Finder scope + Camera Questions

[Nicholas1]

Hey all,

I'm slowly building up my OTA and I have an idea for a next step. I'm using a Celestron Nightscape CCD, this camera has no live view functionality at all to my knowledge (not in built-in software/SGP crashed trying the live view button). This makes finding anything inconvenient as I have to maneuver around to look through my StarPointer Red-Dot at often weird angles. Now the goal with my telescope is to essentially sit next to it and operate it from my PC. Additionally, I want the telescope to be somewhat accessible, I'm starting to attend club meetings and have my mount connected to a flight stick for intuitive/easy remote movement for visitors.

So, I had an idea but need some help on picking the right pieces. Would it make sense to use a webcam or cheap electronic eyepiece with a refractor finder scope as a sort of live view to be able to see in real time if I'm pointing at a few stars. I don't want to use the live view to actually observe, although that would be cool, I really just want to use it to point at stars for alignment. A bonus would possibly be plate-solving but I know almost nothing about that and have no idea what sort of camera is compatible with it.

As far as plate solving goes does it make any sense to do it with the finder? Or should I attempt to use the main camera and accept the delay(~2-3s)?

Basically I am seeking advice on a finder scope that can be viewed in real time through a camera. What kind of finder scope is ideal for this application? What are the minimum specs of a camera to see stars in real time and/or do plate solving?

Equipment list:
Celestron 130SLT
Nightscape CCD
Logitech Attack 3
Nexstar SLT computerized mount
Laptop (Windows 11)

[Bivanus]

Hello and welcome.

Personal opinion: better you get a cheap but modern uncooled camera like the ZWO ASI 120 be it MM (monochrome) or MC (colour) There are several other manufacturers providing similar level cameras like QHY5L-II or the SV905C. And best thing is that you probabily can get them on the second hand market at a rather good price.

They'll be "known quantities" in both performance and software suport and any issue you could get will probably NOT be new to the comunity.

[happy-kat]

Hi

Looking on celestron website they have drivers for the camera, you'd have to check it's your nightscape, such as an ascom driver. I'd try that if compatible with your PC and then see if sharpcap can see and control your camera. Sharpcap has sharpsolve (plate solve) and live stacking of planets, Moon and deep sky objects using your telescope. 

[AstroMuni]

16 hours ago, Nicholas1 said:

I'm slowly building up my OTA and I have an idea for a next step.

Welcome to the group. First and foremost I think you have all the equipment at present to be able to take decent images using short exposures and doing electronically assisted astronomy (EAA). The constraint at the moment is your mount which is Alt-Azimuth so its not conducive for taking images of the same object for an extended period of time.

16 hours ago, Nicholas1 said:

Now the goal with my telescope is to essentially sit next to it and operate it from my PC. Additionally, I want the telescope to be somewhat accessible, I'm starting to attend club meetings and have my mount connected to a flight stick for intuitive/easy remote movement for visitors.

If you are trying to view objects live then you should try learning Sharpcap or similar software that can stack images on the fly. Your camera should be perfectly capable of doing this. Also take a look at NINA software that allows you to manage the mount, platesolve etc.

16 hours ago, Nicholas1 said:

Basically I am seeking advice on a finder scope that can be viewed in real time through a camera. What kind of finder scope is ideal for this application? What are the minimum specs of a camera to see stars in real time and/or do plate solving?

Platesolving is done using the main camera, so you dont need a finder scope. Also your mount has Go-To capabilities so it should be able to point at any object with good accuracy once you have done the initial 2/3 star alignment.

Good luck.

Edited August 27 by AstroMuni

[Cosmic Geoff]

You could combine a finderscope with an astro camera and try finding or platesolving with it.  I tried this with an Astro Essentials 50mm finder/guider + ASI120MC, and also bought the adapter to convert a 50mm finder to connect with the standard camera T-threads.  A cautionary note: the camera chip is a lot smaller than the field lens of a low-power eyepiece so the FOV is accordingly restricted.  I also had difficulty in getting the plate-solving to work on a typical starfield, even though devices like the Seestar or the Celestron Starsense with similar aperture work well enough.

You won't actually see stars in 'real time' as an exposure of around 1 to 10 secs is required to get a bright enough image.

I am not familiar with the Nightscape CCD which I suspect is an obsolete device.

I did use a SLT mount in conjunction with a Startravel 102mm for EVAA, but after a while upgraded to an EQ-5 Synscan (with platesolve and resync aided by Sharpcap) as the SLT was not really up to it.

Edited August 27 by Cosmic Geoff

[Eliah]

Perhaps not exactly what you're looking for, but I use a smartphone on a small bracket fitted to the telescope tube ring. Sky Safari's detailed night sky and the Telerads work well as a finder scope, plus it can be easily connected to your laptop with a USB cable or paired to mirror your phone screen with Bluetooth. 

[Elp]

If you don't like the weird finder angles get a RACI finder (right angle correct image). Alternatively a Rigel Quikfinder (which I have) or a Telrad work extremely well for star hopping.

Using a camera and a goto mount however makes finding things extremely hassle free and quick.

[ollypenrice]

What's wrong with using the GoTo function of your SLT mount? Is it insufficiently accurate? Most Go-To mounts allow you to go first to a nearby bright star, centre and select it to refine the mount's sky model and then make a short hop, with improved accuracy, to your target. 

Olly

[Paul M]

I had a short forte in go-to and plate solving with my SLT mount with it's native 127 Mak onboard. Probably a hard as at 1500mm f/l, but...

I got the right cable and Ascom driver and it worked after a fashion. The big issue was drive backlash. So I'd take an image, solve it ok, APT would then issue corrections to the target. The scope would arrive, take a new solving image but there was so much backlash that I'll I'd get was star trails. At 1500mm the settling time would put an entirely different field in view! Always just chasing a target that had already gone!

Tracking? Yes, kind of. Just not much hope of tracking the intended target!

I gave up after a single session.