Epsilon 130 - OAG or guidescope? - Forums

Topic starter

Oct 24, 2023

From my research, it seems traditionally OAGs are more common (or even considered essential) on longer-FL scopes.

my question: anyone out there using an OAG on an E130? Is there any discernible improvement or advantage over a (properly mounted) guidescope?

Cheers,

d.

Engaging

Daniel Carter

IOTD Staff

Oct 24, 2023

I use an OAG on my Epsilon 160 which has the same 56.2mm backspacing. Before I switched to the OAG I was using a guide scope. I got better guide results with the OAG on my rig.

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Giovanni Paglioli

IOTD Staff

Oct 25, 2023

I have a bigger brother in the family of epsilons, the 210 and it's quite different from the newer, smaller versions. Anyway I use an OAG for guiding when I guide at all. It Is far more better to me to do so, these scopes have a big corrected field to use for OAG. To me, the results are better. It is always better to use the same optics for imaging and guiding when Is possible. My two cents…

Paul Wilson

Oct 25, 2023

My conventional, ZWO mini guide scope sits atop my E-160. The guiding I get seems very good, with tight crossing RA/DEC graph lines and sharp stars.

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Torben van Hees

Oct 25, 2023 · Edited: Oct 25, 2023

I use my 10“ RC in a dual setup as a guidescope for my 160ED. Round (measured eccentricity <0.35) up to 20min. The FL of the Epsilons is low enough to not need an OAG if your setup is tight and without flex. In addition, you don‘t really need long exposures (i‘ld be fine with 60s in Bortle 6).

James Peirce

Nov 10, 2023

There is not much of an advantage in terms of actual imaging. It is rather easy to reliably guide a widefield telescope with a traditional guide scope. It becomes more a matter of preference. Is an OAG convenient for your setup? Do you prefer it to transporting and setting up a guide scope? Would you rather use any associated loss in backfocus for other accessories?

I use a guide scope with my e130D. But I also have a ZWO ASI2600MC Duo which I use with it, sometimes, and I’m quite happy to use the guiding sensor whenever that camera is used. But it isn’t providing any real upside in guiding accuracy that reflects in the images.

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AnaTa

Jun 16, 2024

Dunk:
From my research, it seems traditionally OAGs are more common (or even considered essential) on longer-FL scopes.

my question: anyone out there using an OAG on an E130? Is there any discernible improvement or advantage over a (properly mounted) guidescope?

Cheers,

d.

Neither. It has short FL and large arcsec/pixel. So, does not need guiding.