Can Lodestar Guide Itself?

[Martyk22]

I just received my Lodestar X2C, but unfortunately the weather and moon have precluded it's use so far. I plan to use it both to guide my other camera and to give it a try as an imager for both "near live" and still images.  Will be using it on a C8 at about f/5 to start.

I was planning to try and use an OAG, but was wondering, is there any reason the Lodestar couldn't  guide itself if I use ST-4? This is my first attempt at using a guide camera so there certainly may be some basic issues I'm missing here. 

Thanks,

Marty

[Zakalwe]

No it cannot guide itself, because when it is exposing the light frame then the sensor cannot be read from. The mount could have drifted in that time. A DSO exposure will be many seconds long (sometimes many tens of minutes) whereas a guide camera will typically run at 2-4 seconds.

[Martyk22]

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks!

Marty

[nytecam]

I do recall the SX had a unique program/ hardware called "Star 2000"? that took an image in one "field" [alternative lines] whilst guiding on the second "field" that auto swapped "fields" in the middle of the exposure the complete the image.  The actual exposure duration was half the gross exposure. I don't know how successful it was but it is possible and not a myth