slot for one guidescope ring to allow adjustment in azimuth, which was useful when I used a webcam for guiding.
Now I use a QHY5 for guiding and I've always been able to find a guide star on-axis using 2-second exposure and a darkframe. My guidescope is an ED80 (80mm f7.5)

Cheers,

Rob

[jilldwr (Darrell)]

I've been using the QHY5 autoguider since May and though it picks up guide stars with ease, there have been a couple of targets where I've had to move the guide scope to pick up a star so as to keep my image framed correctly. Guide rings are cheap insurance for framing issues.
Darrell

[vash (Ashley)]

I went through a similar thing a while back, I bought myself a DSI2 bit more expensive but I've never had trouble finding stars, even around helix, .5 of a second and there where a few to choose from.

[Tandum (Robin)]

Off topic but - I saw helix in my finder scope at Baramba last week .. I've only just realised how bad light polution really is after that.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Tandum

You'd want guide rings to be safe. .

I agree. I have the Orion version of this camera with an 70mm guidescope. Never had to use the rings, but just maybe one day for that obscure nebula in a sparse part of the sky there may come a need....