Live view with Phillips spc cam

[bcfcciderhead]

Looking to set up my scope so i can view inside on my pc, had a "play" today with the scope looking at the top of the 2nd severn bridge via my Phillips spc cam on the pc via Sharpcap.

It all seemed to work very well, but i did have to remove the filter from the cam, the image was ok and can see enough detail, but this was of course in daylight, so would it work ok in the dark? i.e to see clusters, nebula etc, i understand the image wont be as good as in the EP but it should give some detail.

Also am i correct in thinking the Phillips cam is about the same as an 6mm EP?

[Steve Ward]

6mm is about right Dave ,

You'll need an IR/UV blocking filter to avoid bloated stars due to the out of focus ends of the spectrum , something like this.......

http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/astro-engineering/ac582-filters.html

Steve.

[bcfcciderhead]

Thanks Steve for the quick reply, i got the filter that came with it (not sure what type) the one that came with the kit Morgan computers sell, i just removed it today as it was a bit dark with it on.

[Steve Ward]

That'd be the one.....

[Cornelius Varley]

Looking to set up my scope so i can view inside on my pc, had a "play" today with the scope looking at the top of the 2nd severn bridge via my Phillips spc cam on the pc via Sharpcap.

It all seemed to work very well, but i did have to remove the filter from the cam, the image was ok and can see enough detail, but this was of course in daylight, so would it work ok in the dark? i.e to see clusters, nebula etc, i understand the image wont be as good as in the EP but it should give some detail.

Also am i correct in thinking the Phillips cam is about the same as an 6mm EP?

You may be disappointed with the image, the SPC900 isn't sensitive enough to view dim objects. such as nebulae.

Peter

[bcfcciderhead]

is there such a camera (without going into big bucks) that could do this?

[JamesF]

It is said that the image size from the SPC900 is about the same as a 6mm EP, but the more I think about that the less I understand what it might mean in terms that are genuinely useful.

Peter is absolutely right about using the camera for clusters and nebulae. If it's just been modified by putting a nosepiece on it then it's fine for planetary imaging and it can pick up brighter stars, but that's about it.

However, it is possible to modify the camera so it can take arbitrarily long exposures and then it can be used to image some clusters and nebulae. I modified one of mine and have only had time for a brief play with it as yet, but found M13 was not hard to capture; M31 wasn't hard, but I failed to get the exposure right, and M27 was very difficult.

I'd suggest that planetary and lunar imaging are a much better place to start with it to get the hang of using it even if you do plan to modify it and try some DSO imaging.

James

[JamesF]

is there such a camera (without going into big bucks) that could do this?

Your 1000D would be more than adequate for imaging clusters and nebulae with the 200P I'd have thought.

James