Mars through 10x50 - am I doing this about right?

[Flying Eye]

Hi all,

I got a chance to try a webcam a-focal mounted on my Olympus 10x50s this evening. Missed Jupiter due to a prior commitment, but got this of Mars.

I've not really got much experience but wondering if this looks about right or not.

OK, it could certainly use centering up and all that but it was the first shot I've ever tried to go for, and then went on to do a video capture.

Is this roughly what I should be expecting to see?

I'm encouraged by getting this much or little depending on how it pans out, but I could use some experienced eyes to tell me if I am really heading in the right direction.

I know the web cam has better eyesight than I do, and this pic tends to confirm it, as it looks rather better than I normally expect to see it. I'm bothered that it maybe a long way out of focus and possibly over exposed making it seem better (larger) than it really is, hence asking those with some experience for some thoughts if you got them please?

Not loaded with detail, but not sparse either. <shrug>

[Aaron1996]

Hi Ian,

Imaging through your 10x50s is just amazing me! Thanks for your efforts and more if you please. Oh, when the finances show up again I'll be on the ball!

Regards,

Bill.

[Flying Eye]

Thanks Bill,

I'm just tinkering really, I reckon I may learn to get more out of it as I keep trying different ideas, and pick up more clues as to what it all needs to work well.

Getting the mounting sorted out was the pivotal point for me, once that was done I can use them as per normal on the tripod, then once it's focused up I just plug the webcam into the left eyepiece and dash indoors to hit the record in SharpCap, and cross my fingers.

I'll post some details of mounting as time allows.

[Gina]

A good first attempt It is a bit overexposed IMO but you can see a bit of detail on the surface so not grossly overexposed. I think the focus is quite good though with the disc only covering a few pixels it's difficult to tell. If you can get the exposure less you will probably see a bit more detail. You may need to put a filter in the light path to get the exposure low enough. A neutral density will just cut down the light or a yellow or green one will both reduce the light and is supposed to bring out the detail on the Martian surface a bit better. I haven't been able to try this yet but now have the filters so will be doing so soonish I hope.

[Flying Eye]

Thanks greatly for the input Gina,

I've got a reasonable amount of exposure room left to lower it a fair bit, so shall try that next time.

I'll freely admit to a schoolboy error on that, as it was a first attempt, all common sense went out of the window. I had an image on the screen which I could clearly see as not being total rubbish, so while still busy being a bit amazed I clicked at the snapshot button, with the thought " I am not losing this one!".

Then I got carried away with trying other things as I had spottings of heavy haze and light cloud drifting through, constantly threatening the session.

Now those filters are going to represent a bit of a challenge, they may have to go on the objective end, shall have to pull my thinking cap down a bit harder for that!

[LukeSkywatcher]

That is Mars through 10x50 bins using a webcam?

Thats impressive.

[Flying Eye]

That is Mars through 10x50 bins using a webcam?

Thats impressive.

Thanks kindly!

As promised elsewhere I have now posted some images to show how it's done. As you will see it's a very simple thing to do. Must be if I came up with it!

The thread is in the diy section.

[BinocularSky]

Ian, just one thing: I think it might be helpful if there was some indication how the size of your object compared to the complete field of view or an angle scale or something similar.

[Flying Eye]

Ian, just one thing: I think it might be helpful if there was some indication how the size of your object compared to the complete field of view or an angle scale or something similar.

A very good point, the corners of this 640x480 shot lay just barely inside the circumference of the circle in the eyepiece. It was zoomed at 10/10 and at 9/10 you would see the curved edges right in the corners.

If using a greater size than this on the Cinema, then more and more of the complete disc becomes apparent, with 1280x720p only being cropped at top and bottom.

I should maybe use that size in future as it would better and more obviously show what's going on. This is a learning curve all this of course, so suggestions like these are most welcome.