Holding the Stars Still:An Inexpensive and Reliable Method

For Telescope Guiding

Jason Sanborn, Dept. Of Physics & AstronomyDr. Edward Bowell, Lowell ObservatoryDr. Bruce Koehn, Lowell Observatory

LL owell OO bservatory NN ear EE arth OO bject SS earch

LONEOS telescope is a 0.6-meter f/1.8 Schmidt Telescope with a 16 mega pixel camera capable of detecting 19th magnitude asteroids.

Methods for following celestial objectsMethods for following celestial objects

• Traditional trackingTraditional tracking

• Telescope Auto-guiding Telescope Auto-guiding

Method’s for telescope tracking

• Traditional tracking using weight driven clock drivesAccuracy: arcsecond

• Modern tracking using computer driven mounts

Accuracy: sub arcsecond

LONEOSLONEOS telescope trackingtelescope tracking

• Movie showing the tracking error of the Movie showing the tracking error of the LONEOS telescope.LONEOS telescope. Duration: 30 minutesDuration: 30 minutes

Field of View

Methods for telescope guidingMethods for telescope guiding

• Guiding using non mechanical meansGuiding using non mechanical means

• Off-axis auto-guidingOff-axis auto-guiding

• Auto-guiding using separate guide Auto-guiding using separate guide telescope with imaging capabilitytelescope with imaging capability

FLOWOF

INFORMATION

Hands Off Guider

Psuedocode for HOG software

Base_List_Length := 0; loop Get_Frame(Frame); Find_Frame_Sources(Frame, Source_List, List_Length); Match_Source_Lists(Source_List, Base_Source_List, Match, Match_Data); if Match then Report_Correction(Match_Data);else Base_Source_List := Source_List; Base_List_Length := List_Length; end if; end loop;

Hands Off GuiderUpgraded LONEOS guiding ability using HOGRequirements: Linux based CPU/Fedora Core O/S

Serial port or USB portVideo capture cardOne open PCI card slotCCD ImagerGuide telescopeTracking system with MOVE & HOG software

Before HOGBefore HOG Using HOGUsing HOG