ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY WITH THE WEBCAMS Last updated: 30 September 2004

This page documents Quickcam, ToUCam, and similar video/web cameras comments, tips, and photos. Also, see the Quickcam references on the Astrophotography - Basics page. Search the site for other items about webcams. Contributions welcome.

Subject:	Messier 31 en Messier 42 Pleiades with new technology
Sent:	Thursday, September 30, 2004 07:44:02
From:	geheniau@xs4all.nl (geheniau@xs4all.nl)
Last week I bought a new modified webcam with a better CCD (SC 3
webcam). Because of bad weather still no first light, don't worry, those
results will come soon!!! :-)

But.... I also used my old modified webcam for a new experiment (see
pictures in attachment). I want to use it with my analogue Pentax camera
lenses (17mm, 28-50mm, 70-300mm). So I build a construction that the
webcam fits on the Pentax lenses (I used the back lens pentax protector
as piece to click the lenses on the webcam). And I made a piggy back
module for it. Yesterday full moon :-( and clear so First Light for this
combination. Attached M31 and M42 WIDE FIELD!. It works great. The ETX
is for tracking and Goto and on it my modified old webcam with Pentax
70-300mm telelens. A new world just opened for me. Finally I can get M31
or the Pleiades in 1 field with my ETX combination.

Maybe you can put these on the guest deep sky photography list for
others to now how to make quite cheap and simple a construction for long
exposure wide field deep sky astrophotograhy with ETX90. Don't forget
the counterweights with something like this or you'll ruin your ETX.

(On the inset you see my ETX90 with dewheather in front, GPS system
attached, external power supply (car accu), 300 mm telelens screwed on
webcam in front of 40mm Plossl. Left from it a right angle viewfinder
and at the rear a counterweight)...at sunset...:-)






Job Geheniau The Netherlands

www.samage.net/~geheniau/astronomy2.html

Subject:	M57 with an ETX125
Sent:	Tuesday, September 7, 2004 10:39:35
From:	Franck BOUQUEREL Wanadoo (Franck.Bouquerel@Wanadoo.fr)
Please find here your your site our first light with a Philips TouCam
Pro modified N&B and SC1 in mode RAW

Focale reducer 0,5

ACQUISITION with QC Focus
160x5s
light and contrast 50%
gamma = 0
gain = 50 %

TREATMENT under Iris with dark substraction

Done by Florence CLEMENT and Franck BOUQUEREL

Subject:	ETX90 and Sun, Moon and M31
Sent:	Sunday, September 5, 2004 14:02:34
From:	geheniau@xs4all.nl (geheniau@xs4all.nl)
It was clear, so here some new ETX90 samples.

Subject:	question about dc4800 
Sent:	Tuesday, August 31, 2004 23:25:52
From:	Jerry Warner (jwarner1@ai5.net)
Is the dc4800 any good for astro photogtaphy? All planetary photos Ive
found on the net done with a dc4800 looked terrible to me. Lunar photos
noisy and poor resolution. An stellar photos very poor. I found one
comment that the dc4800 fails to record faint stars in a star field.

Someone is offering me a mint dc4800 for my astronomy hobby and Im
tempted to say no, politely.

What do you think? Be honest!

By the way I have a new TUcam ordered and coming.
Sincerely,
Jerry Warner

Subject:	iSight astrophotography
Sent:	Saturday, August 28, 2004 19:46:05
From:	Charles, Charles Nixon, Nixon (astronomer120@yahoo.com)
I took my iSight and put it to the telescope eyepiece holder (without an
eyepiece) to see what it looked like.  The iSight unfortunately was just
a little too wide for the eyepiece holder, but I held it there, pointed
the scope at a plant on the sill, and turned the camera on.  I'll attach
the pictures of what the paper flowers looked like though the scope and
with only the iSight.


 



The clearer one is pointed somewhat at the paper daffodils on the sill
(the yellow blob with orange in it.) The blurry one is the same
daffodils through the telescope.

Oh, by the way, I've decided on an ETX 90.  I thought about it, and for
the places I'm able to go (my dad will only drive me so far, you know :)) 
a $900 scope isn't worth it.

And:

One of those camera adapters obvoiusly wouldn't work. 
I'm going to try a piece of PVC pipe around the holder and the iSight.

Subject:	ETX From Greece
Sent:	Monday, August 2, 2004 13:26:20
From:	geheniau@xs4all.nl (geheniau@xs4all.nl)
I was for 2 weeks in Greece for vacation. Took my ETX (and laptop and
the whole bunch!!, no problems on airport :-) ) and it was great!

Attached my pictures I took there for your deepsky, moon and planet
guest site. I already found Pluto! that was very hard but I managed to
get it.

These messier objects are not really possible for me in the Netherlands,
so I am glad I have them now.

These are my best pictures this year I think.

Subject:	Webcams and ETX-125 Question
Sent:	Wednesday, July 21, 2004 16:38:46
From:	Mike (mrmike987@comcast.net)
I have an ETX-125

I'm looking to buy a webcam and adapter. I have read allot about them on
your site but what is really the best one to get?

Toucam webcam from Phillips + adapter   
store.yahoo.com/astrovid/touc74web.html
 
Is this one good or are there better webcams available?
 
Mike

Subject:	DOS image gallery M57
Sent:	Saturday, July 17, 2004 10:34:48
From:	Gary Tripp (gary_tripp@talk21.com)
please find attached M57 imaged with the ETX90 and toucam sc1.

Subject:	GUEST LUNAR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
Sent:	Saturday, June 26, 2004 16:42:07
From:	Ralph Partipilo (rparts1@megsinet.net)
These 2 Pictures Were Taken Saturday June 26th,  11:30 PM With a E T X
125 ec. Philips ToUcam Pro 2 Web cam  both photos  Stacked With Registax
2.        30 stacked frames out of 400 .more Photos at my web site
www.eyesonthesky.com  And Thanks Again Mike for the best E T X  Site On
The  Web

Subject:	Using Toucam Pro II with ETX-105
Sent:	Tuesday, July 13, 2004 17:31:17
From:	mike.snowden@btinternet.com
I've been looking around, and shops I have found selling a Toucam Pro
are selling the II model.

My questions are

1) Can the Pro II be used for Astro work?
2) Is it better or worse than the original model - should I be hunting
for that instead?
3) What other adaptors, mounts, etc do I need?  For instance, what is a
Mogg adaptor?  I have no idea what comes with the camera

Thanks in advance

    Mike Snowden

And:

Lots on the Pro, but I couldn't see anything on the Pro II.  The
pictures indicate a different form factor, and the original model has
been so popular, I wondered if there was something particular about this
model that wasn't the case for others.

The best link I've found is www.modernastronomy.com/toucampro.html.

I've also joined the ToUCam user yahoo! Group.

The following link looks good for CCD chips and sensitivity -
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/molyned/web-cameras.htm

Thanks
Mike

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