chuck12345
member
Reged: 03/24/08
Posts: 48
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Hello everyone! I am thinking about imaging planets and am wondering as to which camera I should get to start off. Any help is appricated.
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Chuck
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Chris_H
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 2851
Loc: Norway
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Well its getting harder to find since its been discontinued, but the Philips SPC900NC is the best one out there. You will have to get a eyepiece adapter for it as well. If you just want something to work right out of the box, the Celestron Neximage is just a step below the Philips cam and comes with everything you need 
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Chris
"Big Papa Smurf" (254mm f/4.7 Sky-Watcher Newt)
Custom Orion Optics 150mm f/8 reflektor "Planet Killer" (On its way!!!)
SPC900
Canon Powershot A610 (CHDK modded)
Canon 10D (modded)
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L
My Website
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rcd47
sage
Reged: 03/15/08
Posts: 220
Loc: East Texas, USA
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If you want the Philips, there are a few on Ebay right now. You can get the adapter there too. I have one and love it.
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Randy
Edmund Astroscan
Meade ETX125PE
Skywatcher 102mm F5 & Alt/Az Mount
Orion ST80/Mini EQ1
Tasco Starguide 114/Celestron Hand Paddle
Pentax 10x50 Binoculars
Philips SPC 900NC
Stellacam EX
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chuck12345
member
Reged: 03/24/08
Posts: 48
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I looked at that and had the same idea, just wanted to know what others thought about it. OPT sells it with the adapter for about $130. What would you suggest for imaging processing software?
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Chuck
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Chris_H
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 2851
Loc: Norway
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For planetary imaging there is only one - Registax! For capturing, take your pick. There are a bunch of them, most popular being K3CCDTools and QCFocus
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Chris
"Big Papa Smurf" (254mm f/4.7 Sky-Watcher Newt)
Custom Orion Optics 150mm f/8 reflektor "Planet Killer" (On its way!!!)
SPC900
Canon Powershot A610 (CHDK modded)
Canon 10D (modded)
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L
My Website
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rcd47
sage
Reged: 03/15/08
Posts: 220
Loc: East Texas, USA
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I use Astrocapture + WCCTRL for capturing and Registax for processing. All are freeware. The Philips goes for around $40 on Ebay + about $20 or so for the adapter. It's hard to have much more fun for $60. 
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Randy
Edmund Astroscan
Meade ETX125PE
Skywatcher 102mm F5 & Alt/Az Mount
Orion ST80/Mini EQ1
Tasco Starguide 114/Celestron Hand Paddle
Pentax 10x50 Binoculars
Philips SPC 900NC
Stellacam EX
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denodan
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/06/04
Posts: 595
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Nothing wrong with the Meade LPI has all the proper software that works well.
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chuck12345
member
Reged: 03/24/08
Posts: 48
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Anyone want to post pictures they took with their setup to better inform myself and others who might look at this post when picking a camera?
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Chuck
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NyxAither
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/11/07
Posts: 774
Loc: Arlington VA
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My setup is a dobsonian mounted xt8i and the Phillips SPC900. Spent $39 on the camera and $18 on the adapter about 3 months ago. Taken from my driveway looking straight over Interstate 66 =P. Captured with Macam on my Apple laptop, transfered to my PC and processed about 300 frames with Registax4.
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Thomas
Orion XT8i
Orion 80-T Refractor
CG5 GoTo Mount w/ COL
Meade DSI II Color
Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)
Orion 4.5" Imaging Reflector
Laptop: Trusty Mac osX Powerbook G4
Early 1960's Gilbert 3" astronomical telescope
10x50 binoculars
SPC900NC
..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::..
Edited by NyxAither (08/13/08 08:38 AM)
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NyxAither
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/11/07
Posts: 774
Loc: Arlington VA
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Here's another with the GRS in it.
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Thomas
Orion XT8i
Orion 80-T Refractor
CG5 GoTo Mount w/ COL
Meade DSI II Color
Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)
Orion 4.5" Imaging Reflector
Laptop: Trusty Mac osX Powerbook G4
Early 1960's Gilbert 3" astronomical telescope
10x50 binoculars
SPC900NC
..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::..
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Chris_H
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 2851
Loc: Norway
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All the images on my site have been taken with a SPC900 and a 127mm MAK. Don't let my bad pictures scare you though 
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Chris
"Big Papa Smurf" (254mm f/4.7 Sky-Watcher Newt)
Custom Orion Optics 150mm f/8 reflektor "Planet Killer" (On its way!!!)
SPC900
Canon Powershot A610 (CHDK modded)
Canon 10D (modded)
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L
My Website
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NyxAither
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/11/07
Posts: 774
Loc: Arlington VA
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Those are some beautiful Mars and Saturn pictures Chris, I can't wait to see the pictures you turn out with your 10".
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Thomas
Orion XT8i
Orion 80-T Refractor
CG5 GoTo Mount w/ COL
Meade DSI II Color
Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)
Orion 4.5" Imaging Reflector
Laptop: Trusty Mac osX Powerbook G4
Early 1960's Gilbert 3" astronomical telescope
10x50 binoculars
SPC900NC
..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::..
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yg1968
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/26/04
Posts: 1714
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Another option is the Celestron Neximage which is esssentially a Philipps Toucam. The SPC 900 NC is a somewhat improved Toucam (but they have the same CCD chip).
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chuck12345
member
Reged: 03/24/08
Posts: 48
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Chris, those are some great photos you have you the planets. They are much better than anything I have ever done (holding a camera to the eyepiece). All I could get of a planet is a white blob. By the way, since Neximage is basically the same as the SPC900NC, and the Philips is cheaper, to me the Philips seems the better buy.
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Chuck
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Chris_H
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 2851
Loc: Norway
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Good choice just don't forget the adapter
Thanks guys! Im not really that good at planet imaging but Im very happy with what I got considering the total cost involved! And I can't wait to have a go with the 10-inch! Too bad I have to wait for 2010 to see Jupiter though 
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Chris
"Big Papa Smurf" (254mm f/4.7 Sky-Watcher Newt)
Custom Orion Optics 150mm f/8 reflektor "Planet Killer" (On its way!!!)
SPC900
Canon Powershot A610 (CHDK modded)
Canon 10D (modded)
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L
My Website
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denodan
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/06/04
Posts: 595
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Well I took this with my LPI. A lot of people tend to either rubbish the LPI or discard it, but the great thing about the LPI is it's ready to use out of the box.
Great software, and ready to use.
The photo is also all done with the LPI software and auto stacking. Only touched up slighly with Registax
So have included a photo here I have taken with my LPI and it's better, I feel than some using the recommended Philps or Celestron Nextstar.
it comes down to how good your seeing is, and experence as well as focus and collimation of your telescope also has a big play.
No matter what camera you have, can do great things and think my efforts prove the LPI can take wonderful photos even as good or better than those recommendations, yet the LPI hardly gets a mention at all or concidered it's not much good.
Edited by denodan (08/18/08 02:50 AM)
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Taqyon
sage
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 241
Loc: Cape Town, South Africa
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Quote:
By the way, since Neximage is basically the same as the SPC900NC, and the Philips is cheaper, to me the Philips seems the better buy.
Hold the phone - could somebody help me as well please. I have a NexImage and it's maximum res is 640x480. I've looked up the specs for the Philips - apparently it's 1280x960 ? Or are those only for stills?
Since everyone is posting, this is the NexImage on 8" with newbie skills:
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