Guiding set up

[Celeste]

So I now have my lovely new Atik to play with, i'm looking into guiding. What do I need for a decent guide set up? I *might* be able to use my MX7C CCD, although i'm a bit doubtful of that (it's so old) I've been reading up on this but i'm confused as what's best for me. I do know i'm not buying a synguider or the like, the reviews are BAD. So knowledgeable peeps of EMS.....thoughts please

[Orion]

So I now have my lovely new Atik to play with, i'm looking into guiding. What do I need for a decent guide set up? I *might* be able to use my MX7C CCD, although i'm a bit doubtful of that (it's so old) I've been reading up on this but i'm confused as what's best for me. I do know i'm not buying a synguider or the like, the reviews are BAD. So knowledgeable peeps of EMS.....thoughts please

An altair astro 60 mm mini guider scope and a qhy5Lii colour camera is one option. The Skywatcher ST80 is another potential guidescope, though i think its a bit heavier and bigger than the 60mm altair astro guidescope.

[+Graham]

Simplest route would be to get a finder guider adapter and use you SPC as a guide camera and your finder scope as the guide scope.

Later on you could go down the route of a guide scope and say a QHY 5II for the camera.

Or you could use an OAG .

Best guiding software to start with is PHD.

[+RonC]

Got to agree with Graham on that one!

[Celeste]

Simplest route would be to get a finder guider adapter and use you SPC as a guide camera and your finder scope as the guide scope.

Later on you could go down the route of a guide scope and say a QHY 5II for the camera.

Or you could use an OAG .

Best guiding software to start with is PHD.

Simplest way....but is it a good way? Is the webcam be good enough to guide? I'm going to look for a finder guider adapter now.

[+Graham]

It will work fine Nicky.

If you want to go in at the deep end then go for a SX filter wheel with built in OAG and a Loadstar  but then you will be talking serious amounts of money.

[red dwalf]

although using a spc 900 webcam as a guide camera is certainly do able, i wouldn`t say it`s the best way, i would certainly go for a camera with a slightly bigger chip, makes it so much easier, good cameras would be an older qhy 5 or the zwo asi 120 which i`m using now with phd 2 software and a altair astro 60 mm guider scope, a skywatcher 9 x 50 finder will work fine but for me i would have had to buy the finder then an adapter to get the focus so thought i`d pay a few quid more and get the altair one which is purpose made for the job and focusing is a doddle and you don`t need to keep removing the camera to achieve focus although once done you don`t really need to touch it again.

the st80 is a great guide scope but the size and weight made me change to a smaller unit and keep the set up as light as possible. 

the loadstar is a lovely camera but price comes into play with that one, opne thing i would recommend is that you fit a cheap uv/ir filter to the camera, it makes the guide stars so much sharper and less fuzzy than not using one.

[+RonC]

Interesting about the UV filter Rob, not tried that!

[Celeste]

I have an old MX7C CCD that Ibbo said I could possibly use as a guide cam, so just need something to put it in lol. I shall look for an ST80, but how do I attach it to my scope? It's easier asking you lot than google around (conflicting advice etc) Thanks for the help so far peeps

[+Ibbo]

it wants to be secure

 

if its an old mx it will be M42 thread not T2

[xanthic]

It might be worth starting off with a finder scope as a guider. Start simple, then work up.

I have an old MX7C CCD that Ibbo said I could possibly use as a guide cam, so just need something to put it in lol. I shall look for an ST80, but how do I attach it to my scope? It's easier asking you lot than google around (conflicting advice etc) Thanks for the help so far peeps

Edited September 7, 2015 by xanthic