Freezeframe
member
Reged: 11/02/08
Posts: 21
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Hi and sorry for such a daft question.
Is it possible to guide and image through one scope.
I have a Celestron 80ED and a CG 5 Goto and am wondering if this would be possible rather than another guide scope and using a DSLR due to the weight of the setup on the mount.
Thanks for any help.
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yock1960
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/22/08
Posts: 979
Loc: SW Ohio, USA
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Yes. SBIG and probably others make cameras with two sensors, one for the image and one for guiding. They ain't cheap. 
Steve
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LXD75 GEM
Orion Starblast 4.5" Imaging Reflector
William Optics Zenithstar 66 SD APO
Meade DSI II OSC
Meade DSI III OSC
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
Televue Powermate 2.5x
Discovery 6" Dobsonian
Nikon Action Extreme 10x50's
Gallery
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Jerry Lodriguss
Vendor
Reged: 07/19/08
Posts: 571
Loc: Voorhees, NJ
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Yes.
You can guide and image through one scope with an Off-Axis Guider. But they are a pain to use.
Or, you can use a dual-CCD imaging camera with two sensors, one for guiding. But they can be a pain to use also.
You can not guide and image through a single DSLR on a single scope without an off-axis guider and either manual guiding, or a separate autoguider.
As an alternative, you can try shooting unguided and just throw away the frames that are trailed due to periodic error. Depending on how dark you sky is, you might be able to get a sufficient number of usable frames with this method, and eliminate guiding altogether.
Ultimately though, you will one day want to guide and not waste that valuable clear dark-sky time...
Jerry
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A Beginner's Guide to DSLR Astrophotography
http://www.astropix.com
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Freezeframe
member
Reged: 11/02/08
Posts: 21
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Cheers for the replies,looks as if i will have to invest in another scope and a guide camera but am on a limited budget at the moment and most cams that will work with the guide port on the mount seem expensive.
Have tried imaging unguided but my drift alignment is poor and i just cant get the hang of it.
Have seen some post regarding using a finder scope converted to a guide scope but this may be more trouble than its worth.
Edited by Freezeframe (09/24/09 09:46 AM)
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Jerry Lodriguss
Vendor
Reged: 07/19/08
Posts: 571
Loc: Voorhees, NJ
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If your polar alignment is not accurate, a guidescope and guiding will not help. You will end up with field rotation.
Doesn't the CG-5 have a polar alignment scope?
I have an article on drift aligning that might help...
You're going to have to master reasonably accurate polar alignment if you want to shoot long-exposure deep-sky astrophotos. That should be your top priority at this point, not a guidescope.
Jerry
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A Beginner's Guide to DSLR Astrophotography
http://www.astropix.com
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Freezeframe
member
Reged: 11/02/08
Posts: 21
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Thanks Jerry will have a go again at the weekend if the weather is good. The mount didnt come with a polar alignment scope as standard in the UK but i have brought one and also the goto has a polar align feature on it but that seemed hit and miss last time i tried it.
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JadeSmith
sage
Reged: 07/15/08
Posts: 413
Loc: 5 miles from Obama's house
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I bought a 60mm Meade from a local store. I costs me $25 and I sold the EP's, barlow and diagonal it came with for $15. So far, it has worked ok as a guide scope especially considering it only cost me $10. You can get a small guide scope for pretty cheap...it doesn't have to be good quality, it just to work.
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Astro Tech 8" Imaging Newt (Thanks Astronomics!)
Stellarvue SV80ED
Celestron C6R Backyard Artillery
Zhumell Z10 dob
Celestron CGEM
William Optics EzTouch
Canon 20D
...and lots of goodies
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drksky
super member
Reged: 09/01/09
Posts: 115
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Define "limited budget". Not trying to be a smart aleck, but to some that means under $1000.
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Tony C
AT8RC
C6-R
CG-5 ASGT
ST80 w/StarShoot Autoguider
Canon EOS 450D (Stock)
The Drinking Bird
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Freezeframe
member
Reged: 11/02/08
Posts: 21
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My limited budget at the moment is about £200-£300.
Can get a QHY5 for £159 but not to sure what else i would need other than the scope to go with it.
Edited by Freezeframe (09/24/09 04:10 PM)
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Make-it Better
super member
Reged: 06/30/07
Posts: 144
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I use an Orion starshoot autoguider on a 50mm Antares right angle finder (the type you can change eyepieces on). You will need a laptop for this to work. Light weight, simple and works well. KW Telescope (use google) sells a similar setup using a QHY5.
Cheers,
Roy
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Roy P.
CGE C11
Meade 152ED APO
ED 80
400D
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