iOptron iGuider Auto guiding System User Manual
- June 7, 2024
- iOptron
Table of Contents
iOptron ® iGuider TM Autoguiding System Operation Manual
Product #3360
Ver. 1.00 2021.3
iOptron reserves the right to revise this instruction without notice. The
actual color/contents/design/function of a product may differ from those
described in this instruction manual.
iOptron® iGuider TM auto-guiding system includes a mini guiding scope with a diameter of 30mm and focal length 120mm and an insider 1 camera. The resolution of the iGuide Scope/camera is 6.44 arcsec/pixel, especially suitable for guiding with a short to medium focal length telescope. With dielectric AR-coated achromatic lenses, iGuider Scope is sharp in imaging and ensures high-quality guiding. insider Scope can mate with iOptron CEM26/GEM28/CEM40/GEM45 mounts seamlessly without any adapter. It comes with a standard finder scope dovetail that readily fits with telescopes that have a finder scope slot. The iGuider 1 auto-guiding system only supports ASCOM pulse guiding.
Installation
An iGuiding system includes the following parts
1. For late CEM40/GEM45 model with 6 inch Vixen/Losmandy dual saddle
An iOptron mount that is ready to mate the iGuider system has two mounting
holes on the side of the
dovetail saddle, as shown below:
Install the guiding scope dovetail saddle onto the mount saddle.
Slide the guiding scope into the adapter and tighten the locking screw. Insert iGuider 1 camera into the end of the guiding scope. You may replace the nylon locking screw with included stainless steel set screw to secure it.
Connect to a PC
Connect the miniUSB cable to the back of the iGuider 1 camera and a PC USB
port. You should see an
iOptron iGudier 1 under the Cameras.
Download and Install Drivers and Software
- iGuider 1 camera needs following software:
(1) Windows 7, 8.1, 10, or server, 32 or 64bit system
(2) ASCOM 6.5 and later version
(3) iGuider ASCOM driver
(4) Mount ASCOM driver
(5) Guiding software supports ASCOM guiding, such as PHD2
Click on iGuider ASCOM driver:
Please follow mount computer control reference to make sure that a proper ASCOM Drive is installed for the mount. The example shown here is only for connecting via an iOptron mount.
Setup PHD2 Guiding (example)
Download freeware PHD2 autoguiding software from
https://openphdguiding.org/downloads/.
Please select V2.6.7 or later version.
Click on PHD2 icon to start the PHD2 New Profile Wizard:
Click on Next. Select “iOptron iGuider (ASCOM Camera)” from the camera selection menu.
PHD2 will
fill the pixel size (3.75um) automatically if the camera is connected to the
computer Enter 120mm into the guide scope focal length tab and click Next.
If the program displays the following error, please exit “iOptron iPolar” software.
Select a mount that connected to the computer via ASCOM from the dropdown
menu. Here “iOptron
CEM120/70/40/26,GEM45/28 Mount (ASCOM)” is selected. A default guiding speed
is 0.5X. Click Next.
In next Adaptive Optics Device setting window, select None and go to Next.
Save the Profile Name. Do not check Build dark library. You may do it at a late time. Click Finish to complete the Profile setup.
Click on Guide/Connect Equipment and connect all the devices.
To view the image via iGuider, check “Display Toolbar” and “Display Star Profile” in View menu.
Select proper “Exposure Time” in Main tool bar and click on “Continues Exposure”, you should see star images in the main window. Make sure you remove the lens cover.
You may also check the iGuider camera during the daytime by checking Show Preview in iOptron iGuider ASCOM window. Adjust Exposure Time and focuser to show the image.
iGuiding Focus Adjustment
To adjust stand-alone iGuider 1 focus:
-
Remove iGuider lens cover.
-
Run PHD2 software and select “iOptron iGuider (ASCOM Camera)”
-
Go to a bright star
-
Turn the Object Lens to bring the star to show in the main window.
-
Click on the star to look at the Star Profile. Further fine adjusting the Object Lens to bring the Peak
to the maximum value. -
Turn the Locking Ring to lock the Objective Lens.
Specifications
iGuide Scope:
Weight: 200 g (including iGuide Scope and iGuider camera)
Aperture: 30mm
Focal length: 120mm
Focal ratio: F/4iGuider 1 Camera：
Pixel size： 3.75μm
Pixel array: 1280*960
Megapixel: 1.2 MP
Chip size： 1/3”
Resolution: 6.44 arcsec/pixel (coupled with iGuide Scope)
Guiding method：Support Pulse Guiding (ASCOM Guiding), not support ST-4 Guiding
iGuider ASCOM Driver
https://www.ioptron.com/Articles.asp?ID=328
After install iGuider ASCOM Driver, you may connect the iGuider using any
ASCOM compatible guiding
software, not only the PHD2.
iGuider Firmware Upgrade
https://www.ioptron.com/Articles.asp?ID=327