Thin off axis guider/standard off axis guider

[theghettostylus]

The thin profile off axis guider from Orion and other makers all have fittings for various uses but I haven't seen on that would allow for a illuminated retile eyepiece or any eye piece for that matter.

Can I or could I use the thin profile off axis guider to manually guide with an eyepiece or would I need one of the old bigger ones?

I only ask because I have the skywatcher 150p and I can indeed reach focus with my canon 1000d with about 1cm focus travel left.

Would putting in an off axis guider for manual guiding affect my focus?

Thank you

Jason

[steppenwolf]

Would putting in an off axis guider for manual guiding affect my focus?

Your focus position would not be affected, however, you would be hard pushed to find an OAG as thin as 10mm (you would likely need less to ensure focus adjustment) so you would most likely not be able to actually achieve focus through lack on inwards focus travel. The TS OAG T9 is the thinnest that I am aware of and *may* just do it. Installing a coma corrector would help your cause (the Baader MPCC, for example gives you an additional 10mm of inwards focus travel).

[theghettostylus]

I have looked at that one and the Orion one, can you fit a eyepiece on to these types or are they just for ccd guide cams and the like? Sorry to lazt to read the hole page tonight aha

Jason.

[steppenwolf]

can you fit a eyepiece on to these types or are they just for ccd guide cams and the like?

I haven't done the maths too determine EP focus position for you but the Baader T2 to 1.25" adaptor might well do the job for you?

[theghettostylus]

My lord that's expensive, I think people need to stop taking up astronomy so the prices will go down. I like things as cheap as possible aha the down side to astronomy its hard to work out or find out what will and won't work.

[steppenwolf]

My lord that's expensive,

In that case buy a cheap achromatic refractor, mount it on the reflector and guide through that!

[theghettostylus]

My mount won't allow for a guide scope so wanted to go the manual guiding way, I would much rather stand next to the scope and keep the guide star in view than just leave it then come back.

[steppenwolf]

My mount won't allow for a guide scope so wanted to go the manual guiding way

You can, of course, manually guide through a second telescope but if your mount won't take it then an OAG is the obvious choice. I have yet to find anyone that says that AP is a low budget project ......

[theghettostylus]

I can see how easy it would be to spend a small fortune :0 just need a small fortune now aha all I know is if I do get more serious with imaging I can keep my 150p and get a better mount and sell the old one and make a little money back.

I guess I could buy a better finder scope or even a cheap Argos scope as they would be very very light and try with that.

Or failing all of the above I can go wide angle and use my 150p to guide the camera for a tad longer exposure.

One day maybe I will have a nice solid computerized mount to build on.