MEAD LPI AND LXD 55 QUESTION

[bonsai]

Hi i have a meade lxd55 mount and want to get a meade lpi,my question iswill the camera guide and record images at the same time or does it just guide the mount and not record. :oops:

[SteveL]

one or the other, but not both at the same time

[bonsai]

Thanks steve what about if i use my neximage cam at the eypiece for recording the image and use the mead lpi to guide with another smaller telescope ontop and does the guide scope have to be lined up with the main scope also will the laptop run the guide cam and the amcap software at the same time steve?nige :salute:

[SteveL]

The two camera option will work, definitely. The second scope has to be pointing ROUGHLY in the same direction, but its not all that important to be deadly accurate.

[SteveL]

Just a quick addition to this:

Neither the NexImage or LPI are ideal as a long exposure imaging camera, nor is either of them partcularly sensitive enough to guide on anything less than a quite bright star.

The system of using two cameras is widely used (one for guiding, one for imaging), and is a system that I myself use. Just be aware that by using the NexImage and the LPI, you may be quite limited.... but its certainly a start!

[bonsai]

Thanks steve so what would you use my set up is a f5 8"newt lxd 55 mount and laptop can you advise something better but not to expensive and include what software is needed for what ie guiding and imaging i am in your capeable hands :salute:

[SteveL]

Lets get one thing sorted at a time

Guiding - Push Here Dummy aka "PHD" (its free!) - http://stark-labs.com/phdguiding.html, and can use pretty much any camera you can throw at it for guiding (including webcams like the NexImage and the LPI).

Camera upgrades - you might want to look at long exposure webcams (never used them, so unsure what they are capable of), or find a cheap DSI 1 (colour or mono) which you could use for either guiding (they work great!), or for imaging.

I am sure someone else will be along soon to give some advice on long exposure webcams... and maybe some better advice than I can give

[winfij]

The Atik 16-IC is well regarded, priced at about 360UKP.

The Meade DSI is another (uncooled) alternative at around a similar price.

I believe that free imaging and guiding software is available for both.

John