Allsky Camera (well, sort of)

[Euan]

Another project to add to the list....

When running sessions in the obs I thought of putting a security camera outside. I then thought, why not just have it has half security half sky capture to make nice time lapse videos, sort of like this (but no where near as impressive of course)...

YP7traGazpI

It has to be about 90 degrees to be able to sit at the back of my obs and take in the whole view out of the roof

I've been thinking about something like this:

PRO-610 Wide Angle Security Camera - Night Vision 15m - Free Delivery : Wired CCD Cameras : Maplin

It's a low-light 1/3" CCD with 83 degrees FOV. I could then hook it up to my server PC with a composite video capture card and leave it running

Has anyone thought about this or ever tried it? I was even thinking about using a webcam which would obviously be much cheaper

[Psychobilly]

I picked up a fisheye lens for a webcam from HK for about £2... i was going to use it with the SPC 900 but i think i'd be better of sellign that and using a Cheaper one for the skycam...

I did play about with a wireless sugar cube cam on the end of the scope for a while...

Peter...

[Euan]

I picked up a fisheye lens for a webcam from HK for about £2...

That's the kind of figures I like to hear

I didn't even think you could get lenses for webcams, if that's the case I wonder if the 720p Microsoft one people have been talking about would do the job with a wide-angle lens

It could then double up and a lunar and planetary cam

[Psychobilly]

Looks like they have gone up in price....

2.1mm Board Lens 160 Angle for CCTV IR Camera CCD, Consumer Electronics items at low prices on eBay.co.uk

Took about a fortnight to get here...

This is the type of camera i played with ran it of a PP3...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-WIRELESS-TINY-CCTV-SECURITY-CAMERA-HIDDEN-SPYCAM-UK-/200461378544?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item2eac6de3f0

Although you can get some small CCTV camera that use those board mount lenses from the first link...

Peter....

[Euan]

Cheers Peter this looks like the kind of thing I need

Will order up and cheapish camera and wide lens

[Psychobilly]

I only stopped because the sugar cube cam seemed to wipe out the IR security cams that are in the obs even though it was supposedly on a different channel...

Maplin used to sell the kit but they have stopped selling it now so I wonder if this was a problem with them...

Peter...

[Astroscot2]

Peter , did the board lens attach to a c/cs mount ?

[Psychobilly]

Not the one found on larger CCTV cameras and the DMK but the smaller one found on cams like the toucam and spc...

[Astroscot2]

Thanks Peter

Mark

[Euan]

I've just bought a Microsoft LifeCam HD from Amazon, it was too hard to resist, since it may make an interesting planetary & lunar cam if this project doesn't work out. It will also be very nice to have full 720p

Now, to figure out how to get a 150 degree lens onto it

[Euan]

Now that's it well and truly summer, I've not been not here much, but with an Atik 383L+ on the way at the end of the month, it's time to get my finger out and finish a lot of projects before the darkness comes back again

I've taken the Lifecam to bits, removed the IR filter, and used a part from an old busted webcam to fit a lens thread on the front. I bought a 160 degree lens from eBay as well as an IR radiator.

The Lifecam is fitted inside a waterproof dome housing just under the obs roof. The lens isn't the greatest, it starts to go really soft at the edges of the picture, but then it was only £5!

Here is a picture from the obs during the day, I just need to position and focus it properly at night. It's going to be a bit useless during the day because of the huge IR response now that it has no filter in place, hence the redness