finder scope

Forums Spectroscopy How do you find your target? finder scope

#578885
Robin Leadbeater
Participant

I have a similar setup though the guide camera sensor is a bit bigger (ICX 415AL)  I have the C11 on an EQ6 mount on a tripod running EQMod and CdC and the alignment/pointing is pretty poor to be honest. However  I use a webcam clamped on the back of the standard guidescope which allows me to see stars to ~mag5. (Ihave a little red LED hanging in front of the finder to illuminate the cross hairs). If I centre the finderscope on one of these near to the target, it easily places them in the guider field where I recentre and sync.  I then slew to the target which should be visible (for faint targets or crowded fields I use a DSS image for reference) If not, I sync more nearby bright stars so EQmod can triangulate or occasionally have to star hop in from the bright stars using CdC and the guider image.  I also use the same system successfully at f10 with the LHIRES where the guider field is even smaller. 

Cheers

Robin