Orion Magnificent Mini Autoguider

[Roy@Aldermaston]

It's early days yet, but thinking ahead I was looking at the Orion Mini Autoguider as an alternative to a dedicated guide camera and guide scope combination. At £300 it sounds like a good deal and would be a relatively painless next step up from from short un-guided exposures on my NEQ6 GOTO mount. Does anyone have experience of this guiding system?

Roy

[Canholder]

hi Roy, i have been looking at this recently am interested. It Does look like a nice piece of kit especially if like me u really are overloading your mount already will be interesting to hear what everyone thinks.

[ollypenrice]

Just Googled it. How's this for a lump of misinformation?

The function of the Orion autoguider is to help keep Orion telescopes on target while the picture is being taken. It compensates for the rotation of the earth by feeding data to a computer which then sends precise instructions to motor of the telescope mount. Without an autoguider setup, long exposure astrophotography without star trails just isn’t possible.

There is a discussion on CN here; Telescope Reviews: Orion Magnificent Mini Autoguider

Olly

[Roy@Aldermaston]

The mount is not overloaded at the moment, with just a 200PDS on board, but I like the idea of being able to remove my current finder and slot the Orion guide scope in place without the need for additional mounting rings, dovetail etc. I've had a look at CN - not very helpful.

Canholder, I hope you are in a darker part of the Thames Valley than I am!

[Bizibilder]

At £300 it is a LOT of money for a QHY5 and a 50mm finder scope! When I was looking I realised that I could get the QHY5 and adapter from Modern Astronomy for £179 + £28. All I needed was a spare finder (As I have collected one with each scope I have several so this was effectivly "free"). Works a treat, by the way! I've used it with the ED80 and Modern Astro assure me it will cope with focal lengths up to 1000mm - So the 200P should be fine.

[Roy@Aldermaston]

I'm not in a hurry to go down the guiding route, but that sounds like an attractive alternative - one that I hadn't considered.

[mag10]

Well I'm getting the 50mm guiding scope! (I already have the Orion SSPIAG). It's the same price as an equivalent finder scope, and I won't have to modify it. Also, setting up the big guide scope to piggyback on my C-8 is a pain (and I'd rather use it as a stand-alone).

And this little 50mm will be much lighter and have a wider FOV!

What's not to like?

(BTW I don't work for Orion!).

[Zakalwe]

I use a 50mm finder with QHY5. Looking at the mounting bracket that comes with the Orion kit it looks just like a standard finderscope mount (secured with a O-ring, 2 x screws and a spring-loaded "finger"). If so, that setup shouts out flexure to me.

I have mine mounted in a set of rings, with M6 bolts holding the finder, which is a lot more solid. To be fair, I probably don't need the rings as the kit is sensitive enough to always find a star without having to move it.

[Roy@Aldermaston]

I like the sound of that Mag10. How about a review when you've had chance to try it out?

My SW finder scope mount is pretty ridged, so if the Orion kit is similar I image that it would be fine.

[The Sailor]

If someone in the know can help here, I already use a Startravel 80 plus a Meade LPI for guiding, they work well. Taking away weight, what will this sytem give me over what I already have.

Jim

[Bizibilder]

I also have, and have used, an ST80 for guiding. The advantage of the finder scope seems to be the wider fov. It is much easier to find a guide star without having to adjust the finder at all. The standard bracket, by the way, has prooved to be more than rigid enough for my set-up.

[Sp@ce_d]

I originally used my ST80 with QHY5 for guiding my piggy backed DSLR. My 80ED arrived from FLO before the ADM rings and dovetail I had ordered for the ST80 were in stock. So I got the adapter and used the 80ED finder instead. So far it's worked a treat and I haven't used the ST80 or taken the rings out of their packet!

Of course I had to play about with the settings in PHD as there's less star movement through the finder. Looking at the Orion awesome and mini guide packages it seems to me they're doing the same things for more money!

[martin_h]

I've just taken the rings off my ST80 - no room on my current setup - and have had no problems with a ridgid fixing, there is a guide star in every panel of the Veil I'm on at the moment. To be honest I never moved it when it was in rings, apart from the inital alignment - 18 months ago!

[The Sailor]

Just as a matter of interest, is there an adapter to fix a webcam to a finderscope? Obviously not .

Jim

[Bizibilder]

Yes there is! - Modern Astronomy sell 'em (look under adapters).

Accessories @ Modern Astronomy

[The Sailor]

Bizibilder, thank you, was not a lazy option, I did google it in a few foms and got zilch. I would like to see what I can do with that and if okay will mean less weight, thanks again .

Jim

[mag10]

"...I like the sound of that Mag10. How about a review when you've had chance to try it out?"

Well now, I'm not so sure any more!

Since there seem to be adaptors available for finderscopes!

I'll have to study this further.

I'll let everyone know, either way.

[Sp@ce_d]

Yes there is! - Modern Astronomy sell 'em (look under adapters).

Accessories @ Modern Astronomy

Yes I got one of these same time as the one for my QHY5. I haven't had chance to try it out though as it's been too cloudy and light up here since beginning of May. My thoughts were to use the webcam on the finder and guide with the ST80. However, just having the 80ED and guiding with the finder makes it a lot easier to lug in and out of the house! If I get my obsy built I might try guiding again with the ST80 see if there's much difference. I suppose it does give a bit more versatility for balancing, but I've been happy guiding with the finder.

[Earl]

Just Googled it. How's this for a lump of misinformation?

The function of the Orion autoguider is to help keep Orion telescopes on target while the picture is being taken. It compensates for the rotation of the earth by feeding data to a computer which then sends precise instructions to motor of the telescope mount. Without an autoguider setup, long exposure astrophotography without star trails just isn’t possible.

There is a discussion on CN here; Telescope Reviews: Orion Magnificent Mini Autoguider

Olly

That is almost a bare faced lie... infact it is!

[PeterW]

I think from the picture the bracket has 3 screws, rather than the 2screws and a springloaded pluger as found on the finder. I sold my finder just before I found out about this, so I am keen for someone to really give it a good trialling, including looking at possible flexure.... far simpler than piggyback or side by side mounting!

Cheers

PEterW

[JohnnyD333]

Just Googled it. How's this for a lump of misinformation?

The function of the Orion autoguider is to help keep Orion telescopes on target while the picture is being taken. It compensates for the rotation of the earth by feeding data to a computer which then sends precise instructions to motor of the telescope mount. Without an autoguider setup, long exposure astrophotography without star trails just isn’t possible.

There is a discussion on CN here; Telescope Reviews: Orion Magnificent Mini Autoguider

Olly

Maybe a 20min exposure isnt possible, but I can pull off 3min exposures with a good polar alignment. Orion is a business after all, but I agree it is a bit misleading.

[fwm891]

I use an old Helios 80mm and QHY5 as guider on my NEQ6 Pro with little problem. I also use an old Mintron fitted with an (older) 135 f2.8 camera lens as a finder - its shows me most of the fuzzies very well, infact better than the 80 / QHY5 combo! given that it integrates over at most 2.5 seconds of video frames...

[mag10]

It's early days yet, but thinking ahead I was looking at the Orion Mini Autoguider as an alternative to a dedicated guide camera and guide scope combination. At £300 it sounds like a good deal and would be a relatively painless next step up from from short un-guided exposures on my NEQ6 GOTO mount. Does anyone have experience of this guiding system?

Roy

I just ordered mine.

[SplintUK]

Has anyone had enough time playing with the magnificent mini to give a verdict?

[ollypenrice]

Maybe a 20min exposure isnt possible, but I can pull off 3min exposures with a good polar alignment. Orion is a business after all, but I agree it is a bit misleading.

Autoguiders do NOT compensate for the rotation of the Earth. This is abject rubbish. They compensate for periodic error and, to some extent, polar misalignment. That's why I jumped on the ad-blather.

Olly