Telescope Reviews: Request for Pics of Video on Short Integration

Folks, I am doing a set of experiments in the next 2 weeks where I pick a three objects and look at the video output from a NON-TRACKING telescope--where settings are set on short integration times but a little higher gain. The results will help guide us when we take an older MallinCAM to Africa and use it on an 80-mm refractor on an alt-az tripod mount, but the same results will also answser questions that periodically come up on this forum when people ask what they can do without a tracking system when using a decent astro video camera.

If you would consider participating, I would like to see some pictures posted when the cameras are mounted on low f ratio scopes and/or scopes using focal reduction...especially those that are not the BIG ones and whose apertures are 3.5 inches to 8 inches or so -- sizes that are popular with entry/novice level observers....using camera settings at 128x (2.1 seconds), 64x (1/2 that time), and 32x (1/4 that time). I will need people to list the gain they are using as a rounded percentage of max scale, and which camera (typically STELLACAM or MALLINCAM). If I may be so bold and to introduce some common objects that are pretty easy to get in the sky and that most people can recognize or compare from, I would like to use: M27, M8, and M92 but don't mind if other things are posted. Remember to keep the posted stuff from getting too big in terms of file size.

I sketch things and do not have a capture device, so my results will be either sketches or description.

If you care to participate, I need the following if you post some files:

The object or target.
Your scope size/type.
Video camera type and "time"/integration setting:
128x, 64x, or 32x
AGC or gain: rounded percentage of max scale
Any comment.

The moon is fading from sight now so the next two weeks is a good time to do this.

Thanks for reading and participating if you choose.

Roland

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