Microsoft Lifecam HD for Guiding

[samtheeagle]

The weather here has been awful of late. The forecast keeps teasing me with promises of clear nights, but we all know how accurate they tend to be... Anyway, I got some breaks in the cloud last night so I started setting up for an equiptment testing session. I had a few things to sort out:

(1) Setup EQMOD with a gamepad for slewing

(2) Align my newly fitted RDF to the scope

(3) Get my DSI properly focussed in my 50mm BigEye Finder

The gamepad bit was a breeze, and I can see what people mean about how much easier it makes things! I had a bit of trouble with the RDF, I just don't seem to be able to get it adjusted far enough in the direction that I need, I think it must be at it's maximum movement extent. Not sure how to solve that one :S

The real kicker was the DSI focus. I've always struggled to get it focused with a 50mm finder. When it works it's great, it has been a very reliable guide camera, but the last few imaging sessions it's been a real thorn in my side. I tried and tried and tried. I aimed at Jupiter, nice and big and bright, to make it easy to spot in PHD. Nothing, just static on the screen. No matter what I tried I couldn't get any kind of image to resolve.

So, I figured I'd try one of my other cameras and the Lifecam got to go for glory All I can say is WOW! This thing is REALLY sensitive! I plonked it straight in to the finder and immediately got a massive glowing blob on screen. A few turns of the BigEyes threaded objective holder (which gives about 10mm focussing ability) and I was zerod in, Jupiter and a couple of moons to boot. So I thought ok, working well on a really bright target, I'll slew the mount to the Rosette nebula, as I had trouble getting the DSI to get a guide star there. No problems at all, multiple guide stars to choose from. I just slewed around that general area a bit and pretty much everywhere I aimed the scope guide stars were picked up!

I was really happy with the camera for planetary and solar work already, but it seems that it will also serve as a fantastic guide camera! How did I not know this? Surely I should have read on the forums here about how great it is for guiding already? Surely others must have tried it? If you have, did you find it as awesome as I did?

[Gina]

I use one for imaging planets and the little pieces of the moon Well, let's say I have done as there's been precious little opportunity for imaging anything skywards lately! Had a few goes at Jupiter and the moon a while back but I wasn't fully set up then.

[samtheeagle]

Well Gina, if you're looking to do some guiding I'd give the lifecam a try before shelling out for a specialist guide camera. I was so impressed with it last night, I can't wait to try it during a real imaging run. I reckon I might need to adjust my phd settings a bit to use it to its best...

[Gina]

Yes, I'll certainly be trying webcams for guiding. Using the 9x50 finderscope most likely.