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tibbs1972

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Blog Entries posted by tibbs1972

  2. tibbs1972
    A while back I purchased a Philips SPC900NC Webcam and flashed it etc to use with Sharpcap Webcam imaging software.
    I then watched the astronomyshed tutorials on youtube to learn how to setup the camera.
    I downloaded the software from the link below.
    http://sites.google.com/site/rwgastro/sharpcap
    After messing around with the camera, all I managed to get was a flashing screen. I got frustrated and gave up and I still couldn't get the Philips camera working tonight.
    Yesterday, I thought I would have another crack at it, so I decided to keep the cost down and purchased a cheap Webcam from Tesco for about £7.85.
    Tonight, I removed the lens from the webcam and taped it to my cannon T-ring adapter using electrical tape and installed it on my Telescope.
    After an hour of messing around with settings, I was again getting frustrated, as all I could get were light and dark screens testing with a torch and led etc.
    I was about to give up again, but then I realised I had missed a crucial point.
    There's no point waving the scope about at night trying to find something to focus on.
    I had forgotten one crucial step in the process.......
    Before messing around with Sharpcap Settings, I should have aligned the Telescope with an object using a normal eye piece, in this case, my 15mm Plossal.
    One of the most annoying problems with my location is a cement factory about 1 1/2 miles north of the village with 24/7 lighting.
    But tonight, this had a really big advantage.
    I setup my scope to align with some of the lights on the factory roof.
    In anticipation, I quickly swapped my eye piece with the webcam and attempted to focus....
    Success, suddeny 2 of the lights came into foucs on my laptop screen.
    I'm now ready to have a go at recording Planets ( very ambitious, I know ) with my telescope and cheap Tesco Webacm.
    I'm just waiting for the clouds to clear, but I do feel a great sense of achievement, managing to get the camera and software working.
    I've attached my first image with the Webcam and Telescope, I know is not an astronomical image, and I need better focus, but It's the achievement of getting the Webcam working that I'm so chuffed about.
  4. tibbs1972
    Hi,
    I've now stacked 20 and 45 images using deep sky stacker, which was really simple to use. I also used gimp to adjust the curves, I think.
    Luckily I had 5 darks on file, so I managed to remove some pollution as well.
    Seem to be a much clearer, crisper image now.
    I think I still need a lot of experience stacking and adjusting curves, but its a start.
  6. tibbs1972
    Thought I'd have a go at making a video from DSLR images, rather than a webcam.
    I took some shots of Orion early this morning, so I'm using these, only 24 shots for a first attempt, which I shrunk down to 25% of the origional size to reduce the file size.
    A stacked image can be seen below.
    Next I found a Freeware tool called ImageToAVI 1.0.0.5, which I used to stitch the images into an AVI file at 4 frames per second.
    I then used a program to convert these to MPEG II format.
    I've uploaded the file to the Youtube link below.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR4qpdYioTs
    My only problem is with light pollution, but if I stacked each frame with dark images, maybe I could get rid of it.
  7. tibbs1972
    Something I've been trying to do for a while now.
    Thanks to two really clear nights this weekend, I finally managed to find Andromeda in the scope. Just a smudge, but it still feels like an achievement, as its the first Galaxy I've spotted through my scope.
    I realise I also need to be quick off the mark adjusting the focus for my camera, once i've spotted something with my 20mm lens.
    I've now marked the focuser with felt pen, which speeds up camera focusing immensly.
    Neil
  9. tibbs1972
    Here's my attempt to capture Sirius on a cheap Webcam through my Telescope.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c_vbVHAPkU&feature=player_profilepage
    Here's my first ever attempt to video the moon, again with my webcam, unfortunately upside down.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwQ3qD1FLQI&feature=player_detailpage
    Regards
    Neil
  10. tibbs1972

    Cloudy Tonight

    By tibbs1972,

    Cloudy & a full Moon tonight, what a mix.
    Still, sometimes it looks like the Moons at the end of a tunnel. Definitely worth taking an image.
    This image doesn't do it justice, I'm afraid.
  11. tibbs1972
    I had a go at just using the DSLR tonight with a 30 sec exposure, ISO of 200, and set to F3.5.
    Had a lot of trouble trying to get rid of the light pollution, but I'm pretty happy with the result. I managed to get through the clouds.
    The best result was from laying the camera flat on its back on a 10sec timer.
  14. tibbs1972
    I've been out this morning observing Orion and mars.
    I'm really pleased I made the effort as It's the first time I've seen Mars.
    It was also an added bonus to have Mars, Orion and Jupiter visible together in one session.
    The background shots were taken with my DSLR using the 18-55mm lens.
    The closeups were taken with the camera connected to my telescope. I found the nebula much more difficult to focus than the planets, as it's not visible with the live view function, so a lot of guess work is required with the focus.
  15. tibbs1972
    Just a smudge through the Monocular, but really pleased to finally locate it.
    I located Andromeda by following the line of stars out from Mirach.
    I can't get a better view, as the line of sight is above a 24hr Cement factory, which obliviously means lots of light polution.
    Pleased I finally located it, as it's the one galaxy I wanted to spot.
    Ok, a sense of achievement tonight, off for some sleep.
  17. tibbs1972

    Widefield Shot

    By tibbs1972,

    I took about 20 shots of Andromeda last night and used deep sky stacker again.
    This is the best shot I've had so far with Andromeda in it.
    I havn't had much luck with Andromeda and my Telescope so far, but I'm sure I'll get there in the end.
  18. tibbs1972
    I popped my head out the back door tonight to see if it was clear.
    To my surprise, it was clear and the moon was rising over the village.
    I had an amazing view of The Moon chasing Jupiter. I thought to take a quick shot.
    It's a shame the moon has so much glare, the shot below doesn't justify the true view.
  19. tibbs1972
    I'm going to try ang grab an image later. Probably widefield with a camera is best, as it's too fast for the scope.
    RE: The worst result possible.
    I panicked, as is obvious. Would have had more time if it hadn't ducked behind cloud.
    Oh well, better luck next time.
  21. tibbs1972
    WOW !
    Just caught the ISS going over the UK.
    Wasn't expecting it tonight, but saw it as I was just now watering the garden.
    I ran upstairs and leaned out of the window with my Minocular.
    As it's been such a beautiful clear day, I could see a bright shiny centre, and I believe I could make out the solar panels.
    Another amazing sighting for me.
    It lasted about 3 minutes. :)
    No clouds tonight, looking forward to the best couple of hours observing this month, I hope.
  22. tibbs1972

    Collimating

    By tibbs1972,

    I've had a natural fear of collimating and thus far upto now have not tried.
    Tonight I watched a few videos on youtube and took a crack at it, one of which I've linked below.

    It's quite tricky holding the secondary mirror trying to align it with the focuser.
    The other problem on the secondary mirror, is that celestron have somehow cross-threaded one of the adjustment screws. This caused me no end of trouble.
    I pricked a hole in a black lens cap, which I then used to collimate.
    The main mirror was eaiser to adjust, but I got a bit confused for a start, as on the Celestron Powerseeker, the locking screws are exactly the same as the mirror adjustment screws. This made things more difficult as neither are labelled.
    After about an hour, I managed to get both mirrors dead centre.
    This is one of lifes little tasks that I won't look forward to in the future, as its pretty frustrating adjusting the secondary mirror.
    At least I won't be diving in without a clue in the future.
    Neil
  23. tibbs1972
    Saturn is giving me some problems.
    For the last week, I've tried imaging with my DSLR camera to no avail. All I get is a white blob on the image.
    I know the telescope is ok, as through the 20mm and 15mm lenses I get a crystal clear image.
    I've tried every exposure time and ISO setting I can think off, but the prime focus direct mount method just doesn't work with planets.
    I decided to grab my old £30 webcam and tape it to the Cannon T-ring adapter.
    After finding some free webcam software, to my surprise, I managed to get an outline of Saturn.
    I have to say I am pretty chuffed to even manage an image of this resolution and feel like I've succeeded in my goal, even though the image isn't that clear.
    I have seen some threads on this site stating that webcams and CCD cameras are better than DSLR cameras for imaging planets. I am starting to believe these statements are correct.
    Anyway, heres the image I managed to get with the cheap webcam. I think I may have to invest in a CCD camera in the future.
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