Drift aligning/autoguiding/EQMOD??

[beamish]

I'd be interested in what people use and why, since I'm hoping to get going on longer subs v soon.

Karlo

[SteveL]

Drift aligning will help get longer subs, minimising the amount of work the autoguiding will have to do, and reduce any field rotation.

Not sure how EQMOD will help with longer subs, its just an ASCOM driver for the mount.

[Vega]

Its hard to answer this one myself simply because I currently dont have the gear atm.

At the moment I just do drift aligning and PEC correction, but auto guiding is just around the corner for me (well only for my shots using a zoom lens as a second guide scope is far to much hassle for my non fixed setup). For shots through the scope its still just drift aligning (ironically these shots are much higher magnification ). Here's what I can achieve..

Through 250px, 1200mm focal length..

-Objects near the pole (ie bodes galaxies) - 75-90 secs

-Objects far from the pole - 60 secs max if im lucky :crybaby:

-As above without PEC correction on - 45 secs :crybaby:

Through Sigma 70-300mm zoom lens @ 300mm

With PEC enabled- 150-180 secs

Without PEC enabled - 120 secs

Matt

[beamish]

Not sure how EQMOD will help with longer subs, its just an ASCOM driver for the mount.

Hi Steve, I was thinking along the lines of synching ?

[MikeP]

Steve is correct about EQMOD, it is a substitute for the hand controller (in my view vastly better) so it won't help with imaging at present.

At some point EQMOD will have a polar alignment facility. It was half there when I started using it last Christmas but hasn't moved on since then. WCS is an alternative to help with drift alignment but I've successfully just used PoleAlignMax which once you have got it set up is pretty quick - it does require Maxim though (it may work with CCDSoft too?).

I've now successfully guided with PHD, sadly not while imaging anything, but after a catalogue of guide camera disasters it was good enough for me. I'll be trying Maxim for guiding so I can guide and capture with the same bit of software.

So, I'll be voting for "drift alignment" in lieu of "accurate polar alignment" and guiding. I'd guess most serious imagers will vote for them.

Mike

[Reggie]

I use autoguiding because my nexstar 6SE mount would produce sausage string stars even with drift aligning. It was a pita getting it all together and making it fit the 6SE ota (guide rail, rings, wieghts, WO zs66) but it was definitely worth it Without guiding I would have to cull between 60-80% of 30sec exposures due to the mounts incoinsistencies, with guiding I can now do at least 7mins subs. I use the 6SE ota as teh guide scope and image through the 66.

[beamish]

Well I can see this will be a short thread with pretty convincing results I've just acquired a QHY5 from Aaron for guiding purposes hence the question really. I have MaximDl ready to go so just downloaded PoleAlignMax too- gonna have to try and get my head around a lot :scratch: very soon.

Karlo

[barkis]

Drift aligning and Autoguiding are bed fellows. The reason has already been given.

Auto guiding cannot eliminate rotational damage, only perfect polar alignment will do that job.

Of course my experience of autoguiding is with a hand controller, and an illuminated reticule.

in a guidescope. Very tiresome. :laughing2:

Ron.

[MikeP]

Karlo,

I sense another phone call developing.

Mike

[beamish]

You may be right Mike

Karlo