Embarrassing Jupiters webcam clinic

[MikeMc]

Hi,

Convert the pic to a jpg (but make sure the compression is set to it's lowest vaule or you may lose detail), then click the 'more options' in bottom right and use the 'Attach Files' option that apears. I had to ask too, that's why my first pics are links as I was trying to upload bmp's.

I want a scope that I can take on holidays and the DOBs look quite big for that :-( When you see galaxies etc. are they in BW?

BTW I have also started to mess with a prog called 'Veedub64' that allows you to delete single frames, good for removing rubbish in your avi's.

.... Tasco ... ;-)

[davo]

^{Better late than never :-)}

^{Thanks MikeMc for posting the "How to post an image" instruction.}

^{here's my ~10 sec avi stacked + PS tweeks. i really want to stack more than one avi.}

^{p.s. Dobs are great for holidays.. . just make sure they are wearing a seat belt :-D}

^{hey? is that my Tasco calling me?}

[atmenterprises]

My best attempt so far, albeit bad hence posting it in this forum topic. Used a SPC900NC cam on a very manual push-to 8" dob with an extension tube and probably a 2x barlow. Trimmed the avi in VirtualDub then ran it through AS!2 with some wavelets done afterwards in Registax.

[MikeMc]

EDIT: Just seen you've stacked the image with Registax. You now need to apply 'Wavelets' in the final tab.

You can start by loading this profile into REgistax/Wavelets and adjusting from there..

**Rename Jupiter.bmp to Jupiter.rwv**

Thanks for the Wavelet settings, here is my 1st go with your settings and a new Avi from the 21st/22nd...

[MikeMc]

Getting better :-)

Not sure why it has brought out a halo around Jupiter? I had to mess with the Gamma to minimise it but you can still see it on some of the above.

Notice the moon too - well happy I have got this far so quickly - thanks to all for your help so far!

[MikeMc]

^{Better late than never :-)}

^{Thanks MikeMc for posting the "How to post an image" instruction.}

^{here's my ~10 sec avi stacked + PS tweeks. i really want to stack more than one avi.}

^{p.s. Dobs are great for holidays.. . just make sure they are wearing a seat belt :-D}

^{hey? is that my Tasco calling me?}

Looking good, have you tried the Wavelet settings bus_ter uploaded, they made a huge difference to my images (see above)

Not sure about joining multiple avi's - have you had a look at Veedub for this?

[Fordos Moon]

What a fantastic thread this has been to read! Has anyone had any success with an Xbox webcam?

[JamesF]

What a fantastic thread this has been to read! Has anyone had any success with an Xbox webcam?

I posted some in a thread a couple of weeks back. I'll see if I can find it.

James

[JamesF]

Here you go. The first set of images in this thread were created using the Xbox camera:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/168060-spc900-vs-xbox-live-webcam-vs-lifecam-cinema/

James

[Fordos Moon]

Thanks James!

[Stargazer Jack]

Firstly, I am sorry if this has been covered but this topic has many pages and so I couldn't check every page. Secondly, I have been struggling with onion rings on Jupiter for a bit and I was looking today to see the right settings. I had read that low gamma is the way to stop it but I also read that high gamma is so I'm confused. Could any one give me an idea of what my settings need to be around e.g. Gain-70%, Gamma-.... and so on.

Thanks in advance

[JamesF]

I use gamma at minimum. If you're using sharpcap with the SPC900, set the gamma to minimum, exposure to maximum, frame rate to 10fps and then pop up the histogram and adjust gain so the histogram covers about 60% to 70% of the width of the graph. You may be able to pull the exposure time down a bit with the 130M if the image is very bright, but I leave it on maximum for my 127 Mak. At the moment I'm using a gain of about 35% for imaging Jupiter, but it will vary depending on the scope and the distance to and size of the target.

James

[Stargazer Jack]

Thanks James. I am not to sure about a histogram. Could you post a picture of what it should look like or what to do. I will be out tomorrow imaging Jupiter so it is better to know now instead of tomorrow so thanks once again for the quick reply

[JamesF]

Can't easily show you without going out and doing some captures

However, when you have SharpCap open and running you should see a drop-down menu set to "No Transform" above the image from the camera. Click on that and select "Histogram". You should have a graph appear below the image, labelled 0 at the left hand end and 255 at the right hand end. If you increase the exposure time or gain the end of the graph will creep towards the right hand side of the graph as the image gets brighter, and if you reduce the gain or exposure time the graph will drop away back towards the left. It will probably drift about a little naturally due to the seeing, too.

You want to adjust the gain and exposure such that the graph stops somewhere around two thirds of the way across from the left.

James

[Stargazer Jack]

Thanks for the information James. I will have a look tomorrow

[Stargazer Jack]

I seem to have got the right settings James so thank you for your help. The image i have posted here, http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/169596-jupiter-1st-december/, has a bit of noise to it because I had to stop it around 1000 frames in as it was drifting off the screen. I am sure if I had more frames and the settings you said the images may be even better

[MikeMc]

Hi Jack, nice pictures and i'll have to try the Wavelet settings you mentioned.

[davo]

Getting better :-) cheers all for the tips.

6x10sec avi stacked and a cold night :-D

[davo]

+ with a manually tracked 12" Dob :-D

[MikeMc]

Nice one, that looks really good, very clear and sharp. You say 6x10 sec, did you stack each 10 sec clip and then stack the 6 results together or did you join the 6 avi together first?

Well worth the effort - great pic.

[davo]

cheers.

In registax you can open as many avi files as you like. Go to "Select" (top left of screen) and highlight all the files you wish and it will automatically open up the first file to align. when done it will open up the 2nd file to align and so on.

First of tho be sure to tick on the little radio button "Avi>1Gb" this seems to then allow multiple files. It's at the top of the screen labelled "Use Extended mode"

It's really good fun. i could do with getting my hands on a barlow next. bigger more detail harder to track :-)

Tasco

[leelee970]

HI guys

I need some help here (last nights image run). I seem to get this type of image quite often, a blocky image, any reasons why?

Equipment – Orion Europa 200 F6 +Heq5pro mount + X5 powermate + Philips SPC900 webcam.

SPC900 setting after Bahtinov mask focusing on nearby star. Camera control using WxAstroCapture

Video format I420

10 FPS

Shutter 1/33

Gain 60%

Gamma 0%

Brightness 50%

Contrast 30%

Saturation 70%

Histogram R 145 B 160 G 170

White Balance – freeze

WBR 53%

WBB 16%

Total 0f 2000 frames – best 1500 frames stacked using RS6 (adjustments of wavelets layer 1 and 6 to max to show blocky distortion)

Any help appreciated, Lee

[lynnm]

OK.. i'll bite.. having the phillips cam on the Dob is not the easiest to use, and track, but managed to get a half decent video of jupiter run across the FOV when having a 2 x barlow attached.. ( and spending a lot of time setting up the red dot finder ), but here's my problem .... not wanting to use the 2 x and thus get a wider fov to image and a longer time on the cam, i cannot get the image into focus.. it seems like the image is just out of reach of my current focus range on the DOB.. any recommendations?

[JamesF]

HI guys

I need some help here (last nights image run). I seem to get this type of image quite often, a blocky image, any reasons why?

Equipment – Orion Europa 200 F6 +Heq5pro mount + X5 powermate + Philips SPC900 webcam.

SPC900 setting after Bahtinov mask focusing on nearby star. Camera control using WxAstroCapture

Can you get a longer exposure? It looks like a capture artefact due to insufficient sensor illumination to me, but I'd probably not want to take the gain any higher than it is.

James

[JamesF]

OK.. i'll bite.. having the phillips cam on the Dob is not the easiest to use, and track, but managed to get a half decent video of jupiter run across the FOV when having a 2 x barlow attached.. ( and spending a lot of time setting up the red dot finder ), but here's my problem .... not wanting to use the 2 x and thus get a wider fov to image and a longer time on the cam, i cannot get the image into focus.. it seems like the image is just out of reach of my current focus range on the DOB.. any recommendations?

A plain extension might help if you can't get the focuser out far enough. If the barlow allows the lens unit to be removed you might be able to use that as an extension. Is it inwards focus you're short of, or outwards?

James