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Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) bhpnbr member Reged: 04/11/12 Loc: DFW, Texas Re: Eyepiece selection for Nexstar 8SE [Re: bhpnbr]       #5544845 - 11/28/12 11:52 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for the replies guys...I truly appreciate the advice I see most of you would prefer imaging with a camera attached to a computer than the afocal digicam. That got me thinking about taking the prime focus route. I think I might be able to borrow a functional netbook off a friend and run a usb camera for some time ( 2 hrs I think). I'd then use my more powerful, but batteryless laptop for stacking and GIMP-ing. I realize I'm now digressing from the original topic of this thread (visual eyepieces) to digital eyepieces . May I have some suggestions for inexpensive webcams? I have been looking at several namely Neximage, Orion starshoot solar system, meade LPI, phillips toucam. Is any one of these better than the rest? About the afocal adapter, my digicam does have a long lens and I think the orion steadypix deluxe will fit better than the celestron offering. My only concern is, will attaching a adapter (0.6 lb) and camera (0.6 lb) to the baader hyperion mkiii zoom (expensive ) eyepiece cause any damage to the eyepiece? As Dan,noted I'll take care to ensure that the camera lens doesn't hit the eyepiece. In that regard, a lightweight webcam directly inserted into the visual back seems attractive. @Skip, I'm at UT Arlington and can barely see the ring nebula and the great hercules globular cluster through my 6 inch dob. My best views of these objects came from a trip me and my dob took to possum kingdom state park (blue on darksky). The milky way there is marvelous. With so many stars and very little experience I easily got lost though Many thanks and clear skies! Post Extras:       ibase Vendor Affilliate Reged: 03/20/08 Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N Re: Eyepiece selection for Nexstar 8SE [Re: bhpnbr]       #5544918 - 11/29/12 01:43 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi, Congrats, good decision on the BH Mark III zoom. Last night I used the Hyperion zoom to take an afocal shot of the lunar eclipse and the photo got published in blog/Spaceweather.com: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of Nov. 28, 2012 shot afocal w/Hyperion zoom I've also tried coupling the zoom with my Canon D1000 DSLR and it didn't do any damage to the zoom. Best, Post Extras:       Skip Starlifter Driver Reged: 01/23/08 Loc: Fort Worth, Texas, USA Re: Eyepiece selection for Nexstar 8SE [Re: bhpnbr]       #5545416 - 11/29/12 12:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi bhpnbr, Quote: @Skip, I'm at UT Arlington and can barely see the ring nebula and the great hercules globular cluster through my 6 inch dob. My best views of these objects came from a trip me and my dob took to possum kingdom state park (blue on darksky). The milky way there is marvelous. With so many stars and very little experience I easily got lost though Getting lost in dark skies is pretty common and has happened to most of us, especially the first few times venturing out into the really dark skies. I have done quite a bit of outreach at a dark site when I was with the Austin club. It always took a minute or two to get oriented and start finding stuff. It comes faster with practice though. By the way, you should consider joining the Fort Worth Astronomical Society. They have a dark site up north of Decatur that is green/blue. Not as good as pure blue or black (Hmmm... what is?). But the MW can be easily seen and there is very little (no) ambient light in the area. Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: Eyepiece selection for Nexstar 8SE [Re: ibase]       #5545430 - 11/29/12 12:06 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Looking good, Hernando ! It always amazes me though, how much different the Moon can appear depending on from which part of the world it is viewed ! I remember it at a similar angle to this when I was in Singapore and Malaysia, whereas traditionally to me, Tycho crater is always either positioned almost due North or due South, (depending on the 'scope accessories used), and similarly, the Mare Crisium either virtually due East or due West ! The South Asian full Moon's orientation however, is definitely something novel to Northern European eyes ! Best regards and many thanks for the loan of your 4SE "disassembly" photos, (above). Tel Post Extras:       ibase Vendor Affilliate Reged: 03/20/08 Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N Re: Eyepiece selection for Nexstar 8SE [Re: Tel]       #5545650 - 11/29/12 02:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Looking good, Hernando ! It always amazes me though, how much different the Moon can appear depending on from which part of the world it is viewed ! I remember it at a similar angle to this when I was in Singapore and Malaysia, whereas traditionally to me, Tycho crater is always either positioned almost due North or due South, (depending on the 'scope accessories used), and similarly, the Mare Crisium either virtually due East or due West ! The South Asian full Moon's orientation however, is definitely something novel to Northern European eyes ! Best regards and many thanks for the loan of your 4SE "disassembly" photos, (above). Tel Much thanks Tel! Must be pretty amusing how the moon perspective look like from this side of the world when considered from your end and vice versa too. Kinda reminds us that these forums on here are truly universal and everyones' "views" enrich the others' whether figuratively or literal, and am only too happy to contribute in whatever way possible, like in the case of the 4SE collimation/disassembly. Clear skies always to you and all on here sir! Best, Post Extras:       Tel Postmaster Reged: 03/31/06 Loc: Wallingford England Re: Eyepiece selection for Nexstar 8SE [Re: ibase]       #5545925 - 11/29/12 06:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi phpnbr, Reflecting only on your question relating to the merits of the various planetary imagers you have mentioned in your above post, I make the following comments according to what I believe to be true and relevant. 1) In the first instance, each one of these "cameras" depends on free and freely available variations of software in order to function. Such software is fully available and compatible on several Windows Microsoft versions, (e.g. XP, Vista and "7"), but I am not sure whether all if any are available and compatible with Mac, which appears to be used far more extensively in the US than in Europe. 2) The Philips SPC900NC and the Celestron Neximage used the same, CCD chip. The Philips unit was however always traditionally cheaper, arguably imaged better and was certainly better value for money. I use the past tense because both of these cameras are now obsolete; the Neximage having been replaced by the new, and significantly more expensive Neximage 5. The Philips unit is however potentially available, (currently out of stock), as the SPC880NC, flash upgradeable to the SPC900NC from Morgan's Computers in the UK, (but perhaps many other sources), and is supplied as an economically priced bundle which includes the necessary 'scope "nose-piece" adapter and Infra Red filter. See: http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/product_detail/11781/Philips-Pre-flashed-SPC... 3) The Orion Star Shooter Planetary camera contains a CMOS chip; arguably less sensitive than a CCD (?) 4) The Meade LPI is the least recommendable due to the fact that it has a very low frame rate. As mentioned, I believe these comments I have made to be true. I, of course, welcome confirmation or correction and any additions others might care to make. Best regards, Tel Post Extras:       Arthur Dent Galactic Hitch-Hiker Reged: 10/23/08 Loc: South Yorkshire, UK Re: Eyepiece selection for Nexstar 8SE [Re: Tel]       #5547072 - 11/30/12 12:08 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Hi phpnbr, The Philips unit is however potentially available, (currently out of stock), as the SPC880NC, flash upgradeable to the SPC900NC from Morgan's Computers in the UK, (but perhaps many other sources), and is supplied as an economically priced bundle which includes the necessary 'scope "nose-piece" adapter and Infra Red filter. See: http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/product_detail/11781/Philips-Pre-flashed-SPC... As mentioned, I believe these comments I have made to be true. I, of course, welcome confirmation or correction and any additions others might care to make. Best regards, Tel Hi folks Morgan Computers do not have any more SPC880/900 webcams and, as these are obsolete and Morgans specialise in dropped stock or end-of-line items, I can't see them coming back into stock. They've not had any for about the last 3-6 months that I know of - maybe longer. There's an SPC880 white box available in the UK through Amazon Marketplace for an astonishing £125.50 (1 left in stock): SPC880 from Gadget Utopia or from an eBay seller for £116 + £6 shipping within the UK (2 available): SPC900 from eBay UK Regards, Art (the original!) Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all)

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