Numb question - DSO imaging. ATIK camera

[Telescope40]

Hi All. Been looking in the for sale section and seen user PAC ad for a ATIK 16 IC-S cooled, mono CCD camera.

As part of the pictures, PAC has posted a picture of M51 shot using this ATIK noting a single exposure of 30 mins.

Question.

I have two scopes a Meade LX90 10 in on a fork mount and a ED100 on a GEM LXD 55 mount.

Would this shot be possible with my scopes on the mounts they have and the ATIK ?? Would exact polar alignment etc, be needed or would tracking the target be ok and the use of software eg registax do the work re making a good image. If so, I presume it would work for most DSO's.

I always see threads noting that a wedge is needed for an SCT ???

As you can see - I havent a clue. ha ha

Appreciate any replies as always. John

[Ben Ritchie]

A single exposure of 30 minutes is hard on almost any setup.

The LX90 would need to be on a wedge, as in Alt-Az mode you get field rotation in longer exposures (unless you have a derotator, but the Meade one was the most unreliable bit of kit i've ever used and I think is now long deceased anyway). A GEM doesn't have the issue of field rotation, but for exposures that long you would really need to autoguide.