Guiding on a Geostationary Satellite

[Richard Scott]

Will PHD2 guide on an object such as a geostationary satellite with the mount (Losmandy Gemini) in terrestrial mode (non-moving)?

Thanks,

Rick

[Brian Valente]

Rick

satellites are typically far too fast for guiding. You would use something like SkyTrack

https://www.heavenscape.com/

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Brian 

Brian Valente

astronomy portfolio https://www.astrobin.com/users/bvalente/ 

[Richard Scott]

Geostationary satellites barely move but I am looking at SkyTrack.

Thanks,

Rick

[Brian Valente]

If you're doing geostationary and they are 'barely moving' why not just use sidereal. Regular guiding would handle any small differences

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[Richard Scott]

Hi Brian,

The satelliite is not moving east/west but has a very small movement north/south over about a 4 hour period. If the mount was moving at a sidereal rate, the telescope would move west and leave the satellite behind. I would like to use PHD2 to track the slow movement because I'm focusing a transmitted signal from the satellite onto a fiber optic cable. The field of view on the sky from the point of view of the fiber is only 1.8 arcsec, not much different than a single pixel of a camera.

Rick

[Bruce Waddington]

Hi Rick.  I think there are two questions we don't know the answer to:

1.  Will your mount - whatever it is - process pulse-guide commands when the mount isn't tracking.  The answer may be different depending on whether you are using an ST-4 guide cable or are communicating via a mount driver.

2.  Will the geostationary satellite be recognizable as a suitable guide star based on its shape, size, and brightness

If the answers to both questions are 'yes', it might work, PHD2 doesn't insist that the mount be tracking at the sidereal rate. I think only a bit of testing will provide answers.  

Good luck,

Bruce