Re: [APML] Auto Guiders.

["Jeff Crilly" <jlcapml@sbcglobal.net>]

> All, what are people buying/using these days for
> autoguiders? Its my understanding that the ST4
> and the Meade's are no longer being produced.
> Are people being forced into the STV?

The STV is what SBIG would like you to think of when you need an autoguider.

I use an ST7E that I picked up astromart last year for about $1600.
They are now down into the sub-$1k range.

For the guidescope, at one point I used an orion 80mm f11, but now
use an old 200mm camera lens (picked up for $5 at the camera store's
junk box).. this is an old pentax-screw mount type lens and fits
the CCD camera t-thread pretty good.

This does require a laptop, and since its parrallel, it requires
one of those too.  Also, I noticed that I ~sometimes~ (though rarely)
get "camera timeouts" if I switch to other programs (e.g. thesky). 

I also know someone that uses the st5c, aka the pixcel255 (? the
celestron branded unit).

Fwiw, I beleive any sensitive camera that can do video-for-windows
can be used as an autoguider with maxim/dl-ccd, but I've only
tried this briefly.

jeff

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