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Celestron Nexstar 8

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:54 am
by kdowhower
Help!!! I want to autoguide with my Nexstar 8 but cannot find any software to support it! Any interfaces already out there to emulate something else? Thanks!

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:06 pm
by dpanderson
If you use the autoguide port on your mount rather than the serial port, you will not need software that emulates the scope. You can use either the GPINT-PT or GPUSB from Shoestring Astronomy to interface to the autoguide port, then use software such as GuideDog or PHDGuiding to take the images from a webcam to complete the autoguide system.

If you are new to webcam autoguiding, I recommend that you read this document for an overview:
http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.co ... uiding.pdf

Celestron Nexstar 8 Autoguiding

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:58 pm
by kdowhower
That is EXACTLY the problem....The Nexstar 8 I have has no Autoguide port. It only has the handcontrol RS 232 4-pin serial port. That stops me from using Guidedog due to the lack of drivers built into the program (Guidedog uses the Pulseguide method like for the 8SE, 8Si, 8GPS, etc...)
:cry:

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:56 am
by dpanderson
Ah, I didn't realize the Nexstar 8 had no autoguide port. Have you tried using the ASCOM driver for it?
http://www.ascom-standards.org/drivers.html

Nexstar 8

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:20 pm
by kdowhower
Yeah, I can use my Deepsky program, and a couple others but I cannot use the Autoguiding programs at all...They all say, "Sorry, this scope does not support Pulseguide ().
Know anyone selling a computerized, guidable mount compatible with my OTA?
By the way, thanks for your replies!

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:32 pm
by dpanderson
As far as a new mount goes, there are so many possibilities. Personally, I have been thinking about buying the Orion Atlas mount to get rid of the fork mount that holds my C-8.