First web cam attempt @ Staurn 5/3/11

[spaceboy]

Despite getting some of the best views of Saturn I have ever had at the eye piece I was surprised to see my collection of AVI's came out rather disappointing. I can only assume my setting were not optimal and the focus was slightly off but here are the best of the colour and B&W images.

Advice is welcome but to be fair this was my best efforts given my limited knowledge.

I don't pay much attention to settings etc but these were both roughly 2-3 minutes with the OEM SPC900 software and stacked in Registax's

[Rob L]

I'd be far from disappointed with those. I think they are excellent shots, first try of not! They are way better than my first attempts.

[RogerTheDodger]

Looks like you got a better focus than I did Spaceboy

Have a google for "registax 5 tutorial" and have a look particularly at the wavelet part, that'll bring the detail out if it is in there.

roger

[spaceboy]

I did have a fiddle in Registax but I don't really know what I'm doing so it might pay me to finally give the tutorial a look through. I found your image way better and the colour more defined. I can't help but be disappointed at my efforts as it may be my first attempt at Saturn but it's not my first attempt at web cam imaging http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-planetary/115652-my-1st-ever-webcam-attempt.html I can only assume my first go at web cam imaging was a fluke or an enigma of superb seeing.

How is the 200PDS for imaging? I was so close to getting one but I am more of a visual person and the thought of the slightly larger secondary put me off. All the agro trying to attain prime focus I'm now wishing I had gone with it. Just out of interest how long are the PDS OTA? The descriptions say they are slightly shorter but don't state how much shorter.

[RogerTheDodger]

It's worth playing with the bits in Registax, with a little more work you may pull out some detail, I've had another go with that one of mine and have got a little more out of it.

I'm enjoying the PDS, the dual speed crayford is nice for focus through the EP's - I'll be making a bahtinov mask on Monday at work in the lamintor so hopefully that will help nail it down for the webcam.

The outside length of the PDS tube is 36", no idea what lenght the P is though.

[spaceboy]

Thanks Roger. I will measure my 200p next time I'm in the obsy as I've always wondered how much difference there was in it. I will have to give registaxs another go when I get chance.

[spaceboy]

Just messing with settings hasn't helped any. Looks like I have no alternative but to get swatting as these images were originally colour

[Notts star]

Great pics mate mine look a bit like that iv just put on here good one

[rawhead]

Looking good to me Nick

I found Neil's tutorial very useful:

http://stargazerslounge.com/primers-tutorials/89900-who-wants-great-planetary-imager.html

Cheers

(You didn't buy a 200K yesterday by any chance? )

[spaceboy]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Jon but I'm not at all happy with it! I know not to expect too much from a £9 web cam so I have no misconceptions to what can be achieved by such simple kit but I cannot help but think give how good the visual experience of the night was for me that my image was a total waste of time. I can only assume my settings are going wrong some where and that I should really write them down as I do them to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. I found Jupiter much easier to work with as you can focus on the belts but Saturn is mainly getting the rings just right and as it appears on the screen so much smaller than Jupiter it makes doing this difficult.

200K ??? I didn't know there was one for sale! TBH I doubt I would go back down that route again as much as I would love to. The thought of a collimatable 200K had me yearning for one again but finding out this still take some doing, had me happily sticking with the reflectors. I know they are bomb proof and it would take some doing to knock collimation out but if you knew how unlucky I am you would understand why I had to let it go. For the same reason once I found out MAK's are the same I got rid of that.

[rawhead]

I know they are bomb proof and it would take some doing to knock collimation out but if you knew how unlucky I am you would understand why I had to let it go. For the same reason once I found out MAK's are the same I got rid of that.

You worry too much! Live for the day (night)

I honestly don't think there is too much wrong with those images. Slightly over exposed maybe? Saturn is much harder than joop. It's tiny in comparison. Rome wasn't built in day mate

[spaceboy]

Determined not to give up on the data I collected on the 5th and not having got chance to get anymore I gave registax another go. Still haven't got around to reading the manual but couldn't resist having another mess with some of the settings in the hope the image might improve. I think the image has come out a little more pleasing to the eye but attempting to increase the size has made pixeling more apparent. How do you get around this as all my images are small. Is it just a case of adding more magnification at the focuser??