Darkstar_1 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Hi, here is what may seem a dumb question; Why do you need to take the lens off a webcam for astrophotography? Is it due to focusing issues or something else? Thanks. dark skies, Den. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themos Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 You don't have to. You can leave it on and do what is called "afocal" photography. In that, the telescope forms a real image (that is, you could actually see it if you put a white card at the right spot) and then you focus the webcam lens on that image. The reason we usually take out the lens is that the less glass in the way, the better the image. And since you can make an image on the webcam sensor without the lens (the telescope produces the image and the sensor is put where that white card would be), we do it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael8554 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Okay, switch on your webcam with its supplied lens attached and point it at the moonWhat do you see on your screen?A dark sky with a tiny white dot (the moon) in itSo how do you make the image of the moon bigger?You replace the standard lens with a telephoto (long focal length) lensA BIG telephoto lensAnd a telescope is just that, a big telephoto lensThat's why you take the lens off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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