Re-Acquire Guide Automatically

[Aeseir]

Hey guys,

Is it possible to have a setup which will re-acquire guide star after meridian flip and continue on autoguiding?

If so how would i go about doing this?

The mount i currently use is CGEM.

[MarsG76]

Welcome back to SGL!!!

That depends on whether you're using a guide scope of a OAG/ONAG... if you're using a guide scope than the same guide star would be with in the search window of your guide star software parameters so the software would re-lock onto it. 

With a ONAG, again if you're using a guide star that's in the middle or close to the middle of the FOV than again the software would re-lock on automatically after the Meridian flip.

BUT if  you use a OAG and your imaging at a long focal length then the Meridian flip will turn or flip the whole imaging and guiding system 180° and unless by a coincidence there is a another guide star with in the field of view on the other side of the object then I don't think you can re-auto lock on another star without severely changing the framing of the object being imaged, even that wouldn't be automatic.

[MarsG76]

With your kit, I doubt you'd get long subs  using a guide scope.  At such a long focal length your polar alignment would have to be near spot on, and guide star that would have to be in or very close to the image object, even then that wouldn't guarantee a long sub.

With the SCT your best bet is a OAG/ONAG.  You would get away with longer subs using your 80mm refractor as the imaging scope and the SCT as the guide scope I guess...  it would be imaging only Widefield but for close-ups ... OAG.

 

PS:  By long subs I do mean 20 to 30, maybe even 40 minutes long not 5 or 10 min subs,  that was a quite achievable using a guide scope.