From: "H P" <hpholcomb@yahoo.com>

Date: November 14, 2009 7:53:03 AM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: ST3 Pro Exposure calculator...

Hey to all,

I read this collection of posts with great interest.

As a result, I want to pose a question.  I know the answer is fraught with the effect of many variables, including from the equipment used down to the skill and eyesight of the observer!

But please, don't dismiss it because of that.  My intentions are quite honorable!!  I have no reason to start a conflict here!

Milton, your tolerance would be most appreciated, since this question perhaps should be in the autoguiding group or the macastronomer group.

Just how well can one manually guide with an OAG, as compared to autoguiding with same,:

   a) strictly manually, or

   b) manually with software?

Let's limit exposures to 30 minutes or less and have FOVs similar of those in scopes with less than 7-800mm FL - no cassegrains, please.

I've almost stopped reading the posts on the Stark Labs group because of all the problems presented by the writers.  Gawd, I've gotten so I don't want to open the daily digest.  It's become a forum of gloom and despair not to mention a significant increase in the minutiae of technical details.  As a neophyte to guiding, I'm not interested in those.

Aren't most of those from PHD users using PCs and not Macs???  Well, that's question number two.  I've tried several times to get those posters to put either "PC" or "Mac" in their subject line but to no avail.

Well, I'm also venting a little here.  Please excuse that.  However, your input to the query would be most appreciated.

And thanks,

Perry

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@...> wrote:

Terry,

I do belong to the Stark group & because I have all my group settings  

unlimited I hear all the to & fros involved in Nebulosity & moreso,  

PHD! I don`t have a camera that is supported by Nebulosity or a DSLR  

though. Craterlet on the Stark site by the way`ll support your camera  

if only for imaging. Astro IIDC has a guiding interface which does  

what you`re describing to Ray with the crosshairs automatically, or  

PHD`ll do it for free on Macs & PC`s. Metaguide is a PC only app  

though! Good luck with your latest project, the star in Auriga!

Mark.

On 14/11/2009, at 3:11 PM, Terrence Redding wrote:

Very good.

I believe know Frank Mraz from the IOTA group and Stark Labs.  I  

would suggest listening to him.  He is quite knowledgeable -  with  

years of experience - both things to value.

Imaging is a side issue for me - something to relax and do between  

other events.  But it is great to share the experience with others  

and to learn from those with decades of experience.  It is an  

amazing world we live in.

Thanks for your comments.

Terry

...Getting back to OAG`s..there is a  

growing clique of people using these connected to the main scope to  

avoid flexure etc. issues associated with guide scopes (including  

Milton!)