Better ccd webcam or better scope

[hayju01]

New to this game so please excuse my naivety. I'd like to get better images of Saturn and this is the best i've managed so far.

taken using SPC900 through Bx2 and Konus 90mm the stacked using registax.

The images I can see with eyepiece along are crystal even with Bx5 and 10mm although not much detail.

I'm thinking that bigger scope will get me more detail and that better ccd (cooled) will give me sharper image.

Am I right?

I'm guessing as with alot of atro questions it's not goign to be a simple answer

[riklaunim]

Cooled won't help as those aren't long exposures. You may upgrade to a HD webcam, or even to a QHY5/D*K/Lumenera/other planetary camera - that will help, but you also need aperture of the scope (6" or more advised). Third is good seeing, good accessories (filters, Barlows giving optimal f-ratios), and good processing of good AVIs

[malc-c]

Justin,

The problem you have is that the scope is f10 but with a 3" aperture, so whilst you'll get good magnification the images will be dark compared to some of the images seen on here which were taken through 6", 8" or larger. The webcam records a view typical of that seen with a 6mm eyepiece, adding a barlow won't help improve the brightness.

There are several options.

1) - Replace the scope with something with more aperture - costly !

2) - Invest in a QHy5 or other such camera as per the post above - again several hundreds of £££

3) - buy a SPC880, flashed to a 900 from Morgan Computers for £35 and then undertake the LX mod. This will allow you to get a longer exposure and thus a brighter image. - cheap but you need to be able to solder

Hope that helps

[malc-c]

Or use Photoshop or some other processing software to enhance the image.

[riklaunim]

1) - Replace the scope with something with more aperture - costly !

Newtonians are cheap. 150/750 is a nice one.

2) - Invest in a QHy5 or other such camera as per the post above - again several hundreds of £££

~125-150 second hand.

3) - buy a SPC880, flashed to a 900 from Morgan Computers for £35 and then undertake the LX mod. This will allow you to get a longer exposure and thus a brighter image. - cheap but you need to be able to solder

Longer exposures will be destroyed by seeing. SPC880/900 are old webcams with old CCD sensors - inferior to modern HD webcams and planetary cameras. Long exposures won't solve their problems with low sensitivity (and Saturn is very dim target, hard to record at short exposures).

[hayju01]

Great thanks all! still working on the 'govner' to get approval for a bigger scope. In the meantime I'm interested in the LX mod you speak of Malcolm (looking that up now) I have also seen a mod that can be done on the MS lifecam so may take a look at that too.

Thanks for the great info, should keep be busy until I get approval for my Celestron 8" :-)

[astroimpulse]

Upgrade the scope before the cam any day.

You could have the best cam on the planet but it's never going to do much with the optics restricting it. Your webcam is used by many with outstanding results.

Go scope

BTW...I think that's a cracking little Saturn pic

[RogerTheDodger]

The SPC900 is fine, changing the scope will give better results. I took this last night with an SPC900 in OK seeing...