[APML] Guidescope thoughts...

["Chris & Jennifer Cook" <ccjd@ix.netcom.com>]

With galaxy season around the corner, I'm going to start shooting with the
5" ED again.  When shooting through the 5" and guiding with the TV102, I
have gotten some slight flexure when shooting objects that are in the south
and away from the pole region.  I'm thinking that the TV102 might be a bit
to heavy sitting on top the 5" thus causing the very slight flexure?  I was
thinking of getting a smaller and lighter 80mm guidescope to try out.
I have been looking around and have found a 80mm f/9 refractor from Apogee
Inc.  See:  http://www.apogeeinc.com/scopes.html  It's only $100 which makes
me nervous.  Does anyone have any experience with these scopes?  I would say
the most important part would be the focuser.  Is it rigid?  They say it
locks but that doesn't mean anything.
Astro-Physics has a 80mm for $495 but that seems pretty expensive for an
achromat guidescope OTA.
Can Vixen guidescopes still be purchased in the US?
Any other suggestions?

Chris


==================
Chris Cook
Astronomical Photography
www.abmedia.com/astro



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