Basic tracking problems on a CPC will a guide scope and camera help?

[spikkyboy]

Hi all I have a CPC925.

I am trying to do some basic imaging but after the gps is locked and scope aligned I normally add calibration to make sure an object is centred. 50mm wide ep then 25 then 12mm.

So I think I have good alignment but the planet slowly slips away up and right resulting in constant little manual adjustments. I am using ALTAZ and no Eq wedge.

1. Can i still use a guide scope and camera to track?

2. Will it keep my planet centred without the wedge. This is for short video captures nothing fancy.

3. What kit do you recommend for the guide scope and camera and what software to run. Shame as the CPC has a redundant guide port.

Thanks in advance.

Edited October 2, 2019 by spikkyboy

[PeterCPC]

This sounds to me like the balance is not correct. You can guide but this would be quite difficult and you would probably need an off axis guider. If you are doing short video captures then don't bother with the wedge. I used to take videos of planets using my CPC when I had it - without a wedge.

Peter

[CraigT82]

You dont really need to keep the planet centred for video capture. As long as it's on the chip then it can wander about and the post processing software will detect it and centre it in each frame pre-alignment 

[spikkyboy]

It floats off centre after about three seconds, by 10 it's gone and I'm looking for it again. Frustrating as my old slt127 would lock on, go make tea come back and still in view. Seriously thinking about swapping this scope. The observing is great but it's not really for AP is it.

[Freddie]

To ensure good tracking with the CPC you need to ensure it is PERFECTLY level.

[CraigT82]

41 minutes ago, spikkyboy said:

It floats off centre after about three seconds, by 10 it's gone and I'm looking for it again. Frustrating as my old slt127 would lock on, go make tea come back and still in view. Seriously thinking about swapping this scope. The observing is great but it's not really for AP is it.

Wow that is way off, you'd be better off with the tracking switched off!  Something definitely not right it should do better than that