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Webcam imaging with a dob.

Ganymede12

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Ganymede12

Ganymede12

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I have just received my 2nd hand Phillips SPC880 flashed to 900 + an IR Blocking filter. Soon I will have a battery for the laptop so I can start imaging.

I am saving up for an equatorial platform so that I can image planets but until then I am going to practice on the moon.

My Equipment: Phillips SPC880 flashed to 900, an IR blocking filter (Plus various colour filters and a 2 moon filters), a laptop with sharpCap, Skyliner 200p Dobsonian, 2 barlow lenses (X2 mag)

So what is the step by step guide tom webcam imaging?

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autonm

autonm

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You can image the planets without an eq mount, just let the object drift through the field of view while recording. Do that several times and stack the resulting avi's

Apologies on hijacking this thread. But I have the same setup as ganymede12 - except I have a xbox webcam - which works well enough at the minute for me.

Question on stacking moving AVI's with registax. Is the resultant file an AVI - or is it one static image? Im just trying to think in my head how it knows over several avi's which obviously has 24+fps - that it can stack all of that on top?

Ive looked at your 'Astrobin' page which looks good - any tips on stacking you can give?

My main difficulty is focusing via the webcam - can never quite get it sharp enough.

Thanks

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cgarry

cgarry

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Capture a single AVI moving the scope each time Jupiter reaches the edge. Then run the whole thing through PIPP which will centre and crop Jupiter in each frame and discard any frames where Jupiter is not completely present. This AVI can then be stacked.

Good luck with getting focus with such a fast moving object!

Cheers,

Chris

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Ganymede12

Ganymede12

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So to image Jupiter I just:

  1. Set my dob up outside and give it cooling time.
  2. Find Jupiter.
  3. Plug the webcam's lead into the laptop and the webcam itself into the e.p holder.
  4. Start up Sharpcap. Use barlows to get the right magnifiation and start filming.
  5. Wait for jupiter to drift off screen then move the dob to get jupiter back on the other side and let it drift through again. Do this X times.
  6. Run the film through PIPP.
  7. Run the fim through Registax6.

So what should X be? and Does it matter that I'm not using an equatorial platform?

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brucen

brucen

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So to image Jupiter I just:

  1. Set my dob up outside and give it cooling time.
  2. Find Jupiter.
  3. Plug the webcam's lead into the laptop and the webcam itself into the e.p holder.
  4. Start up Sharpcap. Use barlows to get the right magnifiation and start filming.
  5. Wait for jupiter to drift off screen then move the dob to get jupiter back on the other side and let it drift through again. Do this X times.
  6. Run the film through PIPP.
  7. Run the fim through Registax6.

So what should X be? and Does it matter that I'm not using an equatorial platform?

Not quite that simple I am afraid! You need to focus the webcam first which, with Jupiter crossing the field of view so quickly, is no easy task as getting Jupiter in view takes a bit of effort as you have to look at the laptop screen whilst nudging the dob. Once you find it you then have to adjust the focus which I find harder that getting the little devil in view in the first place. You also have to have the settings on Sharpcap adjusted to suit your scope which is also an art in itself as virtually every thread shows people get their best results with different settings. It's fun but very frustrating!!!!!!

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DoctorD

DoctorD

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No need to worry about moving the scope - the great thing about planetary imaging with web cams is that you are using exposures of 1/30th of a second. Each frame of video is analysed by Registax and only the really sharp ones are selected and stacked. This also helps reduce the effects of seeing which also varies quite quickly. Effectively you take lots of images and Registax picks only the best to work with.

Hope this helps

Paul

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atmenterprises

atmenterprises

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But what If I want a high magnification? An equatorial platform will help me get that as well as getting the focus.

Having an EQ mount helped me tremendously. On my dob, I gave up trying to image Jupiter because there were too many variables at play and focus was always a challenge. On my EQ mount, even when it's not polar aligned, I can keep Jupiter on the chip rather easily with my hand controller while I focus and tweak all of the settings.

Adding Barlows to the dob just made it that much more difficult to keep on the chip due to the magnification.

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zakkhogan

zakkhogan

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Ganymede, print off one of these: http://www.billyard-...artmann.shtml��

Its a focus mask, should make focusing much quicker and easier,

Once it on its pretty easy to use, you should see a double image I.e. 2 images of jupiter.

2 Images means out of focus, adjust you focusing untill you have only 1 image, then its focused. Simple!!!

(ive made you a quick image to explain)

Hope that helps

P.s. Remember to remove the mask after focusing :biggrin:

post-23525-0-03812300-1355491464_thumb.j

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