Celestron Nexstar 8

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kdowhower
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Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:52 am

Celestron Nexstar 8

Post by kdowhower » Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:54 am

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!

dpanderson
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Post by dpanderson » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:06 pm

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
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

kdowhower
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Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:52 am

Celestron Nexstar 8 Autoguiding

Post by kdowhower » Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:58 pm

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:

dpanderson
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Post by dpanderson » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:56 am

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
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

kdowhower
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:52 am

Nexstar 8

Post by kdowhower » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:20 pm

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!

dpanderson
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Post by dpanderson » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:32 pm

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.
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

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