[Sammas]

I'm saving up for an astrophotography rig, but can't wait so I've been doing some imaging with my 8" GSO Dob. The challenge: what's the best images I can get with a hand-guided dob and easy/cheap DIY imaging?

So, here's Saturn.

I used a $30 Microsoft Lifecam HD, ripped apart with very dusty CCD stuck on an old 0.965" to 1.25" plastic adapter.

I basically captured HD video of Saturn moving across the view (on an Apple Macbook Pro with quicktime 7, using some software called "webcam settings" to control exposure on the cam), and aligned, stacked and enhanced the resulting video frames in Registax.

I'm really amazed by the results - much better than I thought I could get with a dob and a cheap webcam.

Tried jupiter, too, but it's not at a great position in the sky ATM.