At 09:42 AM 3/23/98 -0700, you wrote:
>You indicate that you are setting the scope up in alt-az
>but you don't indicate that you have the deroator or that
>you are using an autoguider (or manual guiding). The LX200
>PEC only currently is available on the 16in. when in alt-az
>mode. And if you aren't using the derotator than there are only
>small windows in az and elivation where field rotation won't
>cause trails in even short exposures. Can you provide more detail
>of the setup you are trying to use?
>
>Dave Dixon
>
>
>>Chris wrote:
>>
>>> I can't even get decent 20 second shots. Stars leave
>>>trails, in 3 & even four multiple images showing in various geometric
>>>patterns. I set my 8" on concrete too, level base, then 2 star align
>>>several times (I have no reticle eyepiece, but center with at least 350x
>>>mag. I did just find
>>>that one of my aluminum tripod hinges has snapped off, don't even know why.
>>>Just got eq. wedge in mail, but don't want to graduate to that without
>>>progress in alt-az mode first. My CCD is the starlight express, and I don't
>>>have the focal reducer yet. Still, I am suprised at how far off the
>>>tracking is.
>>
>>
>
>
>
I have been shooting in alt-az mode with no field de-rotator in durations
shorter than 20 seconds as a starting place for imaging, with the intent to
work up to polar alignment with the standard wedge. I do not have any
device yet for guiding, again a next step, but had read that with short
iterations this would not be necessary. Evidently not? Not using PEC yet or
high precision mode either.

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