Guide scope?

[LaVey]

Might be a dumb question... but

Do you actually need a guide scope? Can guiding be done from the main camera? For instance, if my set up was my C6s with a 3.3 focal reducer and the ATIK 16IC-S, could the feed not feed two applications? ie.. one imaging one autoguiding - making adjustments to the mount?

[SteveL]

The camera can only supply data to one application at a time...

[LaVey]

ahh ok... is why the whole guide cam thing is so common .. lol.. said it would be a dumb question

edit: what would make a good 'cheapish' guide scope to compliment my f10 c6s?

[SteveL]

hey, the same thought ran across my mind when I started too

[Roy Batty]

A couple of words in answer to this is "streaming output". If you're using a DSLR or one shot CCD - the output is a sum of the exposure downloaded in one go (i.e. no streaming). In order for guiding to work you need a constant stream of data going to the guiding app to make the adjustments needed to the mount. That's why the most common thing used for this is a webcam or similar.

Hope this explains things in part.

RB

[Vega]

Am I right in thinking guiding can be used while piggybacking a DSLR on the single scope. But I guess it would only be useful if zooming in with a big AF lens on the camera. Widefield shots only require reasonable polar alignment to work and guiding would be overkill accuracy?

Matt

[Beyond_Vision]

In order to get accurate tracking , the maginification of the guide scope and guide camera combination must be the same if not greater than the scope and camera used for imaging.

Regards

Kevin