Webcam for Skywatcher

[stevepenny]

Hi,

I'm sure this question has been asked a hundred times already (although I have looked LOL) but can anyone help with how to adapt a cheap webcam for use with a Newtonian Reflector.

It's a Skywatcher 130 and the Webcam is a 'Cheap & Cheerful' from Argos at a cost of about £9.99. I know it's cheap but i'm using it to work out the principle before splashing out on something more expensive if nessecary. The Webcam is basically a 1" (2.5cm) Ball with a lens that completely unscrews.

The difficulty seems to be how to find the optimum focus!! I have thought of attaching it to a tube that will slide over a standard EP. If it were a snug fit it shouldn't be too difficult to keep it in the right place; but is this the best way of doing it?

My solution above will involve leaving the lens attached but I suppose I could remove the lens if I could work out how to focus the image directly on the sensor!

Any help will be appreciated....

Thanks

[Cornelius Varley]

To use a webcam for imaging you first remove the lens and attach one of these First Light Optics - 1.25" nosepiece to webcam lens thread (ToUcam Pro SPC900NC) in its place. If the webcam doesn't use the normal M12 x 0.5 thread lens adapter you make have to make a suitable one from an old eyepiece 1.25" nosepiece. The modified webcam then takes the place on the eyepiece in the focuser tube.

Peter

[stevepenny]

Hi Peter,

Many thanks for your reply. I'm being a bit thick today but if I use a nosepiece adaptor to allow the webcam to replace the EP; where does the magnification come from?

Is there no way that I can attach the webcam to a 10mm EP?

Thanks

[feac]

from the telescope i think webcams are the equivalant of a 5 or 6 mm eyepiece