Help needed with Webcam avi's

[netwolf]

Hi All,

Tried my hand at webcam astrophotogrpahy last night, with a borrowed Celestron Neximage. The subject was the moon. I am not sure i have done it right and need a bit of advice.

I captured 640*480 AVI files * 15fps. I let it just drift through the FOV, and then did the next section leting it drift through. So now i have about 9 AVI's aprox 1500 frames each of the Moon in Section Top to bottom. Not sure if this is the right way to do it. If not can someone advise how i should do it. Also can i do anything with my current AVI's or are the useless. The problem is that the CCD is very small and hence the Prime focal magnfication is significant, easily greater than the 6.5mm EP i have. Hence it difficult to keep any one section of the Moon in the FOV for much time, so i decided to just let it drift through.

Regards
Netwolf.

[iceman]

You're using a non-driven dob aren't you? If so, there's no way to do it, other than to let it drift through and capture a section at a time.

Start by reading this article though, Astrophotography with a Dob (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?id=63,201,0,0,1,0&hashID=5e139a30a1b84440e945e3a15aef b1fa), and you'll get some ideas of what you'll need to do, and the frustration you're in for :)

If you'd like, zip up and upload the avi's somewhere, and I'll download them and give you some advice.

[netwolf]

actually iceman it was your article that inspired me to try. But i think i need to pay more attention to some details in your article. The first try was just to get an idea of it all.

Id like to upload them but there are 9 and they average 700mb each. I think i over did it.

[netwolf]

I have an idea, i can use the avi's i have. All i have to do is pick a feature and use the frames that has that feature in it.

[davidpretorius]

i am in same boat, although have not tried anything as big as the moon. yes pick a spot in the image in registax and stack em. they zip up very small on small objects, so you can email around.

[iceman]

Zip them up netwolf, your 700meg will compress quite well. If you're on broadband it won't take too long to upload.

[netwolf]

you are right the compress to 50mb.. wow. Ok i have 10 of these. Can you suggest an a location to uplod all of them. I use yousendit.com but it only lets you do one at a time, unless i zip them all into one file. Other option using Gmail to maill them to another gmail account. Can you advise a better upload alternatvie to these.

Regards
Netwolf
PS: i have noticed a small cloud in every strip, I think this is on the CCD itself. I had a look and there seems to be a small scratch. My mate who loned it said its probably a small hair, he had the same with his toucam.