Autoguiding is a vital part of the black art of long exposure astrophotography
First, let's get our terms straight -
- –
Goto alignment: From the inputted time and location and (1, 2, or 3) alignment star's altitude and azimuth the telescope mount will know its orientation to the entire sky, so this process lets the mount know where it is pointing so the calculations for tracking speed/rate can be done. Plus now you can then find "goto " any object.
– Polar alignment: is the process of accurately aligning the polar (Right Ascension or R.A.) axis of yourEQ mount with the north (or south) celestial pole.
– Tracking: this is what the mount does to keep the desired object in the field of view (FOV ) of the eyepiece
– Guiding: this is what YOU and your mount do to keep the desired object absolutely motionless within theFOV (also called manual guiding -- it's insanely difficult!)
– Autoguiding: this is what a computer AND your mount do to keep the desired object absolutely motionless within theFOV
Tools needed for autoguiding -
- – Telescope, imaging camera, guide camera
- • Method one: a guide scope for the guide camera
• Method two: an off-axis guider for the guide camera
– Computer (a laptop is my preference), with:- • guiding software - (PHD 2 or Metaguide)
• mount software (ASCOM - Astronomy Common Object Model - Drivers)
• camera control software (BYE ,APT , Nebulosity, N.I.N.A.,SGP , Maxim, etc)
– Cables (lots of them)
– PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE - • Method one: a guide scope for the guide camera
Below is an older image of an autoguiding setup using a guide scope and guide camera. It is also a depiction of poor cable management!
Hope this helps to understand both the terminology and some of the pieces-parts.
Cheers,
JT