Re: [APML] ST4 Guiding Advice

["Bert Katzung" <katzung1@attbi.com>]

Hi Eddie:

I suspect that the size of the errors you can expect varies a lot with different set-ups, especially the mount. I find that I can get A0's to A3's whenever the sky is cloudless, but bits of cirrus drifting over can drive my ST-4 crazy: jumps up to A7 or 8 and then drops down again. This is with an 80 mm f11 guidescope and an A-P or Losmandy G-11 mounts. With my Meade LX200 mount I could never get the ST-4 to calibrate, much less guide. Some people do guide LX's very nicely, but I could not get mine to work.

As far as your film is concerned, I would sure get it developed! If your imaging scope is not too long in focal length, the guiding errors may be invisible.

Good luck...

Bert

 

Bert Katzung
katzung1@attbi.com
www.astronomy-images.com

----- Original Message -----

From: Eddie Guscott

To: APML

Sent: Friday, June 14, 2002 4:00 PM

Subject: [APML] ST4 Guiding Advice

 

I've just started "playing" with my "new" seconhand ST4 and msu admit it appears a bit

intimidating.

 

I've read several articles on the www about guiding with the ST4 and looking at most APMLer's photo's, they (you)

seem to get guiding errors of A2 or A3.

 

I'm getting fluctuating readings from A2, A3 then a jump to A8, A9 or AE.

 

I'm using a 80mm F9 refractor for guiding, and have tried turning the Scintillation "off" (setting 8), and use

an exposure of about 5 seconds with a Brightness Adjust of 2 or 3.

 

I was under the impression that with the results I'm getting (A8's etc.) the picture would be ruined (the film is still in the

camera) but looking at pictures recently uploaded by Steve Lindsey, maybe not. If you look at his pictures (he reported

getting A8's, AE's on some pictures) they're really good (by my standard).

 

Does this mean my film (still in camera) is not totally wasted and what can I do to get better guiding results.

 

Thanks for any advice

 

Eddie Guscott