Xbox Live All-Sky Cam

[JamesF]

I can't see this camera replacing my SPC880 for planetary imaging, but I've just been outside tinkering with a modded camera (LEDs stripped off, IR filter removed) with a view to using it as an all-sky camera (fitted with a different lens).

It appears that if I set the exposure to maximum (non-auto) then I'm getting exposures if around ten seconds, which appears to be plenty to pick up (for example) the major stars in Gemini or Leo (including Mars). SharpCap complains about lots of dropped frames, but I guess that's only to be expected when you can't set the frame rate below 5fps.

Anyhow, here's what I have so far. It's way out of focus, but that's hard to sort out in the dark at six frames a minute and I'm hopeful it means that if I get the focus correct during the day then the star images should be brighter and tighter. I've ringed Mars in red (obviously , stars from the Leo asterism in dark blue and other stars in light blue.

I think it shows promise. I'm not sure if it will be good enough to pick up satellites and meteors -- I might have to use one of my SPC880s if I want that -- but it looks like it's worth a go, doesn't it?

James

[Stargazing_Cliff]

What lens did you add to xbox cam interesting to know

[JamesF]

That's with the standard lens. I have a 1.8mm alleged "fish-eye" lens on the slow boat from China at the moment.

James

[pel]

Your picture reminds me of Asteroids, that's a very scary part of the country you live in James :-)