Re: [APML] 500mm mirror lens as a guidescope?

[Chuck Vaughn <aa6g@aa6g.org>]

George,

I'll bet there's hundreds of messages in the archives on this subject. 
My personal recommendation is that despite the fact that some people 
have success using mirrored scopes either as the guide scope, the 
photographic scope or both (ususally under narrowly defined 
conditions), I would never trust this configuration to be flexure-free. 
I always use off axis guiding if at all possible.

Chuck <aa6g@aa6g.org>

--------------------------------

> While messing around with getting my B&W quickcam autoguider working 
> and
> starting to worry about focuser flexure on my el-cheepo guidescope I
> started wondering (dangerous habit)...
> For widefield shots with a 35mm camera (50mm lens or less) would a
> guidescope with a 500mm focal length be sufficient?
> The 500mm f/8 mirror lens I have is very lightweight and has no
> detectable barrel flexure. The effective aperture is only 62mm but that
> is only a touch smaller than my 70mm f/10 scope that I use for manual
> guiding.
> Any thoughts from those in the know?
>
> George Anderson
> Montreal Canada
>
> Clear skies and good health

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