lodestar live 0.9 minimum exposure time

[SkyMagic]

Hello!  Newbie here.  Have been watching NSN broadcasts of AstroEd's Lodestar x2 video via lodestar live 0.9 and am hooked.  

Can a user tell me if Lodestar Live supports Lodestar x2 exposures short enough for imaging bright objects such as the moon?  

I downloaded and installed 0.9 and looking at exposure tab, I see shortest exposure is 20ms.  With such a sensitive camera as the x2, will this not rule out using Lodestar Live 0.9 for bright objects at f/4 - f/10?

[nytecam]

Hello! Newbie here. Have been watching NSN broadcasts of AstroEd's Lodestar x2 video via lodestar live 0.9 and am hooked.

Can a user tell me if Lodestar Live supports Lodestar x2 exposures short enough for imaging bright objects such as the moon?

I downloaded and installed 0.9 and looking at exposure tab, I see shortest exposure is 20ms. With such a sensitive camera as the x2, will this not rule out using Lodestar Live 0.9 for bright objects at f/4 - f/10?

I think the general answer will be NO as the minimum exposure (20ms) via LL is too long with the faster f/ratio. I typically expose the moon in 1ms - 5ms depending on phase but use the original SX s/ware that you can download for the camera. SX Lodestar s/ware has a minimum exposure setting of 1/1000s = 0.001s = 1ms - hope that helps.

You also cut down on exposure by using slow f/ratios but this changes the image scale eg the moon may not 'fit' onto the sensor :-)

[Paul81]

The current minimum exposure time in Lodestar Live is 20ms. To keep the code simple, I use a software based timer, so to go lower (to 1ms) I would need to do some code mods to use a hardware based timer.

Ideally for Lunar and Planets you want to take a video of the object to take advantages of moments of good seeing. The download times from the Lodestar camera are quite slow (circa 180ms per interlaced field), so you would not be able to use it for video images. With this is mind, and that LL is really geared towards DSOs (the live stacking would not work on the moon or planets) there is no huge plans to reduce the exposure time.

That said, you can get some great 'single shot' results (I think nytecam has posted some) - especially on the Moon.

I also think the excellent work NickK is working on is more geared towards solar, lunar and planetary that what my application is.

[Paul81]

Just to follow up, I wouldn't rule out shorter exposure times in LL, but its just not a priority at the moment.

[SkyMagic]

OK, thanks Paul and Nytecam.  My primary goal for the camera is deep sky, moon shots would be only a diversion.  I should have my x2 early this coming week and I can hardly wait!  

[Paul81]

It's always great getting new kit! Hopefully you will have some clear skies to try the camera out when it arrives!