Astrotrac dither

[Phillyo]

Good evening all,

I've decided rather than sell my astrotrac TT-320x AG and spend lots of money that can be better spent elsewhere (for now), I'm going to keep hold of it and try to make better use of what I have. So question time: I've just purchased the ASI533 to use with a Samyang 135/2 lens to begin with, then maybe next year I can (will) get something like the WO Redcat 51 to give me a little extra reach. With the 533 having a pixel size of 3.76u and the focal length of 135, I will be quite badly undersampling. So to increase the resolution of the images I was thinking of heading down the drizzle route in PI, however to correctly drizzle you need to dither. 

Is there any way to connect the astrotrac directly to a PC so that software like NINA or APT can dither in RA without the need for guiding? I know that both NINA and APT CAN dither without guiding, but I am assuming that's using an ASCOM compliant mount like an EQ-6 etc.

Can I connect to the ST-4 port of the Astrotrac via some kind of ST-4 and EQDIRECT cable to tell the mount to move in RA like PHD2 would if it was guiding and dithering?

Thanks for any help.

PS. Sorry to anyone around Lincolnshire. New gear arriving = more bad weather

[Seelive]

For drizzle you need small movements of the image relative to the pixels. Whilst dithering is the ideal solution, polar alignment drift will get you part way there.

[Fred_76]

Hi Phil,

I have the same issue as you. I am trying to add the dithering capability of any ST4 compatible mount (and the Astrotrac) automatically, without any computer, with some Arduino hardware.

See here (subject ongoing, in french only) : https://www.webastro.net/forums/topic/192073-dithering-et-intervalomètre-autonome-en-arduino/

But DO YOU HAVE THE USER MANUAL of the Astrotrac TT320X-AG ? I can't find it and the previous owner of my mount can't find it...

Fred

[Phillyo]

3 hours ago, Fred_76 said:

But DO YOU HAVE THE USER MANUAL of the Astrotrac TT320X-AG ? I can't find it and the previous owner of my mount can't find it...

Fred

Hi Fred, no I have no idea where the user manual is lol. I've had the mount for years now so it's been lost somewhere along the way.