Home made guide scope.

[+Graham]

Well since getting into the 'dark side' of things I have been trying to sort out my guiding.

I set my pair of scopes up on a parallel rig I had made in order to allow me to use one scope to image with and use the other to guide with.

Well I have tried it both ways round and have yet to find a guide star with either scope.

I have now come up with plan 2.

I have mated a 44mm Helios camera lens with a Philips SPC 900.

Unfortunately the photos of the set up are on the works computer so I will post them up tomorrow.

I have manufactured an Aluminium bracket which the camera set up screws into for security.

I went home and completely stripped down my set up.

I have mounted the 120mm Helios Refractor onto a dovetail bar and put this back onto of my EQ5.

I cannot believe the weight difference between the Refractor and the newt.

I have had to remove on of the weights such is the difference.

I am sure I heard my mount give a sigh of relief when I had finished.

Anyway I have mounted the new guide scope onto the top of the scope rings.

As it is using a single bolt it gives me the option to swing it from side to side to find a guide star.

I tried it out on this TV Ariel some several hundred yards away.

On the first attempt I found I could not focus the unit as the camera's chip was too far away from the lens.

A quick trim of the adapter with a 4 inch angle grinder and all was well.

The photo is the results of my efforts so far. ( or it would be if I could upload it )

With a bit of luck this glorious weather will last tonight and I can try it out in anger.

I will post up the results tomorrow.

Graham

[+Graham]

Photo of test on Ariel.

Edited May 25, 2012 by Astrotec Limited

[catman161]

That sounds brilliant graham. I'm keen to see how the set up looks. I am also keen to use my spc900. Just gotta get the powermate first.

[+Graham]

Heres an update.

:D

Think that about sums up whether this works or not.

I have the scope pointed at M51.

I slewed the guide scope about 5 degrees north and found a nice fat juicy star.

Started PHD and it went through the calibration with no problems. ( which is a first )

It is at present running two and a half minuet subs.

The RA and DEC lines in PHD are running flat and steady across the graph.

I started out with it set to take 5 minute subs but after the first one it told me it would end around 4 o'clock in the morning and I have got to go to work so I backed it down to two and a half minuets.

We will await the outcome.

Graham

Edited May 25, 2012 by Astrotec Limited

[+Graham]

Pat it works like a dream. Way beyond what I expected.

It pick up even the faintest stars and weighs so little it makes no difference to the balance of the scope at all.

All in all I would have to rate this as my best 'Blue Peter' effort of all time.

[+Graham]

I can see absolutely no reason why not.

All you need is a camera lens and the means to connect the DMK to it.

The only info you need is the distance from the back of the lens to the chip on the original camera ( normally aroud 40mm I was told)

Then you just make the connector piece up so you get the same distance to the DMK's chip.