All Sky Camera for Daytime Use

[Gina]

This is just about the best I can get the focus but since this is only for looking at clouds it's good enough.  Next job will be to make a case etc.

[Gina]

Here's the image size cropped to just cover the FOV and save on file size for saving.  This is now about 1200 pixels square.  X=320 Y=120 Width=1200 Height=1100.  The frame could be cut down a bit more as there's no point in including the rim of the lens.

[Gina]

I already have a 3" dome but it's a bit scratched so I've ordered a 2'' Indoor / Outdoor Dome Ceiling Cover Protector for CCTV Security Camera.

[Davey-T]

Hi Gina, you can polish scratches out of perspex using T cut from Halfords, made for polishing scratches out of car paintwork.

Dave

[Gina]

Thanks Dave   I think I tried that before and it affected the optical quality.  Those 2" domes are polycarbonate which is harder than acrylic/perspex so should be more resistant to scratching.

[pete_l]

You can use Rustins burnishing cream to polish out scratches. I don't know if the abrasive is finer / softer than T-cut, but this is what it is designed for: use on plastics.

http://www.rustins.eu/Details.asp?ProductID=347

[Gina]

Another possibility - thank you

[Gina]

Here is a rough diagram of how I'm thinking of arranging the parts.

[Gina]

The little 2" dome arrived in the post today so I can sort out the casing for the ASC.

[Gina]

Think I'm going to change the layout and put the RPi horizontally below the camera - I think that will be easier.

[Gina]

Here's a cross-section diagram of the new arrangement.  Not worked out the bottom part of the case yet.  Green parts represent the case and camera support, which is part of the case.  Yellow is a ring to hold the dome.

[Gina]

More thoughts for the casing.

[AKB]

There's room for a (blue) trombone?

 

[Gina]

  Not quite but a USB cable still takes up quite a lot of space at this scale!

[Gina]

This diagram is a bit more to scale for the lens, dome and case.

[Gina]

Don't really like this...

RPi plus USB plug and cable needs a case with a minimum of 149mm in length.  I think I might go back to having the RPi vertical beside the camera and lens.  At least with 3D printing I can make a case of almost any size and shape.  But I still find designing a 3D object on a 2D screen a bit difficult.

[ThomasJ]

Not sure if that could help or not but this is how I made mine: https://www.instructables.com/id/Wireless-All-Sky-Camera/. It's been running for 2 years like that. 

[Gina]

Ah yes, I've seen that before - very similar to my night-time camera design except that mine uses a different lens and ASI178MM camera and has dew heaters.  Thanks for the suggestion anyway