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Introduction to Webcam Astrophotography

Introduction to Webcam Astrophotography. Ed Ting Lowbrow June 15, 2012. Scale. Scale 2 – 10X Previous Scale. Scale 4 – 2 X Previous Scale. Scale 5 – 5 X Previous Scale. Scale 6 – 10 X Previous Scale. Scale 7 – 20 X Previous Scale. Conventional Wisdom…. Astrophotography is… Expensive

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Introduction to Webcam Astrophotography

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  1. Introduction to Webcam Astrophotography Ed Ting Lowbrow June 15, 2012

  2. Scale

  3. Scale 2 – 10X Previous Scale

  4. Scale 4 – 2 X Previous Scale

  5. Scale 5 – 5 X Previous Scale

  6. Scale 6 – 10 X Previous Scale

  7. Scale 7 – 20 X Previous Scale

  8. Conventional Wisdom… • Astrophotography is… • Expensive • Time Consuming • Frustrating • Steep Learning Curve

  9. Webcam Astrophotography Is… • Inexpensive • (Relatively) easy • Fun

  10. Why Does This Work? • Video is just a series of stills run together. • If you take enough stills, some of them are bound to catch moments of good seeing. • We have software (Registax) that will throw away the images in bad seeing, and keep the good ones. • Stacking the good ones brings out detail in the images.

  11. Imaging, 2011 vs 1981 • C90 Image from 2011

  12. The Hero of This Scenario… • The lowly computer webcam. • Philips ToUcam (L), SPC900NC (R)

  13. On Paper This Doesn’t Look Good… • Resolution is low (640 X 480) • One shot color reduces this even further • Some rows of pixels are masked off, reducing pixel count even more • Jupiter will not even come close to filling the chip (200 pixels across is excellent) • 1 Gb of video  one image 7K – 50K

  14. So Then - Why Do This? • Some of the best planetary images EVER have been taken with this method.

  15. Equipmemt – The Low End: CelestronNexImage • A modified Philips ToUcam • $129 list, about $100 street • Uses the Sony ICX098QB chip, 640X480, ¼”

  16. Equipment – Midrange: Imaging Source D*K Series • $350 - $810 depending on model • Uses the Sony ICX098QB chip, 640X480, ¼”

  17. Equipment – High End: Flea3, Atik • $800 - $1000 • Flea uses the 4X more sensitive Sony ICX618 chip

  18. Don’t Buy Too Much Stuff!

  19. What You Need… • Webcam (NexImage, ToUcam, etc) • Telescope with 1.25” focuser • Laptop running 1) Capture software, 2) Registax (both are FREE) • LOTS of hard drive space

  20. Problems You’ll Face • Centering of the image • Focus • Dust on sensor

  21. Image Scale • 4000 mm to 4500 mm is ideal • 8” f/10 SCT with a 2X barlow • 4” f/8 refractor with a 5 X barlow • 6” f/8 reflector with a 3X barlow • 80 mm f/6 refractor with 3X and 2.5X barlow stacked • Start collecting barlows!

  22. Image Scale • (L to R) – 2400 mm, 3000 mm, 3600 mm, 4000 mm, 4700 mm

  23. The Very First Image I Took • TeleVue Pronto, prime focus, unguided Alt-Az mount

  24. My First Jupiter and Saturn Images! • Oct 19, 2010/ Nov 28, 2010

  25. Jupiter and Saturn • Dec 2, 2010/ Jan 2, 2011

  26. Jupiter and Saturn • January 2012

  27. NexImage (L) vs Imaging Source DFK (R) • Both cameras use the same chip!

  28. Registax • Step 1 – Sorting through individual frames

  29. Step 2 – Align the good frames

  30. Step 3 – Stack the images

  31. Step 4 - Wavelets

  32. Step 5 – Post Processing

  33. Raw Image to Final Image • C6 w/ 2X barlow, NexImage, Registax, 1/2/11

  34. Tips • Start with the moon • Venus is easy but not terribly interesting • Jupiter is the next easiest • Saturn is a little more difficult • Mars is not easy • Uranus is hard

  35. Visual vs Webcam Priorities • Visual Priorities – Optical quality, steadiness of mount. • Webcam Priorities – Steadiness of mount, Seeing, Image Scale (Emil Kraaikamp’s imaging rig pictured.)

  36. Ed’s Image Gallery • Celestron C9.25, 1.8X barlow, Imaging Source DBK

  37. Jupiter/ Io Occultation Sequence, Dec 13th 2011 6:31 PM 6:53 PM 6:58 PM 7:01 PM Concord NH, C6, 1.8X , DBK camera

  38. Ed’s Image Gallery • Clavius (143 miles) Plato (62 miles)

  39. Ed’s Image Gallery • Archimedes and the Alpine Mountains (L), Copernicus (R)

  40. Ed’s Image Gallery • Ptolemaeus (90m) Alphonsus (72m) Arzachel (60 m), Straight Wall (72m). Right: Aristarchus (24 m)

  41. Moon Mosaic • C90, DBK @ Prime Focus

  42. Members Image Gallery • Gardner Gerry, Orion XT8, G11

  43. Members Image Gallery • Herb Bubert, C9.25

  44. Herb Bubert

  45. Members Image Gallery • Pat Adams, C8 – First attempt (L), Much Better (R)

  46. Members Image Gallery • Rich Schueller, C14

  47. Gallery of Master Imagers • Emil Kraaikamp • Christopher Go • Damian Peach • Zac Pujic • Eric Ng

  48. Emil Kraaikamp • Netherlands

  49. Emil Kraaikamp (cont)

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