About to make a start.....

[Stu]

With my apologies to visual astronomers [emoji6], I shall be having a bash at Video Astronomy with the aim of seeing a little deeper from home. It will also be useful for outreach and at the club.

I have sourced a Samsung SCB2000 which I have modded to remove the filter (thanks Peter for the guide). I have a UTC controller which goes inline with the video cable and gives me control without touching the camera.

I have a Fujinon zoom lens (1.4 to 3.1mm?) which will give nice all sky views, plus I have a 1.25" adaptor to fit any of my scopes.

I have a Takahashi Sky 90 coming shortly which at f5 might well make a nice portable setup. I will have the reducer to f4.07 too which again might be nice. This would probably sit on the StarAdventurer for a complete grab and go setup.

I can also try with some of my other, larger fracs or the SCT on the AZEQ6 if I find I need a little more aperture or focal length.

In terms of capture, I have a Windows 8.1 10" tablet which I have finally managed to configure to work with my EasyCap USB capture device. That took quite a lot of web research but in the end I found a very easy link which worked straight away after trying a number of dead ends.

SharpCap is installed, the latest version with live stacking so I have options on the camera and on the PC for live stacking.

Looking forward to giving this a go. I tried with a Watec a while back but never really got setup properly and sold it. Should be better this time.

[Macavity]

Great stuff. Certainly video astronomy reinvigorated (saved?) my own interest 

in astronomy. A few "challenges" on the way? But, to a man of your calibre...

[nytecam]

No need for apologies to visual astronomers - here we want to see more much more and video/electronic assist does that in no small measure even with a smaller scope.

Good luck and enjoy the ride. I've long confined the EP to history(for deep sky) :-)

Nytecam

[RobertI]

I hope you enjoy, looking forward to hearing/seeing how you get on.

Rob

[DoctorD]

Hi 

The SCB2000 is a great way to start - I recommend that you use manual exposure rather than the ESC which is sometimes recommended.

This gives you more control over the exposure and allows you to gradually increase the exposure time upto the maximum of x512 or about 10s for a PAL camera.

I'd also recommend setting the SSNR to OFF until you have got the exposure set, then turn on and gradually increase to see a reduction in noise but watch out for star trails if your tracking is off as the SDNR effectively extends the exposure time.

You can play with the SSDR setting using it on objects with large dynamic range - Orion nebula is a good place to test this out.

Hope this helps and welcome to the wonderful world of VA/EAA.

Paul

[Stu]

Hi

The SCB2000 is a great way to start - I recommend that you use manual exposure rather than the ESC which is sometimes recommended.

This gives you more control over the exposure and allows you to gradually increase the exposure time upto the maximum of x512 or about 10s for a PAL camera.

I'd also recommend setting the SSNR to OFF until you have got the exposure set, then turn on and gradually increase to see a reduction in noise but watch out for star trails if your tracking is off as the SDNR effectively extends the exposure time.

You can play with the SSDR setting using it on objects with large dynamic range - Orion nebula is a good place to test this out.

Hope this helps and welcome to the wonderful world of VA/EAA.

Paul

Many thanks Paul, will give that all a go, possibly even tonight!

Cheers,

Stu

[Stu]

Well, it all seems to work very well. I rigged up a cable so I could power the camera from my Tracer battery and be completely free of mains. Just having a little test to see if I can reach focus and I just needed a little extension. Still gives me enough to reach focus at infinity hopefully but can play around with the spacing.

All looks good, this is with the reducer in place giving 407mm f/l, f4.5

Image size looks like this:

Hoping for some clear skies tomorrow night to give it a go.

I was planning on putting a full FeatherTouch on this scope, but the focuser is actually very nice. I think I'll just add the FT Microfocuser upgrade to give me dual speed, that should give me much finer control.

Stu

[Stu]

I'm actually surprised how small the field is, suppose I shouldn't be given the tiny sensor size. Might have to look at a 1/2" chip sooner or later if I get into this properly.

Playing around looking at birds on the feeders today. This is an iPhone shot of the TV screen. A foot high Bluetit [emoji6]

[Stu]

Well, I've still not managed to give this a try, typical issues of poor weather and being busy on the only clear night recently.

In the meantime, I have acquired an adaptor to allow me to fit my Canon lenses to the Samsung. Whilst they are nothing special, they will allow wider fields without any further investment. I also happen to have an adaptor ring which allows me to fit 2" filters to the lenses, so I can experiment with my OIII and UHC filters.

Some clear skies now please!

[HiloDon]

Great idea, Big. I did the same with my Lodestar and Nikon lenses. Now you can get some of those big emission nebulae. Here's an example using my old Nikon 105mm F2.5 lens with the Lodestar X2c and a 7nm NB Ha filter.

Don

[Stu]

Cheers Don. I'm getting a bit fed up with sitting looking at my kit and not being able to use the it! I am slowly getting my head around it all though so that's useful at least.

Amazing the different scales between the reduced Tak, 300mm, 75mm and then 28mm lenses

[RobertI]

That's an interesting comparison! Makes me think i ought to commission my old 28mm Zuiko lens from my old Olympus OM10.

[Macavity]

. I also happen to have an adaptor ring which allows me to fit 2" filters to the lenses, so I can experiment with my OIII and UHC filters.

Just wondering if you happen to remember where you got the Canon filter to 2" Astro filter adapter?

Spending time and money adapting my filter slide for use behind the lens... But for limited use with a

UHC or H-Alpha filter, the price (effort!) of getting a couple of  2" filters might be almost comparable!

Trying to economise and minimise the amount of stuff I have... So I can remember how to *USE* it.  

[Stu]

Just wondering if you happen to remember where you got the Canon filter to 2" Astro filter adapter?

Spending time and money adapting my filter slide for use behind the lens... But for limited use with a

UHC or H-Alpha filter, the price (effort!) of getting a couple of 2" filters might be almost comparable!

Trying to economise and minimise the amount of stuff I have... So I can remember how to *USE* it.

This is the one Chris, 58mm to 48mm step ring, works well.

http://srb-photographic.co.uk/58mm-to-48mm-step-ring-2619-p.asp

[John]

I've just come across this thread. I'll be following your results with interest Stu

VA might be the only way I'm going to see the Horsehead Nebula from my back yard

I guess a driven scope is essential though ?. Mine are all undriven and alt-az mounted at the moment.

[Stu]

I've just come across this thread. I'll be following your results with interest Stu

VA might be the only way I'm going to see the Horsehead Nebula from my back yard

I guess a driven scope is essential though ?. Mine are all undriven and alt-az mounted at the moment.

Gosh, I wasn't expecting to see you in here John [emoji3][emoji6].

The way the weather is looking it could be some time before I get to try it. I'll play about with the Tak on the Star Adventurer but best bet for the Horsey might be the 10" on an EQ Platform, ideally with a focal reducer if I can get it to focus with one.

I'll certainly update the thread when things progress.

[Macavity]

This is the one Chris, 58mm to 48mm step ring, works well.

http://srb-photographic.co.uk/58mm-to-48mm-step-ring-2619-p.asp

Belated thanks for that, Stu!

I get the impression that (maybe) "astro" filter threads are the same as

photo ones? My Canon lens is 67mm, but, I can either stack two rings,

or maybe I will come across a single ring for the right thread ratios...

[Stu]

You could use this one, stacked with the 58mm to 48mm? Should work.

http://srb-photographic.co.uk/67mm-to-58mm-step-ring-2638-p.asp

[Dave In Vermont]

I wonder if with a 15-second delay to store the image and let it strengthen, one could see the HH/B33 on a live monitor with just a mount with slow-motion cables. Say, a 200mm F4 or similar.....?

Dave

[Stu]

Not sure. I found this on YouTube.....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk8COhaSXBs

No details of the scope used. I'm assuming the video is the live view?

[Dave In Vermont]

Me thinks it would be quite a coup to be able to show the Horsehead, live or nearly so, for public-outreach viewers. Though they'd likely not realize how rare a view they were having for oh so many of us!

I'd likely be chased down the streets by an angry mob of amateur-astronomers carrying pitchforks & burning-torches.....

Dave

[Stu]

Depressingly I still have not tried this kit at night, the weather has been so bad.

I've acquired a couple of adapters though so can now use Pentax K and M42 lenses on the Samsung. Might pick up a few cheap prime lenses on eBay to try. I have an old Cosina 50mm which will fit now, plenty of options, just need some sky!!