I'm interested in astrophotography using a C14.? I would need to transport the C14 though as my condominium lacks a suitable setup location.? Due to portability requirements, I was leaning towards the C11 but I've heard rumors that the C14 is, in fact, a small scope...
So with this in mind - portable astrophotography using the C14 - I've got quite a few questions I've compiled after doing some Internet research on the topic.? Any advice/opinions on the following questions are much appreciated.
1) Mount - Is the ASA DDM60pro really suitable for C14 astrophotography or would I be much better off with an AP 1100GTO?? Dale Liebenberg? - ?- uses the ASA DDM60pro and seems to achieve good results... but the 28kg maximum payload for the DDM60pro worries me.? Moreover, Dale's C14 is housed in a remote observatory and thus is somewhat shielded from wind.? To the extent that a DDM60pro is sensitive to wind under high loads, my field setup would obviously be much more prone to wind-induced instability.
2) Corrector Plate Reflection Halo - Dennis di Cicco's review of the C14 in the February 2011 issue of Sky and Telescope noted that bright stars sometimes cause halos due to reflection off the corrector plate.? An example of this is shown here:
However, the only mention I could find about?corrector plate reflection halos is the S&T review.? In practice, are reflection halos an issue to be concerned about?
3) Celestron's EdgeHD Reducer - I've read that the EdgeHD reducer is somewhat difficult to use.? What are the issues associated with the reducer?
4) Cooling - For portable use, are?cooling fans (e.g., TEMP-est) necessary?? If installing TEMP-est fans onto a C14 EdgeHD, is any drilling of the OTA required??
5) OAG and Guide Stars - How difficult is it to find a guide star using an OAG at f/11?? I was thinking that Innovations Foresight's ONAG (http://www.innovationsforesight.com/) might be a better solution.? Does anyone have experience with the ONAG?
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Dave
