HP4110 webcam zoom with Skywatcher Explorer 130

[Varnius]

Hi there,

I just started using Skywatcher Explorer 130 scope along with HP 4110 HD webcam for planetary imaging. I ripped the lenses of the camera out so that I could put the camera to face secondary mirror directly, therefore using whole scope as lenses. Afaik the zoom I get by doing this is focal length of the scope / cmos sensor diagonal, so it is 900 / 7.5 ~= 120x (and 240x wit a Barlow). So far so good, but I wonder if there is a way to get lower zoom and therefore, higher fov, as I would like to fit some bigger objects (like sun or moon) into the viewport. It seems the guy who posted

somehow managed to do this as you can see whole moon fit into a frame (along with regular zoom and 2x Barlow). Or am I missing something?

[Rihard]

Hi Varnius,

take a look at this thread. It might be possible to do something with a Focal Reducer and some other "hacks" but this doesn't seem to be a very common technique with newtonian reflectors. Not sure if that would give a large enough FOV to fit the whole moon.

Eyepiece projection (with a wide-field EP) might do the job as well (I have photographed the sun with a 114P telescope and a 25mm eyepiece and a universal camera bracket). There is also a projection EP made by Revelation in this kit sold by FLO, but other adapters should be available.

Hope this helps.

[Varnius]

Thanks, eypiece projection + digital camera seems the way to go for my current equipment.