Gina

A mono camera is definitely better than a colour one for astro imaging but costs more because you need filters and a filter wheel. I have the ASI1600MM-Cool and very pleased with it. You need a cooled version too for deep sky objects.

I just use a cheap buck converter to change my 13.8v main supply to 5v for the RPi. And always add a fuse at the power input.

That's right.

I think if I could use the new Pi camera with INDI I might buy one to play with even though I would loose some sky coverage to the north (I wouldn't want to lose any to the south) but having to mess about with unfamiliar software tips the balance too far against.

I'm not sure there's any significant advantage of using KStars/Ekos/INDI for an all-sky camera for capturing the images. This is a much simpler application than standard astro imaging. As long as you can access the RPi and camera over WiFi it doesn't really matter what software you use. I think Raspian as OS on the RPi covers this but I haven't investigated. I'm using INDI to control cooling and dew heater on my present ASC with a ZWO astro camera (ASI178MM or ASI178MC). All this works fine using modified a Astroberry Board INDI driver for cooling and dew heater control. I would like to use INDI with the Pi camera as I'm familiar with INDI. Any other software would need programming the GPIO lines for cooling and dew heater control.

Any thoughts of using the Pi camera with INDI @RadekK?

Another question... Anyone used the Pi camera with INDI? OH SNAP!!

OK, so who's got £50 spare to buy one of these and test in an all-sky application?

There's got to be some reason other cameras are many times more expensive!

Very interesting. (Or yes, more interesting!)

Latest...

Reading the spec, it does say this sensor is for use in camcorders only and not specified for any other use which implies short exposures only such as 1/25th or 1/50th sec (or 1/30 1/60 in USA). I imagine the full-well depth would be much less than an astro sensor.

I thought that wasn't the same sensor but diagonal of 7.857 mm is near enough Pi camera's 7.9mm and I misread square pixel as square sensor but it's 4:3 aspect ratio same as the Pi. Edited to correct my error!!!

It didn't occur to me that it might not support long exposures! I guess there must be a reason this camera is £50 and a "proper" astro camera 6 times as much!!

Found spec for the sensor - HERE. Aspect ratio is 4:3. Sensor height = 4.56mm. Not enough for my ASC! Oh well it was a thought, I'll stick with the ASI178 camera. OTOH I'll think about it. The Pi camera would be much easier to accommodate and cool.

For use in an all sky camera I would need to know the minimum dimension which is the height which they don't seem to give. As usual the give the diagonal (as 7.9mm). I thought at first that the sensor was square but it seems not but they don't give the actual dimensions.

I agree.

It looks out of focus to me. The other images are much sharper.

Very interesting indeed. Thank you for the "heads up".

If there were any designs that you want to copy it would simply be a matter of using the STL file in a slicer then 3D printer. I would be happy to publish the STL files and I expect others would. Edit :- Added "a slicer then".

makes a change from plastic, I guess. 🤣

Why control the fan?

But yes, I would certainly support a 3D printing forum. I think it would be good to have somewhere where all 3D printed items could be collected together rather than scattered all over SGL in numerous threads and Blogs. I'll add my vote for such a forum if Admin are looking.

A number of my 3D printed items are covered in my Blogs but not all are up-to-date and others are still only in threads where they tend to get lost.

Data from 23rd and 26th April combined and reprocessed in PI. Total integration time :- 1h 30m.