My first "proper" planetary camera

[Andrew INT]

Hi all,

I've been using an old philips SPC880 webcam for my planetary imaging for the last ten years. I guess its time for a bit of an upgrade!

At the moment I am using a 200mm f5 newt. When I upgrade in a couple of years (probably to a C9 or C14 edge), I also want the camera to be suitable for guiding. I have a budget of £300-£400. No filter wheel, so either a colour camera or a cheaper mono and filterwheel.

I've been looking at the ZWO ASI224mc, ASI178mc and the ASI290mc. Edging towards the 224, but I really dont know!

 

Any advice or recommendation gratefully received. (I cant find any review or youtube-ing of the 290mc)

 

Many thanks, as always,

Andrew

(Images from the philips webcam) 

Jupiter 060616.bmp

Saturn 060616.bmp

Mars 060616.bmp

[Starwiz]

I've got the ZWO ASI120mc and tried out the guiding just the other day.  It seemed to work fine, but I haven't tried guiding with it for DSO imaging yet.

John

[Starwiz]

19 minutes ago, Starwiz said:

I've got the ZWO ASI120mc and tried out the guiding just the other day.  It seemed to work fine, but I haven't tried guiding with it for DSO imaging yet.

John

A Jupiter sequence I did back in February using the ASI120mc with a SW200p, so you can see how I got on with it for planetary.

John

[Andrew INT]

Thanks John, thats a great help; certainly more detail than I am currently getting.

The 224 has a pixel size of 3.75um, the 290 is 2.9um with a slightly bigger sensor. Am I right in thinking this would give better resolution and make framing a planet easier but guideing a bit harder?

[Starwiz]

I'm no expert, but think I've read that the smaller sensor sizes are better for planetary as more frames can be captured quickly.  Hopefully someone with more experience will enlighten us both. 

John

[Andrew INT]

9 minutes ago, Starwiz said:

I'm no expert, but think I've read that the smaller sensor sizes are better for planetary as more frames can be captured quickly.  Hopefully someone with more experience will enlighten us both. 

John

I'm sure they will !

I think though that with the new USB 3 ports, the frame rates are pretty high (60-80 fps at full res). I'm sure that the region of interest function must also help greatly.

Cheers,

Andrew

[ChrisLX200]

The newer cameras at least will allow for using a ROI so that very high frame rates can be sustained, so there's no harm using a camera with a larger sensor then just draw a box around the intereting bit. A sensor with smaller pixels reduces the need for a strong barlow (4x or 5x may be reduced to 2x or 3x to get the required image scale). Personally, I bought the ASI178MM for this task but as yet I have not used it (on planets anyway!). Being USB3 means you need to using a computer located close to the scope - or buy an active extension cable, which can be quite costly. I went with a 15M extension cable and remote autofocuser because I work from inside my obs with the scope outside.

ChrisH

[neil phillips]

8 hours ago, Starwiz said:

I'm no expert, but think I've read that the smaller sensor sizes are better for planetary as more frames can be captured quickly.  Hopefully someone with more experience will enlighten us both. 

John

Using ROI it doesn't matter. Bigger sensor will get faster as smaller region of interest is cropped as stated above, pixel size and scope focal length might matter though

[neil phillips]

I am getting the mono 290 its very fast, bigger sensor can be useful for solar and lunar. If its colour you want the 224 is a great camera. But mono 290 is more useful all round.

Because selective filtering can be used, so you have both a great mono and RGB camera. Depends what you intend to use it for. And if your interest might grow. Like venus in UV for example. If I could I would have the 224 as a second camera. The small amount of results I have seen so far using the 290. In expert hands on planets. show it to be a astonishing sensor. Don't forget planets are really not going to be well placed in the UK for years to come now.