Problem with Telescope or just weather condition?

[iandownunder]

Hello All,

I recently got a Philips Toucam 900NC to have a try at Astrophotography on a budget.

I have taken some images of the moon and they look o.k but the other night I tried Jupiter, as you can see the result is terrible, i am wondering if there is a problem with my telescope or if the bad image is due to other reasons, i will give you some details and maybe you will be kind enough to give me your  opinioon from your collective experience.

Nexsrat 6SE 

Philips ToUcam 900NC

no barlow was used

Image went through Registax 6 ( not that i really know how to use it, trial and error )

I know you need to allow the telescope to adjust to the outside temp but when i saw an opening between the clouds i just had to have a try and took my telescope out onto the balcony, so there was no time for the telescope to adjust to thee outside temp.

weather conditions were cloudy and high upper wide as Jupiter bounced around and had a shimmer as the day was very hot and humid, very hot! ( Australia )

As this was my first ever try i had a problem trying to focus as everytime i touched the knob jupiter would wobble like crazy, as clouds were coming over i just did not have the time to fine tune the focus.

Anyway with the above info do you think there is an issue with my telescope or was the bad image due to weather conditions? i might add my views of the moon with an ep are crystal clear.

Any coments appreciated.

Many thanks.

Ian

[iandownunder]

oh, ok so how do i load the image from my device?

[iandownunder]

[ronin]

From what you say it has come out OK. It is obviously Jupiter after all.

Not sure why you were adjusting focus. You need to get it focused then leave it - you may have done this but it reads as if you may not. Search for one of those flexible things they help.

Oddly a barlow 2x or 3x may help the image, and they make things wobble even more.

How long/big was the video?

How many of the frames did you use, probably as a percentage if I recall registax.

Asking stupid questions in case you stacked all the video, and others will wonder the same so I may as well ask.

Don't think you have a great problem other then lack of another 10 attempts - trail and error and learning.  It is not going to come out perfect the first time and if it did then the next 10 would drive you mad trying to work out what went wrong on those instead.

Also do not take a long video, Jupiter rotates too fast and details are blurred out. I think 60 or 90 seconds is advided as the maximum.

One major thing:- Do not tell use how hot it is in Australia.

Honestly we like being here under the grey cloud, watching the cold rain fall and looking forward to tonights temperatures of -3 and -4C. :icon_cry:   We do really. :BangHead:

With a 10 hour difference why were you out Christmas night videoing Jupiter?

Isn't it an Australian custom to go croc wrestling or something?

[iandownunder]

Thanks for those comments.

Video time was about 100 seconds and just under 3000 frames, when Stacking I saved about 40% 

As for focus I thought I had to put the webcam in then focus, like you do with an E P, but obviously not.

So I guess next time I should leave the focus knob alone.

I come from England ( Forest Hill, left 1981 ) and would love some Cold weather, it was 103deg the other day, I hate it.

[Peter Drew]

You should at first focus the webcam as if it was an eyepiece but having done so don't touch the focusing again whilst recording, I think that is what Ronin meant. A webcam's small sensor produces a highly magnified image which is not helped by the conditions you described, you should get better results at cooler times. Planets seem to show good detail with webcams at around F20 so a 2X Barlow will be worth a try. 

[iandownunder]

Thank you

[Pete Presland]

It might be worth doing a simple star test to check the collimation before each session. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqRVIDj4aZA

For focussing a clothes peg on the focus knob really does help you make small adjustments, also you can just touch it lightly to push in either direction, rather than having to grip the knob. take your time getting the focus as good as your can before starting your recording, remember the focus will natuarly "come and go " with the condtions depending how good they are.

The moon is a great object to "cut your teeth on" before moving to the planets.

[iandownunder]

Thats a great tip about the clothes peg, great idea, thanks Bunnygod1.

I had my photo posted but its gone ?