KB7AVT / V73TV / HL9AVT
Updated 8/29/2008

 

 

KB7AVT

HL9AVT

V73TV

Software

AstroPhotography

Links-<TBD>   


KB7AVT / V73TV - Astrophotography / CCD Imaging


Webcam photos are taken at primary focus on my Celestron C6N (6”) Newtonian telescope using a Philips- ToUcam PRO II 840K Webcam w/ 1.25" Adapter.

See Lunar Eclipse Webcam Pictures taken 28 Aug 2007 approx. 1030 pm local time : http://www.qsl.net/kb7avt/Lunar Eclipse/

Introduction.

Welcome, I recently relocated back to Kwajalein island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. I am in the process of getting my Amateur Radio and Astrophotography Station setup. Doing a search on the web for astrophotography and webcams produced over 230,000 hits. I was looking for a few things ( a few Favorites included):

1. What type of webcam was most popular for astrophotography ?

so far the best value and most popular now is the Philips- ToUcam PRO II 840K Webcam w/ 1.25" Adapter. You can pick it up for about $160.00, a lot cheaper
and just as good or better than the DSI offered by Meade.


2. What software (hopefully freeware) are people using?


GIMP - Windows installers

K3's Astronomy Home Page

WcCtrl - Description

AstroStack 3

Astrophotography: Software

RegiStax V3

http://www.astrosurf.org/buil/us/iris/iris.htm

http://www.virtualdub.org/


3. Hints /Tips

http://www.qcuiag.co.uk/ - QuickCam and Unconventional Imaging Astronomy Group

http://www.pmdo.com/wsc3.htm

http://www.firmament.tk/

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/molyned/index.htm

http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/astronom.htm

http://stargazer.isys.ca/Moon/quickcam.html – Specs on quickcam


4. How-To's

http://www.pigott99.freeserve.co.uk/camera/ - quickcam mods

http://uranos.club.fr/disassemble_quickcam.htm – disassemble webcam

http://jeffkirk.net/astronomy/iSightAstroProject.html – Webcam for Macs

http://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/quickcam.html – lots of Links


5. Vendors and supplier

http://www.optcorp.com/

http://www.atik-instruments.com/

http://www.scopetronix.com/

http://webcaddy.com.au/astro/adapter.htm


6. Web sites showing pictures taken with webcams.

http://my.athenet.net/~vandkc/quickcam.htm

http://members.tripod.com/~ghonis/quickcam.html

http://www.usno.navy.mil/pao/QuickCamAstro.shtml

http://www.astro.studioc.info/gallery.htm

http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/canterbury/222/astro2.htm

http://www.esper.com/jcampb/Astronomy/Astronomy_2/astronomy_2.html

http://www.weasner.com/etx/astrophotography/webcam.html




Lunar Eclipse Photos:

Below are pictures of the lunar eclipse taken 28 Aug 2007 at approximately 1030  pm local time.


   Aug28188.jpg (3303 bytes)    Aug28185.jpg (3256 bytes)Aug28$15.JPG (3700 bytes)



Optical Equipment.

Primary Telescope

Celestron - C6-N - 6" f/5 Newtonian on CG-4 Mount

CE-94221  Celestron - Polar Finder for CG-4

CE-93522  Dual-Axis DC Motor Drive for CG-4 Mount

56901  Orion - LaserMate Deluxe Collimator

9827 or 15164  Astroview 6 Soft carry case,11"x48"x14"
   

Secondary Telescope


TE- wxc-3370 Televue 85 TE

TE-avx-1010  Televue plate TE
   

Filters

moon, nebular, and a couple of others
   

EYE PIECES
   

CE93230  Celestron 8-24 zoom

TE-ENZ-0306  Tele Vue - 3-6mm Nagler Zoom 1.25" Eyepiece

TE-EN6-13.0   13mm Nagler Type 6 1.25" Eyepiece

TE-EPL-32.0    32mm Plossl 1.25" Eyepiece

TE-EPO-24.0   24mm Panoptic 1.25" Eyepiece

Televue 40mm Plossl 1.25" Eyepiece

PMT-2513 / 5126  Televue 5. powermate - 1.25"
   

AstroPhotography HW

Philips ToUcam PRO II 840K Webcam w/ 1.25" Adapter
   
Laptop - Averatec 6220, Athlon 64 3000+ processor, 1 gig Ram, 80gig HD
   
Software Development:
Presently I have a laptop and P4 workstation connected via wireless network. I use the following Software:

MS Visual Basic 6 Pro

MS Visual C++ Std

Redhat linux with GNU C

Palm Software development – NSBASIC

 

Copyright © 2003-2009 J. Lauben. All rights reserved.