Idiots Guide to Guide Cameras?

[Fordos Moon]

Whilst I have found some useful tips on this forum regarding specific issues with guide cameras, can anyone point me in the direction of a Janet and John Lowdown on them?

For instance:

What is the minimum equipment needed?

What goes where and how does it all fit together?

How does it work?

Thanks

[The Sailor]

Hi, I see you have an ED80, that will have a 9x50 finderscope attached, that can be used as a guider with a cam attached, an adapter will be required to fit the cam. What cam you purchase will depend on what adapters you wll need and how it all fits together and attached to your computer or mount. Software is free in most cases, Amcap, Sharpcap and PHD to name a few, there is also Stellarium for finding targets. Hope this is a start for you and will hopefully give you thought for more questions on what to do. Regarding a complete guide for cams, attachments and howto's I have not come across one, it is a case of trawling the forum and pick out what will suit your needs.

Jim

[swag72]

Does Steve not cover it in his book 'Making Every Photon Count'?

Jim has pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's any scope - Often people use an ST80 - that has a camera in the focuser. This then connects to the mount via an ST4 cable (you need a mount with tracking ability) and via software (as listed above) it will 'see' a star and after calibration steps will keep the said star in the same place all night. A good Polar alignment will help the camera work less to achieve this goal and will generally give you a better guiding result.

[Fordos Moon]

Thanks chaps that's great advice. Good point about MEPC I've read it a few times and can't remember stuff about guide cams but will now check!!

[steppenwolf]

Good point about MEPC I've read it a few times and can't remember stuff about guide cams but will now check!!

There's a whole chapter on it - look under 'Follow'

[Fordos Moon]

Oops so there is and I'm on to it right now thanks Steve!

[Fordos Moon]

I can only think I skipped that one section as thought it wasn't for me for now. I can only apologise!

[steppenwolf]

No problem - at least you've found it now! Have you found the hidden section that shows you how to take 2 hour unguided images of deep sky objects using a magnifying glass and an £3.00 Tesco Webcam yet? I wish ............

[Fordos Moon]

I'm assuming that will be in your next book!!