Webcam astrophotography

[jaffa1980]

Hi all

Just made a webcam to go into my scope looking at eyepiece projection.

Am i right in thinking that all i need is an adapter that fits the eyepiece in one end and the webcam in the other?

I have looked into it but there are formula and maths and my brain goes zzzzzzz ha ha but i can make stuff quite well!

How do i work out the focal length or the length of the adapter?

Thanks for your time

Raif

[knobby]

Hi Raif, if you have the lens still on the webacam then eyepeice projection just needs the webacam held still over the eyepeice somehow (toilet roll, bluetac, ...)

If you removed the lens then the webcam fits into the telescope instead of the eyepeice.

[Stub Mandrel]

The webcam replaces the eyepiece completely, and the scope replaces the webcam's lens.

You just need a simple adaptor with a webcam lens thread on one end and a 1 1/4" barrel at the other. They are quite cheap, some have an IR filter built in which improves results for planets.

Exception is the Microsoft Lifecam which has an AF lens that has to be removed and can be fitted into a 1 1/4" tube.

[happy-kat]

You work out how long the adaptor needs to be by trial and error. Start by holding it by hand and move it right close then slowly away and see on your computer or laptop or tablet when you get in the focus zone. Then you cab get an idea of the length of pipe needed.

[jooli_ash]

Hi, I used a very cheap Barlow lens from Ebay, £3.50 with free postage (must have cost more than this just to ship over I would have thought!). Slots into your telescope like any eyepiece. The lens simply unscrewed. My camera was a Microsoft Lifecam and fitted inside perfectly.

[jaffa1980]

Funny enough it was a lifecam from a friend, but yeah i have removed the lense and fitted a tube 1.25 inches diameter to place inside the focuser tube on the scope. It works ok! (tested tonight using sharpcap 2.6 and got ok results with a view across the river outside my house... Its raining!) So thats all i can do with that now then? I need another with the lense still on? Kind of like using a smartphone adapter?

I was toying with making one but that might take more than 45 mins at work in my lunch ha ha!

Thanks for the input guys I'm looking to make things a bit easier for my 6yo son who is mad on the solar system! MAD! lol but he can't work with the eye pieces which is a shame as i have seen some amazing views of jupiter recently and he wants saturn... So its an early rise, in the cold... I need thos to be as easy on him as possible ha ha or my day is going to be hell!!

[kens]

At least the 5 visible planets are all lined up now so you can get it all over and done with on one night. 

[jaffa1980]

All rising right outside of my house lol now if these clouds could sod off a while!!

[Stub Mandrel]

You can great great pictures using the lifecam - with my setup Jupiter can be nearly two inches across on the screen in 'live view' with things like the Red Spot clearly visible on a good night. Can't wait for Jupiter to get a bit higher so i can try and improve on last year.

[jaffa1980]

Thats good! I was worried about the pic quality i have a 3inch for testing purposes but a 6inch beauty outside! The cam was given to me by a friend its the vx 6000 model?? Not expecting much for free but am getting my hopes up now lol machined some parts today so its looking very nice! Clear night too!! Also machining a phone holder for my G4, so hopefully get some good shots in soon!