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Handbook for the SX 'Lodestar X2' guide camera
Thank you for purchasing a Starlight Xpress 'Lodestar X2' guide camera. We hope that you will be
very pleased with the performance of this product.
The Lodestar X2 is an updated version of the very popular 'Lodestar' and is a very compact guider
which is powered and operated via a single USB2.0 computer connection. It also provides an opto-
isolated output connection for direct control of most mounts, via their 'Autoguider' sockets. This
output is compatible with the 'ST4' style of RJ12 connection and supplies 4 'pull down' direction lines
and a common return. Alternatively, you may send the mount control signals via a serial connection
from the guider control computer. The Lodestar X2 utilises a very sensitive Sony 'ExView2' CCD (the
ICX829AL) with an array of 752 x 580 pixels in a 'half-inch' format. Although the chip is not cooled,
it has a very low dark signal and very little readout noise, so it can be used to guide on faint stars that
are well beyond the reach of webcams and CMOS chip based guide cameras.
The Lodestar X2 specification:
CCD
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Pixel count
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Pixel size
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Lodestar X2 handbook Issue 2, August 2014
Sony ICX829AL ExView2 monochrome CCD
752(H) x 580(V)
8.6 x 8.3uM
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Related Manuals for Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2
Summary of Contents for Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2
- Page 1 The Lodestar X2 is an updated version of the very popular ‘Lodestar’ and is a very compact guider which is powered and operated via a single USB2.0 computer connection. It also provides an opto- isolated output connection for direct control of most mounts, via their ‘Autoguider’...
- Page 2 Using the Lodestar X2: The Lodestar X2 is generally used with a separate guide telescope, or via an off-axis guider. It is designed to be inserted into a standard 1.25” focuser assembly, but also has a 25mm ‘C’ type camera lens thread in the front to allow standard CCTV lenses or adaptors to be attached.
- Page 3 Lodestar X2 fitted directly into its focus barrel. Many such telescopes are designed to be used with an inverting prism ahead of the eyepiece and so the focuser may be too short when the Lodestar X2 is inserted directly. In this case, an extension tube may often be made from a cheap Barlow lens assembly with the lens removed.
- Page 4 Lodestar X2 handbook Issue 2, August 2014 style output lead is supplied with the Lodestar X2 and this may be connected to any ST4 compatible autoguider input socket on the mount. It is also possible to guide by using serial data from the computer to an RS232 input on the mount, but this will be covered later and can be less effective than the direct hardware connection.
- Page 5 Check that pressing the arrow buttons causes the star field to drift left, right, up and down, as appropriate. The LED at the back of the Lodestar X2 should change colour when the buttons are pressed. If all is well, move onto the next step below: Once a good guide star has been found, press the ‘Stop’...
- Page 6 Guiding with ‘PHD’ A very simple-to-use guiding program is Stark Labs ‘PHD’ (http://www.stark- labs.com/phdguiding.html). I recommend this as a good way to guide with the Lodestar X2 and I use it myself on most occasions. To guide with PHD, first press the ‘camera’ icon and select the ‘Starlight SXV’ option. If you have more than one SX camera connected, then choose ‘Lodestar’...
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Page 7: Conditions Of Guarantee
Lodestar X2 maintenance The Lodestar X2 head is designed for a long and reliable lifespan and needs very little maintenance to keep it in good working order. The only common issue is with dust particles which collect on the CCD window and can shade areas of the image field. - Page 8 Lodestar X2 handbook Issue 2, August 2014 Bottle Lane, Binfield, Berkshire, England. RG42 5QX Tel: 01184026878 e-mail: michael.hattey@starlight-xpress.co.uk Web site: http://www.sxccd.com...