Re: [APML]: Anyone Autoguiding a G-11 with a Pictor XT?

[Robert Hoyle <rhoyle@earthlink.net>]

The Astro-Photography Mailing List
------------------------------------

Hi Rod,

Boy, are you lucky.  The APML Archives are full of info on this back in '97.  I just
happened to be fooling around with these today and below are a few hits.  These are
from (IMHO) probably the most knowledgeable person we have on the List: Michael Hart
of the Husen Observatory.  He doesn't participate much, but when he does, I listen.

BTW, there are some references in these threads to 201xt difficulties in using guide
stars in an OAG because they're not "well-formed".  I've had *no* difficulty at all,
ever, with this using my 201xt on a Taurus T1 and T2 Tracker (OAG) -- and I can
clearly see that the stars from my p.o. mirror are definitely "sea gulls" -- big
ones.

Also, there is reference to only being able to guide on 4th magnitude stars with a
201xt.  Not so for me (and a few others I know of).  I can get probably around 10th
magnitude pretty easy on the 201xt, w/o having to go much past 3 sec. guider exposure
time (sometimes I go a little low on "gb" for the star, to around as low as 6 or 7 --
but the danged thang guides with it!).

Maybe these above problems were "older" 201xt's?  Maybe Meade is reading our Mail?
And doing servo-control feedback stuff?


Peace to you too, Rod.

Rx


http://www.system.missouri.edu/ics/staff/andy/APML/ARCHIVES/MAY97/msg00039.html
http://www.system.missouri.edu/ics/staff/andy/APML/ARCHIVES/MAY97/msg00019.html
http://www.system.missouri.edu/ics/staff/andy/APML/ARCHIVES/AUG97/msg00641.html






RMOLLISE@aol.com wrote:

> The Astro-Photography Mailing List
> ------------------------------------
>
> In a message dated 98-07-12 18:38:29 EDT, you write:
>
> << And for some people its just hard not to like a lot of things about these
> little
>  units that cost less than $400, fit easily in the palm of your hand, weigh
> less than
>  a reticle eyepiece, require no external control box, connector cords, or
> software,
>  and  -- if one can get past the gremlins of inadequate polar alignment, wind,
> film
>  buckling, etc. -- provide perfectly round little star images, seemingly for
> as long
>  as you want to auto-guide. >>
>
> Hi Robert:
>
> Well, I'm starting to think autoguider. I really like the 201XT from both a
> price and size perspective. I believe we've pretty much established that the
> 201XT may have fatal problems with the Losmandy equipment. But how about me?
> I've got a Celestron Ultima 8 (fork mount, natch), and I'd be interested in
> using the 201XT with it. Most of my exposures are 45 minutes or less (often
> about a half hour). Any reports on sucessfully using the Meade with
> Celestron's drives?
>
> Peace,
> Rod Mollise
> Mobile Astronomcal Society
> http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html
> (The Home of _From City Lights to Deep Space_
> The Urban Observer's Guide to the Deep Sky)