I know the ASI290 MM is marketed as a guide and planetary camera but I'm wondering if there's any reason why it, when paired with a 200mm guide scope and an ASIAIR could not be used for polar alignment, plate solving, and object locating. (I'm sure I'd have to select the 290 as the imaging camera.) I haven't tried this approach yet, but I'm thinking I'd like to try this setup with a Celestron C11 for visual observing, because as things stand right now, the AAP is my only "go to computer" that works with my mount, so my theory is align the guide scope with the SCT, and use the camera and AAP to locate what I want to observe, and theoretically, it should put the object at least close to see with the C11. The go to function has been working well with my 533 imaging camera, and while I may be able to attach the 533 to my guide scope, I figured the simpler solution is to use the 290 that's already attached. But let me know if there's some reason this approach won't work (e.g., plate solving doesn't work at that focal length) otherwise I'll be trying it out in a couple of nights when the clouds clear and the wind dies down. Thanks for any comments / suggestions.
John Meggers
Naples, FL
