Is anyone using Maxpoint software?

[Reggie]

Hi All, I've just downloaded the demo of maxpoint by diffraction limited, the same company that produce maxim DL etc.

I was wondering if anyone here is using it? If so how are you finding it, is it worth the money?

[winfij]

I use it - actually now I use the version built in to ACP.

It's very handy for an automated setup, since you're not sitting there and able to adjust the pointing if it's off...

Does what it says on the tin in my experience.

What's your mount?

John

[Reggie]

Hi John, my mount + ota is a celestron nexstar 6SE, the mount is poor for tracking imaging wise, my fault for a poor choice in the beginning, didn't think I'd get into astrophotography as quickly as I have.

Consequently I'm looking for something to improve the tracking. I'll be guiding by next week but I'm reckoning on smoothing out the errors using maxpoint so the guiding doesn't have to work so hard.

[winfij]

Ah, maxpoint won't help you there I'm afraid - it models the pointing accuracy of the mount, which is used for improving the slew accuracy - it doesn't do anything to help the mount when the slew is finished and it's just trying to track at sidereal rate.

You may be better off looking at PEMPro - that is a package used for measuring the mounts Periodic Error and assuming your mount has a PEC capability then it will program the correction curve and allow you to refine it etc.

There's a trial period for that too, if you want to give it a go.

I used it on my AP900 mount and it dropped the PE from +-5arcsec to +-1arcsecs.

Hope that helps.

John

[Reggie]

nope, my mount doesn't have pec but improved accuracy on goto is useful either way, pempro looks like it has some interesting features though.

[Paxo]

Reggie,

PEMpro also has a simple to use drift alignment system inbuilt which may also help significantly with your tracking - just a thought.

Steve..

[Reggie]

Hi Steve, its more a problem with how the mount behaves once its tracking. The drift alignment and backlash handling do look like they will be very useful though whatever the outcome.

I'll give you all a little background and then you can see where I'm coming from. I built myself a wooden wedge for the 6SE mount, I get accurate alignment to within 1-2mins accuracy in both axis.

The problem occurs when the mount starts to track, visually its fine, you never notice it, but imaging wise, if you take a 20-30sec exposure you get star trails, they look like bits of string with knots in. Its a fairly regular pattern and there is talk on other forums that the mount just wanders backwards and forwards across your target and the issue is inherent in the mount. So I'm wondering whether its poor motors, poor gears or something else. I should be auto-guiding in a day or 2 but I'd really like to find out what actually causes the issue rather than just put the guider on and forget about it.

[winfij]

Its a fairly regular pattern and there is talk on other forums that the mount just wanders backwards and forwards across your target and the issue is inherent in the mount.

Sounds like classic periodic error to me, normally caused by the gears.

If your mount doesn't have PEC, then guiding is your only option, although opening the mount up and cleaning/regreasing the gears can help, if you're so inclined.

John