In looking for a webcam that would be sufficient for the upcoming Venus transit. I have a 10" Newtonian on a dobsonian mount. I need something that can take many pictures per second as I currently don't have an equatorial mount. I'm looking for anything from under $100 to $250 or slightly above. I obviously want something that will work well and can be modified to work with a telescope. I'm completely ignorant to this so any help or extra advice is much appreciated.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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You can get Orion's planetary camera -
http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotograph…
It'll work with a laptop so you can directly dump the video into the hard drive.
Or you can get a regular video capture system so you can put it on a monitor, record it into a camcorder or laptop -
http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotograph…
The other way is to get a regular webcam and take it apart. The lens system should able to be removed and replaced with a 1 1/4" eyepiece tube -
http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_wca1.htm
Now, I haven't messed with any of the latest webcams for that sort of thing, so they may have changed the lens system for all I know. Just did a quick search using 'webcam astronomy' and most of the links that I looked at were dated by at least a year or more.
But getting a pre-made system would be just as ecpensive.
On the higher end of the scale, are the Imaging Source cameras. High pixel count, great resolution and priced accordingly -
http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=it…
http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotograph…
It'll work with a laptop so you can directly dump the video into the hard drive.
Or you can get a regular video capture system so you can put it on a monitor, record it into a camcorder or laptop -
http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotograph…
The other way is to get a regular webcam and take it apart. The lens system should able to be removed and replaced with a 1 1/4" eyepiece tube -
http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_wca1.htm
Now, I haven't messed with any of the latest webcams for that sort of thing, so they may have changed the lens system for all I know. Just did a quick search using 'webcam astronomy' and most of the links that I looked at were dated by at least a year or more.
But getting a pre-made system would be just as ecpensive.
On the higher end of the scale, are the Imaging Source cameras. High pixel count, great resolution and priced accordingly -
http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=it…
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I like the Vista Imaging USB Vicam, about 12-13 yrs ago it was the highest quality imager available. It was sold later under the 3Com Home Connect USB webcam, model 0775. I think you can get these used for not too much on ebay.com now and then. The only problem I found with those is the IR filter glass gets clouded. It can be removed.
Later they are the Digi Watchport v3 model and newer ones, now are selling at about $190.
The chip is a high quality color one that is native 640x480, enhance to 1280x960 with software for WinXP and before, Linux and a new Win7 driver (none for Vista).
It has a 12mm x .7mm pitch screw mount glass lens that can be replaced by a ScopeStuff http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_wca1.htm
The software can be downloaded from various websites.
I would not use a polarizing solar filter. Those are glass and can crack under high heat. I would try a full aperture glass or film solar filter that is approved for telescope use on the sun. It keeps 99.99% of the IR and light out of the tube. It is very safe if securely fastened to the front.
Later they are the Digi Watchport v3 model and newer ones, now are selling at about $190.
The chip is a high quality color one that is native 640x480, enhance to 1280x960 with software for WinXP and before, Linux and a new Win7 driver (none for Vista).
It has a 12mm x .7mm pitch screw mount glass lens that can be replaced by a ScopeStuff http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_wca1.htm
The software can be downloaded from various websites.
I would not use a polarizing solar filter. Those are glass and can crack under high heat. I would try a full aperture glass or film solar filter that is approved for telescope use on the sun. It keeps 99.99% of the IR and light out of the tube. It is very safe if securely fastened to the front.