Orion StarShoot AutoGuider On A Skywatcher 250PX

[SrStewart]

I'm just curious if this will be possible at all?

Starshooter & 250PX

I usually hear that Dobs are not good for astrophotography but since the 250PX can track I'd assume it should be fine. Anyways just looking for input on the Starshooter with the 250PX.

[SrStewart]

Or would I have to get a new mount all together?

[Black Knight]

I'm pretty sure you'd need a suitable EQ mount with an ST4 port (unless you were using something like EQMod), to use a guide camera. And a guidescope.

[SrStewart]

I guess with the regular Goto mount I have won't do. What about just using regular dslr camera?

Just wondering if someone could shine some light on why I'd need a EQ mount. And the regular one wouldn't work? Even though it is a Goto.

[steppenwolf]

This is all to do with field rotation when taking long(ish) exposures of deep sky objects.

A Dobsonian mount tracks an object in discrete horizontal and vertical movements i.e. up/down and right - this keeps an object centred in the field of view but does not allow for the natural rotation of the object as it traverses the sky in an arc.

An equatorial mount on the other hand follows objects across the sky in a matching arc, moving only in an East to West direction (in the northern hemisphere) so no field rotation takes place.

A regular DSLR camera will work well for many deep sky objects.

[steppenwolf]

The following images extracted from my book will help explain the text in my earlier post. The first image is what happens with a Dobsonian or other Alt/Az mount and the second image shows the action of an Equatorial mount:-

[SrStewart]

Ah wow thank you do much for your time! I completely understand. Hehe thanks again. Maybe sometime down the road I'll get a EQ mount. I'll probably just stick with what I got now. Thanks so much again for explaining it too me.

[steppenwolf]

My pleasure!