Sun burning the guide cam sensor?

[ofranzen]

Did I burn my guide camera?

I had my scope out during the day with the lenscap off the guide scope and only a tea towel that covered the guide scope opening. I covered the scope that way to let the dew evaporate but forgot to put on the lens cap on the guide scope. The chance that the scope pointed directly at the sun is minimal but for a while this morning it was pointed in that general direction. Now I can't get an image out of the guide cam although PHD2 says the camera is connected.

So, guide camera toast? How can I check?

[paul mc c]

Connect it straight to your PC, as external camera and that should tell you. 

[xtreemchaos]

you would know as soon as you tryed to use it and you would be able to tell before by looking if you sensor it would have some burn marks and/or blistering. i think you may well be lucky. charl.

[ofranzen]

Turns out the solar wind only blew away the computer's understanding of how to use the camera... Why is always something breaking between sessions so all the time goes to fixing errors?

[Adam J]

On 20/04/2021 at 10:50, ofranzen said:

Did I burn my guide camera?

I had my scope out during the day with the lenscap off the guide scope and only a tea towel that covered the guide scope opening. I covered the scope that way to let the dew evaporate but forgot to put on the lens cap on the guide scope. The chance that the scope pointed directly at the sun is minimal but for a while this morning it was pointed in that general direction. Now I can't get an image out of the guide cam although PHD2 says the camera is connected.

So, guide camera toast? How can I check?

Generally you would not get a back screen from that more like local dead pixels.