2 replies to this topic

[Makobeast]

I have a Nexstar 8SE (+reducer) and will soon upgrade to the AM5 mount for better tracking. I am also looking at buying the ZWO OAG to guide, since I heard that a guide scope at this focal length is not enough. I already have a planetary camera, the Zwo asi 120 mc-s. This is a color camera and people often say they are not sensitive enough for OAG. Could I go with this camera anyway and just do longer exposures or could the problem be smaller if I for example buy the Zwo OAG-L with a larger prism? I don’t really have the budget to buy another camera just for guiding… (also my main camera is a Nikon D7500, which I don’t even know will work with the OAG itself, so if someone has a similar setup please let me know.)
Thank you in advance!

[happylimpet]

The ASI120MM is bad enough with an OAG ( I speak from painful experience), I doubt you'll ever get any guide stars with the 120MC.  Its an old, insensitive, noisy camera.

 

Go for a modern sensitive low noise mono camera, like the 

 

https://astronomy-im...20mm-mini-mono/

Edited by happylimpet, 20 September 2023 - 05:12 AM.

[arbit]

An AM5 needs very fast corrections (typically 0.5 to 1 sec) which may not be enough time for an OAG to get enough stars.

A guidescope may work better. See the main threads on AM5.

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