Going digital ASAP

[Ro3bert]

I've been ignoring going digital since I got my scope but for varous phisical reasons am going to have to watch stars on a laptop rather than directly through an eye piece.

I'm now in the exploring stage of going digital. I want a laser pointer, green I guess, but with so many available I'd like some suggestions as to what I should get. I know they come in many strengths as seen on Amazon for instance but many other websites. I'd appreciate any suggestions. I don't want to end up with a useless cheep piece of Rubbish and I certainly don't want a multi $ digit item either. So please give me some ideas.

I'm also looking into a camera of some sort to attach to my scope, movie or still that will be able to be connected directly to my laptop. Again I'm looked them up on the internet but was overwhelmed with info, so I could use some help here also.

Thanks in advance for responses.

[ChrisLX200]

I never found a laser pointer much use for this job (acting as a finder) and you still have to get behind it to see approximately where it is pointing. Although I image remotely (sitting 15metres away in a warm room) I still like to have a visual finder so I can see exactly where the scope is pointing. This helps to avoid having the scope aimed at obstructions and offers a quick check that my target is in the clear. What I use is a small camera (QHY5L-II or GPCAM mono) together with a 6mm or 8mm lens mounted on the scope, aligned with the scope axis. The exposures I vary from about 3 seconds which gets down to about naked-eye limit, to 10sec or more if I want to see deeper:

An on-screen display of a reticle or rectangle is able to show exactly where the scope is pointing, or (in this case) what the imaging camera sees...

It helps me find those gaps between houses and trees for objects near the horizon too (remember, I'm doing this remotely so I can't actually see where the scope is pointing in relation to these obstructions):

For an electronically enhanced eyepiece view then there are a number of new cameras on the market designed to stack short exposures so you get a an image onscreen quickly (seconds rather than waiting many minutes with normal CCD cameras). Both StarlightXpress and Atik offer these (maybe other manufacturers too, I don't know).

ChrisH

[happy-kat]

A red dot finder for the individual to use works fine and doesn't risk aviation.

[carastro]

I 2nd the use of QHY5 to use as a finder, it can be attached to a finderscope and you can then add a 2nd camera to the scope you want to see with more magnification in a similar way to how imaging is done with two cameras.

Carole 

[ronin]

As you are in CT then by US laws you are limited to 5mw, well at least they are limited to selling you a 5mw pointer. I think there are ways around it but not worth the work to do so. I am assuming this is for you to point things out not as a finder? If it is to act as a finder then you need a cradle to put a pointer in then align finder+scope. A bit more involved is this: http://www.homebuiltastronomy.com/glp/index.htm

For video it is not really difficult, you need a webcam, the better the webcam then I guess the better the results, a "biggish" chip would be easier - more chance of getting the image on it. Webcams tend to have small chips.

Club near me sets up webcams on scopes to output to a PC/laptop. The webcams are in bits of tubing set up such that an eyepiece object plane and the webcam are in effect coincident. The webcam output is simply fed to a fairly standard video program.

If the scope is goto then not a bad idea, does make things fairly easy and convenient, also easy to share with others - everyone can look at the video output on the screen.

[LukeSkywatcher]

How would a laser pointer help with your observing now that you can no longer spend time at the eyepiece?. They are used simply to point out objects to people. At a push, i guess one could be attached to a scope and if the scope is being controlled remotely back to a tv screen that the laser pointer could/would act like a RDF.

As to what camera/setup to use remotely.............i have no idea. I'll let others advise on that.

A laser pointer though really isnt a good or long term solution. 

[Ro3bert]

A red dot finder for the individual to use works fine and doesn't risk aviation.

As I think I said before (I may be mistaken) due to physical problems (mostly age related) the red dot finder is out of the question. I've tried it (the one that came with the scope) and due to cataract surgery the red dot smears.   I managed to see a Telrad on someone else s scope and it worked fantastically, unfortunately my physical (age) situation precludes that solution also.

If it weren't for those things I'd stick with using my eyes.

[Ro3bert]

I 2nd the use of QHY5 to use as a finder, it can be attached to a finderscope and you can then add a 2nd camera to the scope you want to see with more magnification in a similar way to how imaging is done with two cameras.

Carole 

I checked these out and they are way, way out of my financial abilities.  I like the idea but my budget (that doesn't really exist) just won't allow either of them. Beside I still need a camera of some sort to attach to my Celestron 114LCM.   

[Ro3bert]

As you are in CT then by US laws you are limited to 5mw, well at least they are limited to selling you a 5mw pointer. I think there are ways around it but not worth the work to do so. I am assuming this is for you to point things out not as a finder? If it is to act as a finder then you need a cradle to put a pointer in then align finder+scope. A bit more involved is this: http://www.homebuiltastronomy.com/glp/index.htm

For video it is not really difficult, you need a webcam, the better the webcam then I guess the better the results, a "biggish" chip would be easier - more chance of getting the image on it. Webcams tend to have small chips.

Club near me sets up webcams on scopes to output to a PC/laptop. The webcams are in bits of tubing set up such that an eyepiece object plane and the webcam are in effect coincident. The webcam output is simply fed to a fairly standard video program.

If the scope is goto then not a bad idea, does make things fairly easy and convenient, also easy to share with others - everyone can look at the video output on the screen.

Laser pointer nuf said.

Not sure which to get, a web cam or better, a lot depends on $. For, as I said before, age related problems are going to limit me to computer viewing.

I have a Celestron 114LCM GoTo and plan on using it to the limit.

[Ro3bert]

A laser pointer though really isnt a good or long term solution. 

Agreed but it is another tool to use.

[D4N]

Ok so you have a goto scope and want to do video astronomy but don't have a workable finderscope?

Once you have the camera set up you just take an image and plate solve it with Astrotortilla that will automatically correct the pointing error and put you on target.

Be aware that web cameras have very small chips and so will give a small field of view.

/Dan

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ollypenrice]

There's a video astronomy section on this forum. It might be worth posting a question directly there.

Olly