The Lacerta MGEN-3 standalone autoguider is an improved, modernized version of the Lacerta MGEN-II, a professional autoguider on the market whose sole purpose is to make driving a recording as easy as possible!
The improvements have been made on both the hardware and software side. The Lacerta MGEN-3's CMOS sensor monochrome camera (AR0130CS) with higher resolution, increased field of view and, last but not least, increased sensitivity, finds guiding stars where the sensitivity of its predecessor was insufficient, and also uses real-time dark frame correction. But it's not just the camera's capabilities, the control unit also boasts a larger, more visible display with night mode.
In addition, we welcome the implementation of the new - Multistar guiding feature which uses even more accurate sampling, meaning less unnecessary intervention as the camera guides the mechanism by monitoring the position of multiple stars simultaneously across the entire field of view.
Operation of the instrument is greatly facilitated by the possibility of automated operation (quick start function, automatic settings, driving start)
Leave your computer at home!
With no computer needed to use it, you can save a lot of annoying cables and system crashes. It's the ideal companion for those who need to set up for photography, and it's also a great way to protect your delicate laptop from cold and humidity.
Comfort above all else
The Lacerta MGEN-3 autoguider consists of two units: a camera - the heart of which is a 3.75 micron pixel size 1280x960 pixel monochrome CMOS chip - and a control unit. (A unique feature of the latter is that it can also handle other cameras, such as ZWO ASI.) Place the camera in the guide vane (or off-axis guider) and after a few simple adjustments, autoguiding is ready to go. Thanks to its built-in particularly precise algorithm, up to 9x50 finder scopes can be used to guide up to 1200-1500 mm. The hand control features an enlarged display which continuously displays the image of the guide star(s) when focusing and the necessary corrections when guiding.
Auxiliary functions
But if that's not enough, the control unit also makes life easier for astrophotographers with a range of auxiliary functions, including the ability to control exposure on Canon and Nikon digital cameras. You can set the number of exposures you want to take, the length of each exposure, and the pause time between them. But if that's not enough, it can also shift the mechanism by a few pixels between shots (panning), thereby increasing the quality of the image you can process. A 3.5 mm jack is available for DSLR cameras, if the exposure control cable connector is 2.5 mm, a converter is required. For further enhancements, the control also has a Wifi connection.
The camera can be inserted into a 1.25" shutter, but a T2 adapter is also supplied as standard, so both popular connection methods can be used. The device can be used with any ST-4 compatible guider-port mechanic, the necessary cable is included in the package (not to be exhaustive: SkyWatcher (H)EQ-3/5/6 SynTrek, SynScan versions, Celestron Advanced EQ-5 etc.)
The Lacerta MGEN-3 autoguider is powered via USB connection. In addition to the MGEN-3 camera and the handheld controller, the box contains two USB cables (for power supply and camera connection), an ST4 autoguider cable and a 4GB micro SD card.
