CN FORUMS ARCHIVE Telescope Reviews: Use of Video Astro Cameras by CN Members??

Just a little observing note from two sessions for readers who might not have used video astro tools...

1. In January at my house we had an observing period a little bit before full moon with a C-5i (a very little SCT) that was mounted with a Stella CAM EX (older generation camera). The night was clear but overwhelmed with moonlight. I brought a friend over who had not used the video astro method of observing. During a two hour period we viewed details of M42, M43 and then ran over to M79 just above the horizon. After these items we went lunar hopping and adjusted the camera accordingly to highlight the border definitions of the "seas". Then we went to the last edges of craters being lighted before full moon became official. We could have had a audience of 10 people and what we did would not have been any different....except to answer dozens of questions about what was being seen. All viewing was done with a 14 in Toshiba high res B&W monitor and all viewing was, of course, live. For a normal classic viewing night using EPs, it would have been a complete washout.

2. A week earlier we took the MallinCAM Hyper Color, set it up on a Meade 10in Go-To, used the high res color monitor at the scope sight but "beamed" the signal from the monitor into McKormick observatory where a club meeting was being held on video astro tools. At the end of the presentation, we simply shut down the powerpoint and the projector picture of M42 filled a 3 foot by 4 foot screen. I ran out and changed a setting on the camera to increase some sensitivity and then ran back in to explain the change. We had never done the wireless transmission before, but it worked out pretty well. I did not have the settings correct on the projecter and the size of the image was too big, but it will worked pretty well. After the meeting was shut down about 10 people went to the monitor sight at the Meade 10 inch as we studied various parts of M42/M43 in color. The moon was full, but the image was relatively undisturbed. (The observatory is also in the center of Charlottesville VA skyglow.) We played with the settings and watched the object before going to the full moon and spending 30 minutes there.

While we watched M42, a thin layer of clouds obliterated the object but we could still see the sword. The image of the object, because of the way the camera worked, never blinked. Contrast and noise had increased slightly, but it would not have stopped a public viewing session at all.

For those who use these tools, these summary reports are not a surprise. For the uninitiated, however, I really recommend trying these tools. As I said during the presentation, it has doubled the opportunities for my wife and I to observe....purely due to being able to observe with marginal sky conditions. Further, we can link DSO and lunar viewing and not miss a beat, which is very helpful during significant parts of the lunar calendar when many observers just plain quit observing. Last, when the crowds thin and we are alone, we can sit together and slowly meander over a few objects of choice to marvel and how He made them. It just does not get much better.

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Roland
Blog: www.rolandlinda3.wordpress.com
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