Guide scope advice

[Stu]

I'm going to make an attempt at some simple guided astro photography and am nearly there in terms of kit.

I plan to use the astro tech 106mm and 1000D on a sphinx mount with an LVI guider to keep things simple. The AT focal length is 690mm.

Guide scope choice is between the WO66 and an old Celestron 80mm refractor which is lying around (think it's an ST80 equivalent). Any comments about which would best. I'm thinking the Celestron for the bigger aperture? Not sure what the focal length is on the Celestron but the WO66 is 388mm, around half that of the Astro tech.

Any thoughts or advice welcome as to which would work better.

Cheers

[brantuk]

The WO66 is a nice little wide angle imaging scope in itself - a tad wasted as a guider but would certainly do the job. I use an ST80 (fl=400mm @ f5) which seems fine.

[Stu]

Thanks Brantuk. The 66 is a little gem, probably my most used scope, gets popped out in the garden whenever I have a few minutes to spare.

If the 80mm will do the job, it makes sense to use that as it's not being used at all currently.

Thanks

[ollypenrice]

The ST 80 is significantly better as a guidescope than the 66. It is faster, above all. It is also a little more rigid if you rather brutally tighten down all the screws.

WO seem to like economizing on main tube material so make them absurdly short, leaving miles of drawtube sticking out inadequately supported and, in guiding terms, inviting flexure. Optically miles better than the ST80 but as a guidescope not the best and, as Brantuk says, a bit of a waste.

Olly

[Stu]

Thanks Olly

Will give the ST80 a go.