Back to webcam astrophotography (sorry!)

[milkyjoe]

It was a beautiful clear (but cold) night yesterday, not a single cloud in sight.. all night, which is rare so I decided to take advantage of this and setup my scope in my back garden (again).

I thought I'd have another go at some webcam astro work, but I'm finding it difficult to capture any good images: either nothing appears when doing an exposure or the images I do capture are blurred and have no detail!?!

Are webcams not suitable for taking long exposures? I tried to take a few of a double-cluster just below cassiopeia and of the pleiades system, but I got diddly squat! I've tried messing with the settings too, but I don't know what works best and what doesn't?? I do notice though that the more I move the shutter speed setting to the right, the duller the object gets in the viewing window, is this good?!? (yes, I have no idea what I'm doing )

I understand that my scope probably isn't the best for lunar and planetary photography so would I be better off using a mak?

Another problem I seem to have is with tracking. I had the RA motor drive running last night, but nothing seems to stay in view; I know my scope is setup correctly and yet images continue to move whatever I do and it is getting a bit frustrating. I know people on here say astro photography isn't easy, but I would expect to see something?!

Richard.

P.S. I've read the webcam primer by the way.

[haitch]

If things are moving noticeably across your field of view either your motor is at the wrong speed (or even going backwards - N/S switch?) or if there is a clutch it's could be released or your polar alignment if way off. I once spent an evening wondering how my alignment could be so far off only to realise I'd got the RA motor connected to the Dec control and vice versa.

To do long exposures with a webcam it will need a hardware long exposure modification - just changing the settings is not enough. In any case your tracking problems need sorting before you can do any deep sky stuff.

Best just to get yourself an EQ6 permanently mounted on a pillar in an observatory - here comes the cost spiral... better start writing your list for Father Christmas!

[Merlin66]

webcam's (unless modified to long exposure) are really only suited to lunar/solar and planetary imaging.

With your set-up you should excellent images of the moon and planets.

Finding perfect focus is never easy and takes some practise...

Registax will help to improve the quality of the final image as it converts the AVI file to an image.

Keep trying.

Ken

[milkyjoe]

The motor drive is definitely connected to the RA axis, but like I said, object seem to continue moving even if I fiddle with the speed knob!? I must be doing something wrong, but I don't know what it could be?!

Where would I get the bits for long exposures then, I noticed a seller sold some a few weeks ago, but they got snapped up, perhaps I'll ask him!?

Dear santa...

[milkyjoe]

webcam's (unless modified to long exposure) are really only suited to lunar/solar and planetary imaging.

With your set-up you should excellent images of the moon and planets.

Finding perfect focus is never easy and takes some practise...

Registax will help to improve the quality of the final image as it converts the AVI file to an image.

Keep trying.

Ken

I agree that I should be able to get some half descent images, but I can't seem to get the webcam to focus properly, or if I do, the object is too bright until I increase the shutter speed, but if I do that the object is too dull to see if it is in focus!?

[Merlin66]

The long exposure webcam mod (Lx mod) involves some fine soldering work and a very steady hand!

I'd suggest getting the focusing practise on something like the moon. Practise, Practise, and.....Practise.

[Photosbykev]

To fine focus on my system I ramp the gain up and shutter speed down and make sure the fps is as high as possible. It doesn't matter if the exposure is way off as long as you can see something to focus on. When you've happy with the focus readjust the gain/shutter speed/fps until you get the correct exposure.

[glowjet]

Have a look in the Astro Lounge, Geppetto has published some marvelously clear pictures of the LX mod and Amp Off conversions with the parts used, if you do not want to undertake this yourself firms like Astronomiser Will do the conversion for you, at a price. From the experiences of others, one of the problems you may have is not having the object you want to photograph centered on the camera chip, which is very small, however, it seems your first task is to overcome the tracking problem before you can attempt anything.

[TheThing]

I don't think you will find the tracking such a problem if you give solar system imaging a try first through an unmodded webcam. I would suggest you try that first. Cut your teeth there and then, when you're happy with what you're doing, mod the cam and move to deep sky.

[themos]

Disconnect the RA drive and use the RA slow motion control. If you can follow the object by just turning the RA slo-mo control, then your Polar Alignment is roughly correct and there's something wrong with the drive. If you can't, your PA is off.

[milkyjoe]

Thanks all for your comments. ;-)

[milkyjoe]

Disconnect the RA drive and use the RA slow motion control. If you can follow the object by just turning the RA slo-mo control, then your Polar Alignment is roughly correct and there's something wrong with the drive. If you can't, your PA is off.

I good tip, why didn't I think of that!? lol

[Jake Bullit]

Try using Sharpcap for a nice clean simple to use piece of software:

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-discussion/112757-sharpcap-free-astro-webcam-capture-software.html

[milkyjoe]

I already use sharpcap, it is pretty good, but it crashes quite a lot.

[TheThing]

I already use sharpcap, it is pretty good, but it crashes quite a lot.

Have you downloaded the latest version - v17? That should cure the crashes. If not, send rwg a pm. He wrote Sharpcap and is a top geezer at sorting it out.

[milkyjoe]

I'm running v1.0.11.0

[carastro]

Gosh ....this thread brings back memories.

You don't say what sort of telscope and mount you are using. In my case I was trying to use an ETX on an Alt/Az mount when I did planetary imaging and was finding similar problems to what you are experiencing. When I switched to an EQ GOTO Mount I could not believe the difference in alignment and tracking.

If you're using an Eq mount then Alt/Az is not your problem. Getting focus is another problem and at infinity focus should be the same, so as suggested above try getting focus with the Moon, then when you move to the planets you can keep the same focus.

Carole

[ronin]

From the signature he has an EQ1, which is probably not stable enough for photography, also the head itself is not that solid., and not sure about the overall build. SW don't make high precision EQ1's at the end of the day.

Would have said an EQ3 was the very least required and better still an EQ5 or bigger.

As there is just the single drive then if the image disappears off the side then it is not set up. If the mount cannot keep up or the scope leaves the object behind the it is too fast. At the end of the day if aligned and set up it will track.

Also as said in other places the alignment for visual can be rough, when you look through you will adjust so all a visual observer needs is to be in the right area. For photography it has to be ACCURATE. Very very accurate.

[milkyjoe]

Hmm... and EQ GOTO, that sounds good. You are correct Ronin, I am currently using an EQ1 mount and it isn't the most stable. Oh well, I'll see if santa can bring me an eq goto! ;-)

[themos]

EQ1 is good enough for short exposure webcam photography, in my experience.