Europa wrote:
I meant guiding, I agree with you, most ppl talk about the need for better cameras for OAG, but for a dedicated guider, it seems like anything works. I think my struggles are somewhere else, just need to find my problem. I've looked back at photos I did without autoguiding, and they fracked very well, I've not had such luck with autoguiding...I may be down to needing maintanace performed on the mount, just trying not to admit it, plus the fact of shipping 150lb part away to have it serviced.
I meant guiding, I agree with you, most ppl talk a... (
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I'm of the opinion that a Guide Scope/Camera has but one function, grab a star, then track that star feeding minute corrections to the mount.
And with PHD2, I almost always let it pick the star to guide with.
For months I shunned Auto Guiding because of the basic settings in PHD1, and later 2. It is NOT "Push Here Dummy" simple. It requires basic settings to begin with.
Until those are found, and tweaked in, guiding for me was spastic. Then, little changes until the best guiding I could get became more consistent. I bet I haven't changed any of my PHD2 settings in Months, if not years now.
I've gotten ~.25 pixel guiding (1/2 pixel swing max) fairly consistently. (If it workx, don't 'fix' it. )
And this is working with a 'lowly' AVX.
Thinking logically, I can't help but wonder if your light pollution might be fighting you being able to get better results tracking. No matter what camera, you could put a light pollution filter in its nose for a quick test. Then, if you see any improvement, leave it there. (I think
Woodland Hills Camera and Telescope is near you). Maybe bounce the idea off of them?
It is possible that now that you've had your Pro mount for a bit, the backlash is beginning to show, loosened up. Adjusting that, while still in warranty is not something I would advise. I would bite the bullet and have Celestron (down in Torrance) do a 'tune up'. Citing that you have given them a lot of business, but are unhappy with your high end equipment from them. A call could get a free check out of the mount. That would quell those doubts.
The second, and last time, my AVX was there, the tech also did a backlash adjustment and a through function test. (I didn't ask for it. They put their best tech on my mount, and he was willing to go the extra mile.)
I usually get movement in two to three button taps when changing direction from one to the other (at Speed 5), during alignments. In other words, there is very little in the way of backlash to contend with.
So if my butt end AVX can do the guiding it can, I would expect your top tier mount should be outstanding.
I know the images I've seen from you have been most excellent.
Why not give Celestron a call?