Would you get much out of a webcam?

[Astro-Nova]

Thinking to modify a standard logitech webcam by attaching a 35mm film canister on it to slide it in the scope.

However, I would be unable to put any EP/barlows in there wouldnt I? So basicly I will not have magnification what so ever?

Great for the moon but I want to do some imaging with saturn and jupiter with this webcam.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I've thought about the same but i dont care to bring a laptop into my gear (less is more for me).

You dont know til you try it. I'd like to see the results.

[Astro-Nova]

I deffo post it on here if Im able to take some pics.....I dont like dragging things around but I do like to capture some things I have observed. Was able to take jupiter, moon and saturn by just placing my phone in front of the lens (see signature) but it is quite awkward to do that.

I will give it a shot and keep you posted

[marshy123]

Was able to take jupiter, moon and saturn by just placing my phone in front of the lens (see signature) but it is quite awkward to do that.

Dude, those are with your phone? awesome !!!

[Astro-Nova]

thanks, was quite amazed myself at the time lol

[knobby]

Obviously has a steady hand

[Astro-Nova]

I really cheated, just put it on sequence and tried to hold it steady, think 90% of the images were blurry as hell so I picked out less blurry one

[Tiddles]

The webcam with lens removed will give images similar to what you will see with a 6mm EP. You can add a Barlow to increase magnification. Most Lunar images are made up as mosaics.

[Hawksmoor]

I modified an old Logitech webcam and stuck it on a bit of chrome waste pipe rather than a film canister. Took out the existing infra red filter from the camera and purchased an astro friendly infra red filter which I stuck on the front with sticky pads. I have used it with 3x Barlow to image Mars last night. I use Wx Astro Capture free ware to capture images . Results not up to the quality of most of the planetary images you can see on this Forum but that may be down to my lack of skill and patience. However it does work, is quite fun to do and is very inexpensive. You can see images of Jupiter and Mars taken with this set up in my Album Backyard Astronomy.

best regards Hawksmoor.

[ArmyAirForce]

I use an old Trust Spacecam 380, modified with a 35mm film container, and slotted into a TAL x2 Barlow. At first, the images weren't brilliant, and I wondered if the webcam just wasn't up to the job. After more trial and error, and some good weather, I discovered it isn't bad at all.

Jupiter, a composite image with one showing the moons, and the second, just the planet to get the exposure on both.

Saturn, a poor first go, but.........

VERY pleased with this image. Shows what a difference a good clear night can do. Enlarged 125%

Mars, taken the same night as the Saturn image. It was the first time this camera picked up surface detail. Enlarged 200%

[Tiddles]

Jupiter and Saturn, no Barlow. Stacked images from a £3.95 mod'd XBox webcam.

saturn 2.bmp

[malc-c]

Not sure about the Logitech webcam, but you can get a quite a decent image from stacking barlows with a Phillips web cam and a fast scope. Here's my best Jupiter, through two 2x stacked barows and my 200p Explorer

Taken last November when Jupiter was well placed, from a light polluted town centre !

[Astro-Nova]

oh man what an amazing shots with just a webcam! thanks for posting this!

God I really need a barlow asap

I will deffo give webcam a go, maybe this weekend if weather is still nice, I just get out there and experiment. You guys made me excited lol

[malc-c]

The only thing you have against you is that you have a dobsonian, and thus you're limited to the drift method, where you start capturing and let the target drift into, through and then out of frame. Using barlows to up the magnification reduces the field of view and thus the number of frames you can capture. The drawback with this method is that there is obviously movement in each frame, which when processed can reduce the quality of the stacked image

Download registax from the web as you'll need this for processing your captured video

[Astro-Nova]

Thanks, I think Ive downloaded it already but not used it.

There is a point there as I have to guide it manually, I just have a look and ill find out the ups and downs and Ill just have to improvise..........and have patience

[malc-c]

You don't really want to move the scope whilst capturing. this will result in blurred frames.... Just use the drift method as described. Obviously with a driven mount the process is a lot easier

[Tiddles]

The images that I posted were with a 6" Dob. Letting it drift across the CCD seems to work just fine. I'm actually looking forward to the challenge of adding a Barlow!

[Astro-Nova]

thank you for the confidence tiddles cause I got a 8" so I should get similar images like the ones you showed.

A barlow is a must I think yes......would like to see as much as possible but with good quality

[Tiddles]

A Barlow will be a great addition, but remember it will be like using a 3mm EP, keeping any image on a CCD chip that is only about 6-8mm square will be quite a challenge without tracking.