Embarrassing Jupiters webcam clinic

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks for your info Barry. It is very important when using a barlow to have your finderscope perfectly centred on Jupiter. Ideally you need to use a 5-7mm eyepiece with the barlow so you can create the same magnification produced with the camera to get your finderscope accurately aligned and your scope near enough to focus so you can at least see Jupiter on screen when you replace the eyepiece with cam. Always best to have auto exposure selected so Jupiter is bright enough to see even if its way out of focus (sometimes focus can be so far out if camera brightness is set too dark it will be invisible). Obviously un-check auto exposure when ready to capture. Make sure you have gain above 50% and keep gamma at 0. I found it easier to focus with a barlow as smaller detail can be seen on the planet allowing finer focussing. Focussing on the moons is a very good way to work too.

[Jannis]

Hmm, this isn't really a webcam, but taken with the 550D at 640*480 crop and the explorer 200 PDS. stacked in AVI stack and processed very quickly in PS.

Also there was a veeeery cheap 2x barlow in between there (the cheapest that skywatcher sendt out in their kits), not sure if it helped by making it larger or just made it worse by messing up the quality...

About 180 frames stacked from 1080 frames.

No filters used, but the camera have it's IR filter though, so not sure if any extra filters would help any?

Getting the SPC880 in a coupple of weeks from morgans i hope, will be interesting to see how that performes compared to the 550d for planetary (mainly going to use it as a guide cam though, but will give it a try at planetary also, just for fun)

edit: but comparing to my best jupiter from last season, with same scope and camera, there Is a great improvement though. Even if i'm extremly slow, at least i'm going the right way.

[lukebl]

A quick query for the doctor.

Just getting back into the new Jupiter season, and have forgotten what I learnt last year. Can you remind me what causes the mottled grainy effect here (my first image this season), and how to avoid it?

[ScubaMike]

Hi "Jupiter imaging doctors",

Please see my attached captures, this is perhaps the 3rd time I have tried to get a capture, but this is the first time that I have been able to get anything recognisable..

I am getting some detail, but I feel I should be able to get more with the scope I have.

Please advise where the improvement needs to be?

[todd8137]

better than my efforts i i what looked clear skies i used ir/rgb registax and this is what popped out

[ScubaMike]

You've got pretty sharp focus on that first one Pat.

Now.... If I could get that level of sharpness.....

Just reviewed my capture settings. Turns out I had gamma set to 21. I *never* have it set to 21, usually zero! That might have hindered things a bit.

[todd8137]

i have started to use wxastro capture sharpcap is mega but some times wx some times a bit better,tonight i should be good to go barlow ect this time am gonna try a lrgb tonight of jupe and see what we getscopes been out since six checked the mirrors ,come 20:30 both the moon and jupiter will be above the wood,gamma is always good to have low i always aim for a darkish jupiter with the settings with the crayford i get it as good as a can and then just take it back a tiny bit,also with the wavelets keep them way down low in registax that might just be me,but to heavy handed with thos and you have lots of noise later on ps put the webcam in the fridge part of the fridge next to the milk in a sandwhich bag 1 hour prior to use

[superjody]

heres my attempt from tonight using a skywatcher 250, spc880 and a x2 barlow.

i used wxastrocapture and registax 6.

i took 1000 images at 15fps, 0 gamma,+ 50 gain and about +50 brightness.

when i start to sharpen it in registax it starts cracking up the image, it looks like it has badly stiched different parts of the image together.

[http://stargazerslounge.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70771&stc=1&d=1318714338]

[Space Cowboy]

A quick query for the doctor.

Just getting back into the new Jupiter season, and have forgotten what I learnt last year. Can you remind me what causes the mottled grainy effect here (my first image this season), and how to avoid it?

Hmmm.....looks like you need some cream for that. I've seen that grid effect when debayering is used. What camera and settings did you have? If its not from a RAW data avi maybe its a codec issue?

[Space Cowboy]

heres my attempt from tonight using a skywatcher 250, spc880 and a x2 barlow.

i used wxastrocapture and registax 6.

i took 1000 images at 15fps, 0 gamma,+ 50 gain and about +50 brightness.

when i start to sharpen it in registax it starts cracking up the image, it looks like it has badly stiched different parts of the image together.

["]http://stargazerslounge.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=70771&

"]stc=1&d=1318714338]

Are you using Registax 6 as the multi alignment points can cause cracking in the image. You need to take more frames. Try a 3 min avi. Registax 5 is worth trying too.

[lukebl]

Hmmm.....looks like you need some cream for that. I've seen that grid effect when debayering is used. What camera and settings did you have? If its not from a RAW data avi maybe its a codec issue?

It's just the bog-standard SPC900 webcam. I'm not on my laptop now, but as far as I can remember it was 1500 frames at 10 fps captured in Sharpcap. Gamma was 0, gain was 55. Does that help?

[superjody]

Are you using Registax 6 as the multi alignment points can cause cracking in the image. You need to take more frames. Try a 3 min avi. Registax 5 is worth trying too.

cheers, il get registax 5 on and see what happens

[chiltonstar]

Anyone (expert!) any idea what the artefacts (rings) are caused by in this pic? (taken 15/10/11, 750 frames, 880C flasshed, Registax, with a Mak 127mm).

Chris

[mindburner]

very impressed with this post. I have a 300p auto goto and a philips 900 web cam. My main problem has been getting Jupiter to stay in the frame. Also losing the planet when swapping from the EP to the web cam. and refocusing. Are there any special tips for the big dobs?

After reading this post I am going to have another go next clear night

thanks

[Space Cowboy]

It's just the bog-standard SPC900 webcam. I'm not on my laptop now, but as far as I can remember it was 1500 frames at 10 fps captured in Sharpcap. Gamma was 0, gain was 55. Does that help?

Were you using the YUYV codec? I've never had great Jupiter images with Sharpcap always used Craterlet. All I can suggest is try a different application assuming these artifacts are appearing after using wavelets in Registax.

Firecapture is another good program.

[Space Cowboy]

Anyone (expert!) any idea what the artefacts (rings) are caused by in this pic? (taken 15/10/11, 750 frames, 880C flasshed, Registax, with a Mak 127mm).

Chris

Onion ringing is caused by Gain being too low and/or Gamma too high. Make sure gamma is 0 and Gain above 50%. Also using a frame rate of 20fps can cause this ringing because of the video compression. Stick to 10fps.

[Space Cowboy]

very impressed with this post. I have a 300p auto goto and a philips 900 web cam. My main problem has been getting Jupiter to stay in the frame. Also losing the planet when swapping from the EP to the web cam. and refocusing. Are there any special tips for the big dobs?

After reading this post I am going to have another go next clear night

thanks

Yes the auto Dob is a quirky beast when it comes to tracking. There is a guy on here who is trying to get to the bottom of this problem and he's doing some interesting tests.

http://stargazerslounge.com/discussions-scopes-whole-setups/159938-skywatcher-az-goto-alignment-accuracy.html

http://stargazerslounge.com/discussions-scopes-whole-setups/155804-skyliner-250px-flex-tube-auto-tracking-dobsonian-2.html#post1978676

As for using an eyepiece to align for imaging I use a zoom eyepiece which is much quicker and does not involve swapping from a low power to a high power one.

Sometimes my Dob tracks great and other times it doesn't but with some nimble finger work I can keep the Planet on screen most of the time. Using Virtual Dub to edit out any frames where the planet has gone off screen helps and then run the AVI through Castrator to crop the video so Jupiter is dead still for aligning in Registax. (All these program links are on page 1 of this thread).

[Kbramley]

I tried to capture the rotation of Jupiter a couple of years ago with my 6" newt and spc900 webcam, several avi's over a few hours, unfortunately on/off cloud prevented my intended smooth frame rate but here is the end result all the same.

If I manage to get out this year I am hoping to improve significantly on this

[mindburner]

Fantastic info there, many thanks. To be honest most times I have looked at Jupiter, I have not bothered to set the scope up properly. Just pointed and bam. I have found the alignment to be ok. When I say ok, I was used to an ETX90 which had poor tracking etc. After alignment, objects usually were a nudge away.

I think after reading your linked posts that I will examine the goto accuracy a bit more to see if it can be improved. My scope is a 300p GOTO with the synscan handset retrofitted.

If I can just get Jupiter to stay in the laptop window, I think I can get some great images. Hopefully:D

Yes the auto Dob is a quirky beast when it comes to tracking. There is a guy on here who is trying to get to the bottom of this problem and he's doing some interesting tests.

http://stargazerslounge.com/discussions-scopes-whole-setups/159938-skywatcher-az-goto-alignment-accuracy.html

http://stargazerslounge.com/discussions-scopes-whole-setups/155804-skyliner-250px-flex-tube-auto-tracking-dobsonian-2.html#post1978676

As for using an eyepiece to align for imaging I use a zoom eyepiece which is much quicker and does not involve swapping from a low power to a high power one.

Sometimes my Dob tracks great and other times it doesn't but with some nimble finger work I can keep the Planet on screen most of the time. Using Virtual Dub to edit out any frames where the planet has gone off screen helps and then run the AVI through Castrator to crop the video so Jupiter is dead still for aligning in Registax. (All these program links are on page 1 of this thread).

[Stargazer Jack]

Some very nice Jupiter's appearing, well done to everyone

[chiltonstar]

Many thanks "Space Cowboy" - the advice seems to work. All I need now is a much larger scope.....

Chris

[KE400]

Hi Space Cowboy, can you take a look at this one or would you prefer me to PM you?

It was taken with my C9.25 & DFK21AU618.AS, here are the capture details which was taken through FireCap or IC Cap, not sure which as I was trying them both out. I used the raw Y800 codec on capture, then I've ran the image through Castrator,Reg6 (using the optional debayer GB function) & then tweeked in Photoshop:

Filename=IR_222926.avi

Date=19.10.2011

Start=22:29:26

Duration=91s

Frames captured=2726

Camera=DFK 21AU618.AS

ROI=640x480

Profile=Jupiter

Diameter=49.48"

Magnitude=-2.91

CMI=168.3° CMII=24.0° CMIII=334.5°

FocalLength=7100mm

Resolution=0.16"

Filter=IR

FPS=30

Shutter=31.10ms

Gamma=60

WBalance=0

Brightness=31

WRed=33

Saturation=128

WBlue=42

Gain=831

Hue=180

Histogramm(min)=0

Histogramm(max)=163

Histogramm=63%

AutoAlign=false

PreFilter=none

Limit=3500 Frames

I took ages to focus but the results just seem dissapointing with the result showing no detail, any advice/ help would be very welcome.

[Space Cowboy]

I tried to capture the rotation of Jupiter a couple of years ago with my 6" newt and spc900 webcam, several avi's over a few hours, unfortunately on/off cloud prevented my intended smooth frame rate but here is the end result all the same.

If I manage to get out this year I am hoping to improve significantly on this

Nice animation. Be careful to keep gamma at 0 and gain above 50% to prevent onion rings. As I've said before this can happen when usng 20fps too so try and stick with 10fps.

[chiltonstar]

In my latest try last night, using 0 gamma, 10 fps and gain about 70%, I get nice contrast and colour saturation (seeing was poor though) but still get onion rings!

Chris

[Space Cowboy]

Hi Space Cowboy, can you take a look at this one or would you prefer me to PM you?

It was taken with my C9.25 & DFK21AU618.AS, here are the capture details which was taken through FireCap or IC Cap, not sure which as I was trying them both out. I used the raw Y800 codec on capture, then I've ran the image through Castrator,Reg6 (using the optional debayer GB function) & then tweeked in Photoshop:

Filename=IR_222926.avi

Date=19.10.2011

Start=22:29:26

Duration=91s

Frames captured=2726

Camera=DFK 21AU618.AS

ROI=640x480

Profile=Jupiter

Diameter=49.48"

Magnitude=-2.91

CMI=168.3° CMII=24.0° CMIII=334.5°

FocalLength=7100mm

Resolution=0.16"

Filter=IR

FPS=30

Shutter=31.10ms

Gamma=60

WBalance=0

Brightness=31

WRed=33

Saturation=128

WBlue=42

Gain=831

Hue=180

Histogramm(min)=0

Histogramm(max)=163

Histogramm=63%

AutoAlign=false

PreFilter=none

Limit=3500 Frames

I took ages to focus but the results just seem dissapointing with the result showing no detail, any advice/ help would be very welcome.

Thanks for your info Kevin.

3 things strike me about that image, firstly its too dark (you have gamma at 60 try the default setting of 100 something I've just realized...gamma works differently on the dfk compared to a webcam). The image is a weird colour (did you tick "debayer safe" when using Castrator if not this will spoil the RGB). Lastly the lack of detail...either its out of focus or you need to use stronger wavelets in registax to bring out the detail.

Just one last thing you didn't use any filters I assume? Obviously the dfk has an inbuilt IR filter.