Auto-guider setup on Esprit 80

[Z3roCool]

Hi - just about to buy a Sky-Watcher Esprit 80 Triplet & HEQ5 mount.

I am looking at Auto-Guiding setup and how to mount this with the Esprit. I was initially going to buy a Side by Side bar and have the scope and 50mm or 60mm guide scope sit next to each other. Any thoughts on this over piggy backing the scope.

Looking at the Esprit, it appears like the finder scope can be removed and replaced with similar connection, with rings on for scope and camera for auto-guiding. I was worrying about the very small mount for the guide scope. I have managed to find little info on this and mostly people seem to think it works okay (No Flexture). Do not think you can get proper mount rings for the Esprit, to give a more sturdier connection?

Has anyone got any experience in using a mounted scope on the Esprit 80? Would appreciate any feedback.

Looking at using the Altair 50mm or 60mm scope like this Guide-Scope, possibly with the Altair camera (as in the link) or a ZWO ASI 120MM.

Thanks for your time.

Tom.

 

[alexbb]

The Esprit 80 with a camera is back heavy. In my opinion, you could (also):

• Use a side by side bar and setup the guide scope front heavy to achieve overall balance.
• Attach a longer dovetail to the mounting shoe and use a finder-guider for guiding. I don't expect significant flexture for this focal length if you lock the guider tight enough.
• Attach a longer dovetail to the mounting shoe and use an OAG if the camera backfocus allows.
• Get an ST-80 with tube rings as a guiding scope and attach the Esprit over it.

Otherwise: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/573498-guidescope-mount-for-skywatcher-esprit-80/?p=8101332

[Waldemar]

Using a side by side bar means you will have to take care of radial balance as well. Quite tricky...
Just piggyback the 50 or 60mm guidescope on your Esprit is the most common way, but OAG is very nice as well and no problems with flexure.
If you are using a corrector/flattener, be sure to buy a very short OAG like the Orion TOAG: https://www.telescopehouse.com/orion-thin-off-axis-guider-for-astrophotography.html
The guidescope attachment in the link you provided is not very sturdy: a recipe for problems. Better use a good dovetail if you want to piggyback.

[pc387]

I use a set up very similar to this, ordered from Ian King a while back (Losmandy bottom fitting, so it slides into a paramount versa plate, and a ADM Losmandy to Vixen saddle to accommodate the Esprit dovetail). It takes both 50mm and 60mm guidescopes. It's a bit expensive, but I use this set up with other OTA's and camera lenses.

pc387

[Z3roCool]

1 hour ago, Waldemar said:

Using a side by side bar means you will have to take care of radial balance as well. Quite tricky...
Just piggyback the 50 or 60mm guidescope on your Esprit is the most common way, but OAG is very nice as well and no problems with flexure.
If you are using a corrector/flattener, be sure to buy a very short OAG like the Orion TOAG: https://www.telescopehouse.com/orion-thin-off-axis-guider-for-astrophotography.html
The guidescope attachment in the link you provided is not very sturdy: a recipe for problems. Better use a good dovetail if you want to piggyback.

Will have a look at OAG, not really looked into before as an option. When you say the guide-scope I linked is not sturdy, the foot where it would be going (In place of the Finder Scope) is the same size so cannot really go bigger. Or do you mean mount it elsewhere (On larger Dovetail away from that location) Apologies for being a bit slow, all new to this! Thanks.