Autoguiding, guidescopes, guidecameras etc

[thing]

I have an autoguide port on my mount. What would I connect to it to autoguide? Also when folk talk about using a 'guidescope' and so on, what are they actually doing? Do they mount another scope onto the 'big scope that is taking the nice photos' to keep it on track? Also if you have to move the big scope because the guidescope is saying that you're drifting off, won't it make the big scope's photos blurry because you're continually fiddling with the tracking?

So many questions, so little time.......

[Beyond_Vision]

All driven Equatorial Mounts will not be able to track an object idenfinately and the target will drift across the field of view eventually. This may be acceptable for visual observing but not for long exposure astrophotography. With a well polar aligned mount which has been calibrated for periodic error in its gears exposures upto 5 mins or so can be made. For longer exposures guiding is required which corrects the tracking of the system so that a selected star in the guidescopes image remains on the same group of pixels on the sensor. This then ensures that the stars on the main imaging scope do not move around.

If you do a search in the imaging or equipment help section you will find lots of threads on this subject.

Regards.

Kevin

[barkis]

There is a guide camera fitted to the guidescope as well as the imaging camera on the main telescope.

The cable from the guiding camera fits into the guideport, and your imaging camera fits into your laptop. The guiding is taken care of by the guiding software. If everything is set up properly, you can go away and have your supper.

I have heard that that is possible, even from guys on SGL.

I am no expert, but I am sure what I have said is correct.

Ron.

[thing]

Thanks guys. Sounds expensive so I'll just stick to my 30 second subs......