Autoguiding Equipment

kkara4 (Krishan) · #1 10-07-2014, 01:40 PM

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 (Barry) · #2 10-07-2014, 01:59 PM

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 (Krishan) · #3 10-07-2014, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

Thanks Barry!

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

Amaranthus (Barry) · #4 10-07-2014, 03:41 PM

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 (Krishan) · #5 10-07-2014, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 (Barry) · #6 10-07-2014, 04:12 PM

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 (Peter) · #7 10-07-2014, 04:27 PM

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

kkara4 (Krishan) · #8 10-07-2014, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter_4059

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

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?