How sensitive is a Microsoft Lifecam

[Stub Mandrel]

Has anyone experimented to see what magnitude object a Microsoft lifecam will go down to?

I managed Mizar and Acor, Alcor is mag 3.95 and it had no trouble, but how far down the magnitude scale anyone got?

[jambouk]

It will depend on the scope being used and the exposure settings. I don't know what rhe longest exposure you can achieve with it, but the longer the exposure, the fainter the star you will detect, though this has to be balanced against noise and tracking accuracy.

Are you thinking about using it as a guide camera, or something else?

[Stub Mandrel]

I've used it for some planetary images, and it seems that some folk have tried using one as a guidecam  but I struggle to find stars...

[wuthton]

I've used it for some planetary images, and it seems that some folk have tried using one as a guidecam but I struggle to find stars...

It's the size of the chip that is your enemy and the limited field of view it gives. You'll need to use guidescope rings to find a good star. I used a SPC900NC for a few years but when I bought a QHY5-II I did wish I'd done it sooner.

[jambouk]

You need to make sure the focus is spot on; for this get a bright star in the field of view and adjust accordingly, then go and look for fainter stars.

What scope are you using it on?

What settings can you adjust? Exposure? Gain? Gamma?

I've seen people using it for planetary, but i suspect you are going to struggle to use it for much else.

James

[Stub Mandrel]

I've tried it with a cheap 50mm x 300mm scope (half heartedly, I think I was having computer issues!) I think this might be too long focal length.

I have used it with my 150Pl, and although last night I could find eventually find Altair with the big scope & focus it, I just can't seem to find smaller stars. I'm sure on one night, early on in my learning curve, I was able to find stars with it just by moving it around until something appeared.

You can pretty much adjust everything with a lifecam, but it's hard to be sure what the longest exposure is.

This post http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/65481-is-there-a-cheap-autoguiding-camera/#entry637793 suggests an umodded SPC900 can be used down to magnitude 6, but all the threads where someone says 'I'm going to have a go with a lifecam' never report back.  :-(