Guiding

Forums Imaging Guiding

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  • #573156

    Posted by Nick Atkinson at 20:23 on 2012 Apr 13

    I have Starlight Loadstar and run this through the mount port. Using Starlight Xpress software I am having difficulty in locking onto a guide star even when I do guiding is noy great. Any ideas please

    #575932

    Posted by Andrea Tasselli at 16:22 on 2012 Apr 14

    A bit criptic but I’d say go for some other (free) software (like PHD or GuideDog). I myself never had good experience with SX software when guiding.Andrea T.

    #575933

    Posted by Dave Adshead at 17:46 on 2012 Apr 14

    I use a Starlight Lodestar guide camera with PHD, both work well together.RegardsDave

    #575934

    Posted by Nick Atkinson at 19:14 on 2012 Apr 14

    Thank you both for your helpfull replies. I will try PHD and see how I get on. The other point I did not raise was the sensitivities of the loadstar, this will be dependant om the apature of the objective. I have two options1) The F9 152 mm triplet with the off axis guider mounted on the filter wheel 2) I have upgraded to the Baader vario finder, brilliant by the way, and using the extension tube is instantly converted to a guide scope. This gives a very wide field of view. This has a 60 mm objective and is very fast with a 25o mm focal lenth. In your opinions how deep can I go using this guider

    #575935

    Posted by Dave Adshead at 19:56 on 2012 Apr 14

    I use the Lodestar on an OAG fitted to a Tak FSQ106ED. PHD allows you to set the guide camera’s exposure duration. I normally set 2 seconds, this can be altered depending on the magnitude of the guide star. PHD is free and I find it easy to use.Dave

    #575937

    Posted by Paul A Brierley at 20:19 on 2012 Apr 18

    You shouldn’t have any problems with guiding using PHD. I guide my 1200mm 10" F4.8 Newtonian, using a 9×50 finder.Just keep everything set at default and see how you get on.

    #575938

    Posted by Grant Privett at 22:29 on 2012 Apr 18

    Just in case it helps. I use a Starlight Lodestar on a £50 second hand 114mm f5 reflector as the guider. I found I can frequently use a 0.5s exposure and get good tracking. Tts guiding an f4.4 250mm aperture Newtonian mounted on an EQ6 Pro. Occasionally I have to turn up the RA agressiveness, but not always.The Lodestar is a winner. Tempted to upgrade to a Superstar for those occasions where stars are few and far between.

    #575939

    Posted by Paul A Brierley at 06:46 on 2012 Apr 21

    The lack of suitable guide stars can be a problem with a small telescope. And this was the reason for using my 9×50 finder. With my QHY5. I don’t have any trouble finding a suitable guide star. And the guiding is very accurate. I was guiding at 2.5 seconds last week-end. And imaging at 1200mm with 300 second subs.

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