Using SPC900NC

[harshal]

Hello

I am new to webcam imaging and recently I procured a RAW modded SPC900NC. I would like to know what right steps should I follow to take my first images. I will be trying my hand on the Moon and Saturn.

Also Please help with the settings that I must use in order to capture meaning ful image data. I will be using WxAstroCapture on my 4" F/10 Newtonian.

Thanks a lot

Harshal

[JamesF]

I'm really not convinced it's a good idea to start with the camera in raw mode. I'd flash it back to the standard SPC900 firmware. You can always change it back later if you want. I found it much harder to judge focus with the camera in raw mode.

Settings vary depending on the conditions and the scope. For Saturn I'd start with 10 fps, exposure at maximum, gain somewhere around 60-ish and gamma at or near zero. You can probably leave everything else alone, but experiment with different saturation settings once you get the hang of it.

I've posted the settings used for some of my Saturn images (with a 127 Mak) here:

http://www.tanstaafl.co.uk/solar-system-images/saturn/

They might help you in the right direction.

James

[pel]

When you're finding the object/planet it is a good idea to set the gain high and once you have found the object set the gain back down.

Note that the images will become dimmer if you swap to a higher mag. barlow.

Also it is probably easier to try and focus on the planet rather than focus on a star and then find the planet again. You may even have a bright enough planet on lower mag barlows to use a Bhatinov mask to produce a diffraction pattern. Focus is everything when capturing.

Here is a good introduction to registax 5 for processing, the guy also does a good sharpcap beginners tutorial -

Registax

Sharpcap settings help

Sharpcap tutorial 1

[Expat_tony]

On this link:

http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://www.orion-xt10.com/images/Webcam7.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.orion-xt10.com/philips-spc900nc-webcam.html&h=458&w=500&sz=24&tbnid=o9RdG7guWRke-M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=98&zoom=1&docid=6VMTNDkZmiRYWM&sa=X&ei=x0q7T-WiGYmI4gTs3sGgCQ&ved=0CKEBEPUBMAM&dur=2620

is a useful story by a 10" Dobson owner on how they went about astrophotography with the SPC900NC.

It has encouraged me to consider getting a CCD camera to go with my GSO 8" Dobson, which offers excellent focussing mechanics.

But I'm totally new to astrophotography so have several specific questions that I hope someone can answer...

The author mentions that a usable image can be obtained just by letting the object drift across the field and then aligning (and also cropping??) the frames ready for the stacking software.

If you do this, how pleased are you with the quality of your results?

In particular, does it work with Registax? I'm not familiar with "Nebulosity" which the author uses.

How fiddly is the aligning job? Repetitive I don't mind, but very time consuming, I do mind.

Would it be a better option instead to buy an EQ Platform for Dobsons with motor drive which at least takes care of 1 hour's RA motion?

Or is the author barking up the wrong tree, i.e. is the Dobson mount ultimately an unsuitable tool for photting and is it a case of "rocker box off, EQ mount on"?

[pel]

I've read that artcle before, it was a good introduction into webcam imaging.

The drift and re-allign method is ok, I used it when I had my Celestron Astromaster 130eq(it didn't have motors), it produces passable images of the planets. The planet moves accross the FOV and when it get to the edge move it back, I just put those images into Registax. You will soon want to buy motors. My first jupiter -

http://stargazerslounge.com/album.php?albumid=1959&pictureid=16362

Simply Nebulosity is cloud-like dust and gas. For deep sky objects such as nebula you would need a webcam modified for long exposure or a DSLR and an EQ mount with motors for tracking while taking long exposures.

I don't know much about dob tracking eq plaforms but I believe that even if you are tracking with the dob the object will still rotate in the FOV.

[Expat_tony]

Simply Nebulosity is cloud-like dust and gas. For deep sky objects such as nebula you would need a webcam modified for long exposure or a DSLR and an EQ mount with motors for tracking while taking long exposures.

Thanks for the answer about field drift imaging. Nice one of Jupiter!

I think you misunderstood my question on Nebulosity though. I believe that's the name of one of the free-to-download Image Processors. Or maybe it isn't... :)

[pel]

Thanks for the answer about field drift imaging. Nice one of Jupiter!

I think you misunderstood my question on Nebulosity though. I believe that's the name of one of the free-to-download Image Processors. Or maybe it isn't... :)

Yes it's the name of a piece of software too, I haven't used it personally though