First webcam image

[spectre]

OK, this is my first webcam image from 12/23. This is a 20 sec video at 60 fps with a Neximage, 2X barlow, and my C-8. Stacked in Registax, best 20% of frames(about 200 ea). The image was 'boiling' during each 20 sec interval. I've seen much better images using a similar setup and I'd really like to get there too. What can I do to improve these images?

Thanks for looking

[bm1980]

Hi merry Xmas very nice first image , if I could only give you one piece of advise it would be capture more frames 1500 at least

Regards

Ben

[Bizibilder]

Yup - more frames. For Jupiter i generally take 10,000 with my camera at around 60+ fps. If you cut down the size of the imaging area (hopefully you can do that with your camera) the total file size will still be reasonable - mine work out (at an image size of 300px square roughly) to just under 2Gb per .avi. When processing I use 1500-2000 of them depending on the seeing.

[Alan_B]

High Spectre - nice start

I would echo the advice already given - more frames and perhaps run it through PIPP first

[spectre]

Thanks all. Looks like the consensus is more frames and closer focus. That's kinda what I thought, just looking for confirmation I guess. Jupiter was wandering out of the frame so i think I need better PA before I can go for a longer .avi. This image was also pretty heavily processed with wavelets in Registax, don't know if maybe I went too far?

PIPP?? What's that?

Thanks

John

[Alan_B]

PIPP = Planetery Imaging Pre Processor

Read all about it and download here (windows only)

https://sites.google...site/astropipp/

and it's free

[anthony]

Excellent start!

[tingting44]

lovely start mate!!! i cant wait to have a dabble in web cam imaging hopefully i should have a SPC900 next week i just can not wait

[tich]

Much better than my first attempt, I'd just echo the above & capture more frames.

[spectre]

Thanks all for your kind comments. It only gets better from here.

Alan_B, I've downloaded PPIP and I'll give it another go once the clouds go away(maybe next year )

[stellawolf]

Very nice first try well done

[zakkhogan]

is that the new neximage camera

[JamesF]

It really won't matter if the planet is wandering about in the frame. PIPP can sort that out for you.

James

[spectre]

Thanks all. I can use all the encouragement I can get. It looks like it will be clear this weekend so I'll be out after more images.

Zakkhogan, this is an older Neximage Solar System imaging camera not the Neximage 5(?).

[themos]

If it's not a USB 2.0 camera, then 60fps is probably way too much and you will be getting compression artefacts. 10fps would be the maximum you can go. Other than that, just keep doing it until you hit a night of good seeing!

[Virgoman]

Agree with Themos 60fps is too much and use the suggested 10fps to eliminate compression. Try to take AVIs of around 2 mins. An excellent start.

Best regards,

Ralph

[spectre]

Themos and Virgoman, The camera works with my USB 2.0 interface so I think that's OK. I will set it back to 30 fps as recommended in the instructions and see if I get better results.

Also, never think that because it's going to be cloudless that you will be out observing and/or imaging. Since my last post it looks like I've come down with the flu and won't be out this weekend. Similar to the 'new equipment' curse but worse because you have everything you need but can't use it.

[Ultrapenguin]

HI all just to add to what has already been said really, Yes to more frames with the following caviat Jupiter has very fast rotation which can cause bluring if you exceed 3 mins or so. Also the lower the FPS generally the better the quality of the individual frames (less compression better exposure) so really 10FPS is about perfect. that would give you a maximum if all your frames were good of 1800. I would try for 1200-1500 preprocess through PIPP then through registax looking to actually use about half of what was captured. Remember the reason we capture lots of frames is because we are looking to get some really good quality ones in there! Just more frames does not improve the quality, I would take 100 frames with 50 great ones over 1800 frames with 10 medium ones any day and the result would be better.

The good news is Jupiter is really buzzing right now the GRS is very clear as is GRS minor, there is also activity in teh equatorial band and countless storms rolling of the GRS, its a great time to be a planetry photographer.

[themos]

If it's this one, it's a USB1.1 camera so you need to stay with 10fps maximum.

http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/review/camera/celestron-neximage-solar-system-imager

[spectre]

If it's this one, it's a USB1.1 camera so you need to stay with 10fps maximum.

http://www.skyatnigh...r-system-imager

Themos, Yep, that's the one. Next time I'll try some at 10 fps and some at 30 fps and see which looks better.

Thanks

John

[bottletopburly]

Nice shot well done