guide scope

[Stryda]

Hey guys, i currently have a meade lx10 8", and im looking for a guide scope to help with long exposures, does anybody have any good scopes in mind? looking to spend no more than £150-200 thx

[MishMich]

The skywatcher ST 80mm is a popular choice for this.

M.

[Merlin66]

I'd second the ST80. With a QHY5 its hard to beat.

You'll need a support bar and guide rings for the 8" sct. ( you don't actually need guide rings, the ST80 FOV is pretty good so normal rings still work and are more rigid)

Ken

[Stryda]

thanks for the replies guys, now for my second dilemma any advice on whether to get the st80 as a guide scope, or to buy an off axis guider (would both be used only for guide imaging), also is this good for price?

SkyWatcher STARTRAVEL-80 (EQ1) Refractor Telescope 731

or do u have any other shop suggestions? Thanks

[jgs001]

That's ok, but do you really want an EQ1 as well ? Try Startravel - Skywatcher Startravel 80 OTA. I can't help on the guide scope/OAG question I'm afraid... only ever used 2 scopes.

[Whippy]

Another alternative would be is to have look out for a secondhand William Optics Zenithstar 66. The advantage here is that not only does it make a great guide scope, but you'd also be able to use it as a wide-field imaging scope as well which the ST80 isn't really best suited for. They're normally about £150ish.

Tony..

[Merlin66]

If you want to image through the C8 and its an either or situation the OAG may work out cheaper. Do you have a guide camera?

[johninderby]

One scope that does seem to go unnoticed is the Ascension Star Sky 90 from Opticstar. It would make a great guide scope.

While it's an achro it really surprised me with the quality of it's optics. It's also very compact and light weight (about the same as the ST80), but 90mm and well finished with a crayford focuser and retracting dew shield. It doesn't have the "heft" of a WO scope but it's only £150.00.

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Telescopes-Ascension.asp?p=0_10_1_6_110

John