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Yet another DIY all sky camera thread


michaelmorris

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I recently decided that what I really needed was yet another DIY project for my observatory - an all sky camera. I decided to try to keep it small, simple and relatively cheap.

I picked up an ex demo ZWO ASI 120MC with stock wide angle lens for a song at Kelling Heath in September.

I bought a weatherproof 120mm X 120mm plastic enclosure and  115mm clear plastic dome from eBay.

My first job was to use a hole saw to make the required size of hole in the top of the enclosure.

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Next I have mounted two small right angled brackets on the inside of the bottom half of the enclosure and bolted an off cut of aluminium between the brackets to act as a camera mounting/adjustment plate. The camera is attached to the aluminium plate using a tripod mounting screw, again from eBay.

I used my Dremel to cut out holes in the bottom of the base for a 12v cable and a USB lead.

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My original plan was to use a CCTV cabinet heater I had left over from another project for dew control, but there simply wasn't enough space between the camera and the dome to mount it.

So, I've bought a purpose-built all sky camera dew heater ring built and sold by dewcontrol.com for just £13.

I've painted the area of the enclosure that will be inside the dome with matt black paint to help reduce reflections, then glued down the dew heater ring.

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9 hours ago, michaelmorris said:

My original plan was to use a CCTV cabinet heater I had left over from another project for dew control, but there simply wasn't enough space between the camera and the dome to mount it.

So, I've bought a purpose-built all sky camera dew heater ring built and sold by dewcontrol.com for just £13.

I've painted the area of the enclosure that will be inside the dome with matt black paint to help reduce reflections, then glued down the dew heater ring.

IMG_20181011_204313421.jpg

I'm building my ASC in a similar vein and I am really impressed with your dew heater, dewcontrol.com  takes you to a timothy dukes site where there are no dew heaters, have you got a link to the actual dew heater please?

Many Thanks.

 

NB Edit: - Ignore me, just found them on https://www.dewcontrol.com/Other/cat3099126_2988948.aspx

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Yep, I have just ordered one of them, the only problem is that I'm building my ASC to run over POE via a RPi so will probably end up having to run a separate feed for the power to the heater as I doubt that I can get enough over the POE to provide a feed.

WiFi being terrible even with repeaters meant running POE which I was hoping there would be enough heat to keep the dew off, but its no big deal, I can run it out tidily into the garden.

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I've plugged it all in and have run it in Allskeye software and I've already identified a number of issues that need sorting.

  • The dome has a flaw in one side - I'll need to get a replacement.
  • There are some nasty reflections somewhere in the system that will need to be addressed
  • I really need to take some darks.

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Are you confident that the sensor won't be damaged by bright sunlight, or do you intend to cover it during the day?  Or have I missed something entirely?

Neat little setup though.  I must make a note to myself for when I build mine to test the dome before finally fix it in place.

James

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These cameras are fine with bright sunlight.  Mine works day and night.  This is in full sunlight.  There are reflections in the dome and the lens.  The camera is a ZWO ASI185MC.  In daylight I reduce the exposure to the minimum of 32µs and minimum gain (0).  For night when there's no moon I go up to 30s and increase the gain to around 200.

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I have to admit that my ASC isn't working ATM and I shall have to see why if I can.  At least bring it indoors and test things.  With lots of other things to do I haven't bothered.  Means carrying the step ladder from the big shed round the house and stand it up beside the observatory and hope it doesn't sink into the ground which must be pretty soft/wet with all the rain we've had lately.

Thinking about it, I may be able to do some tests without taking it down.  I'll see how I'm fixed tomorrow.

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Been out to the observatory today and found the ASC missing its top casing and dome :eek:  The RPi is working but the camera is not being detected - this is very ominous.  Won't know until I can get it down and indoors.  Wonder where the top and dome is :eek:

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Well, it's indoors but not examined yet.  Found the top and dome on the grass to the east of the observatory.  Water poured out of the casing when I took the ASC down off the observatory roof.  I've also brought the control unit indoors so that I can connect it all up and see if I can get the camera working.

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That sure was some storm we had the other day!!!  I was amazed that it ripped the top off the box.  I found the dew heater resistors strewn across the observatory roof.  The dome landed on grass behind the observatory and only deems to have succumbed to one little mark having washed it off.  I'm hoping the camera may work when it's dried out.

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I may have powered it up earlier today when the RPi didn't find it though the USB might not have connected - it was soaked!  I now have the camera out of it's thermally insulated housing and sitting on the table - I got wet taking the housing apart!!   I don't know how the camera comes apart - there's nothing obvious.  It's a ZWO ASI185MC - which seems to be obsolete, being replaced by the ASI385MC with nearly twice the sensitivity.  That's good for nighttime but bad for daytime when the 185 was already too sensitive at its lowest settings.  It's not cheap either!

I have an ASI178MM mono camera but thats not good for daytime and doesn't show the star colours at might, but if the ASI185MC is dead I might just use the ASI178MM as I don't feel like spending over £350 on a new camera.

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