My Stand-Alone Autoguiding & OAG setup for a Celestron 8 SCT (not EDGE) AVX with and without Focal Reducer 6.3 is:

[TwuMirrors]

Hi,

My unusual title reflects my frustration finding a guaranteed working setup for Deep sky photography "My Stand-Alone Autoguiding & OAG setup for a Celestron 8 SCT  (not EDGE) AVX with and without Focal Reducer 6.3 is:"

I live in Norway, I am worried that soon the summer days are not long away, where twillight again will banish me for another year of no astrographs or even star alignment.

I have been looking for a long time and I not found a setup I can be confident in, I need a bullet proof setup I can order.

Do you have my equipment, and use OAG & Stand Alone-Autoguider successfully with and without a focal reducer?

Then please respond to this thread.

I have read so much advice my head spins, I really only need posters with my setup, I hope it does not sound rude, but I have read so much "probably advice".

Final word, my understanding is that the celestron OAG guider does not allow enough back focus with the focal reducer 6.3, so I am expecting a setup that uses "probably" the TS Optics OAG, or some other thin OAG.

I am sure some people smile at my optimism, but I need a known setup to get started on.

Thanks

Phil

[GraemeH]

As far as I can find out, the Celestron 6.3 reducer has a backfocus design distance of 105mm.  This means that you are correct that it isn't compatible with the Celestron OAG if you are using a DSLR or other long backfocus camera.  If however you have a different type of camera with a shorter backfocus then the Celestron OAG would be an option.  From the kit that comes with the Celestron OAG, the SCT adapter has an optical length of 25.3mm, the OAG body is 29mm and the male M42 and M48 adapters are 12.5mm, leaving you a total of 38.2mm for the camera and any M42 or M48 spacers.

[Davey-T]

What camera are you using ?

Picture of Meade setup but pretty much the same focal reducer, using Atik camera and quite chunky Atik OAG.

The spacing on these reducers isn't critical and the .63 is nominal as focal length alters with mirror movement when focusing.

Dave

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by Davey-T

[TwuMirrors]

Thanks for the replies,!

The backfocus issue for the reducer I learned about maybe 2 years ago, it has been in the back of my mind that long with no realisation it applied only to the DSLR only.

It does start to sound like the dslr could be retired and a lighter camera used as a benefit.

Davey T. Looking at your image, what is the thing that looks like a filter wheel closest to the telescope body?

GraemeH. & Davey: I can see you both list DSLRs and dedicated cameras, which do you prefer?

I was thinking of spending this budget on an autoguider like the MGEN 3, but I can see QHY5L-IIc has been used and is available for 140 USD.

Either way, changing setup to a dedicated camera will still use all of my budget.

The Astrobin images provide a lot of inspiration, just hope I can start to get something a little similar this season.

[Davey-T]

2 hours ago, TwuMirrors said:

Davey T. Looking at your image, what is the thing that looks like a filter wheel closest to the telescope body?

Meade electronic micro focuser.

I use DSLR on the SW Star Adventurer and CCD on everything else.

Dave

Edited December 20, 2019 by Davey-T

[GraemeH]

12 hours ago, TwuMirrors said:

GraemeH. & Davey: I can see you both list DSLRs and dedicated cameras, which do you prefer?

My QHY cameras are only used for guiding - all of my imaging is by DSLR only right now.