SPC900 Focus

[blusky]

Mind the length of the focuser, may need a longer/shorter Barlow (see signature).

[Sully]

Finally got a clear night to try out the new settings, and they seemed to work pretty good. Still not too sure about the focus though. Still not sure of the limits of my setup and what to expect from it. But with the barlow and new settings can definetly see more of the barges, 7 in all.

Any processing advice welcome. As will tips on the proper use of the Bahtinov mask.

All in all quite happy with the result.

Cheers

Sully

JupiterMask.tif

[bigbox]

Hi Sully, thats not a bad pic at all chap, i'd be well pleased with that. i finally got out last night but still no success with the web cam. but did get some average shots with my D3100 of jupiter and M42/M43. Oh i actually did get some video of jupiter too using the d3100 which has come out really well just need to convert it to an avi so i can put it through registax.....

Quick ? for ya, did you actually see a live pic on your PC/LT using sharpcap, as i never seem to see anything but a black square. i spent a good hour with it last night but gave up n put dslr on, much easier lol...

Regards Ady

[themos]

You're well on your way with that shot. Once you get to that stage, the atmospheric "seeing" is the significant variable. try to get the histogram option in Sharpcap and set the sliders so that the histogram takes as much of the available space without touching the right hand edge.

[steelfixer]

Sully that is a cracker.

You are on your way.

[cabby]

Great pictures, still struggling to get anything close with mine.

Clear skies last night but just ended up with the white blob as usual! I was really gutted as 3 of the moons were in shot and appeared on the screen in sharpcap but not in the final pic!

Fri is looking promising so I'll have another go.

[littlebeagle]

Interesting, just worked out how to get my webcam to focus in a 200p flextube so will try some of the settings in this thread.

For anyone else struggling like me to get a webcam to focus in a flextube don't extend it all the way, the primary needs to be closer to the secondary to focus.

[Sully]

Thanks for all the advice guys, seem to be getting places now. Have even managed a composite with the moons.

For anyone that interested the settings used in Sharpcap are:

[Philips SPC 900NC PC Camera]

Frame Divisor=1

Resolution=640x480

Frame Rate (fps)=10.00

Colour Space / Compression=YUY2

Exposure=-7

Brightness=48

Contrast=23

Saturation=-3

Gamma=0

ColorEnable=255

BacklightCompensation=0

Gain=32

They gave me the result even in live veiw.

Still curious as to how you focus with the Bahtinov mask with camera in place, cause when i tried to use it things just got washed out and had to take a good guesstimate.

Thanks again

Sully

[steelfixer]

Sully that rearly is getting good, I will expect you up for picture of the week at this rate.

[Sully]

Steelfixer,

Given that I've only got a 130 will it be possible for me to pick out the cloud formations as in your pictures? Or is it time to save for a new scope.

[steelfixer]

Sully.

You have to remember that I took mine with the 8 inch using a 5x photo quality barlow.Plus the seeing that night was extreamly good.

If I leave the barlow out and took a picture like you have just posted with the moons I would be well chuffed.

I kid you not in my humble opinion it is that good.

The focus is pretty well spot on. I have blown the photo up to 400 times magnifacation and Jupiter still looks spot on.

Apature fever gets us all in the end.

My advice would be to learn your craft with what you have got while you save the money for a new scope. The bigger the better, trouble is with a bigger scope you need a bigger mount. £££££££££'s

Graham

[bigbox]

Thats an absolute cracking shot there Sully, well done you!!!

I need to have a lot more patience i think and lots more time...

I must also agree with steelfixer, at this rate you certainly will be up for pic of the week very soon...

[Sully]

Believe me, Im well impressed with my wee kit and I will be hangin on to it for a good while, the wife would divorce me if I splashed a grand on a set up!

Next target, Saturn but that'll be a while yet, I not keen enough to get up at daft o'clock in the mornin quite yet but I'll post it when I do.

[themos]

The Bahtinov mask needs to be used on a star or one of Jupiter's moons.

[cabby]

Wow great pic Sully, that is exactly what I was trying for the other night, it gives me hope!

I've copied your last sharpcap settings and will give it a go the next clear night!