[matt]

Doug.

From memory...I tend to capture at 10fps (less compression), leave the shutter at 1/25 or 1/33 sec and adjust the gain to correctly expose the histogram.

I don't think you want to be fiddling with the white balance?

Set the colour balance to auto.

Try to have the brightness slider in the middle as well. Leave that alone.

Just adjust the exp and gain to correctly expose the image based on the histogram.

To your other questions: an IR blocking filter is good, especially for Mars...and I think helps a little with focus since it sharpens the image a little on the screen.

I only focus by eye. No hartmann mask or any other aid. Although I do use a MoonLite electric focuser.

Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by edwardsdj

Thanks heaps Matt and Peter.

It's so unfortunate the SPC900NC settings are just on sliders without numeric values but the settings I used were:

Frame rate: 30 FPS
Shutter: 0% (longest)
Gain: 50%
Whitebalance: Manual until it looked OK
Brightness: 100%
All other settings on 50% (middle of the slider)

I saw the meter in K3CCDTools. It is on by default. I'll keep in mind the values you suggested.

What sort of shutter, gain, brightness settings are good?

I know the images are a bit feint but I found I could see more detail with the gain at about 50%.

I have used Registax for some full-disk images of the Moon with my D80 DSLR. It works well but I just did a quick stack in K3CCDTools to see what the results would be like. I didn't think the data was good enough quality for Registax but I will give it a go this afternoon. I have done no further processing but I'll have a go with the Registax wavelets this afternoon.

If I could motorise the focus a lot of my problems would go away. I just don't think the focus control is fine enough (even visually on planets) with the standard SCT focus mechanism though. The mirror shift is a significant problem with the small SPC900NC CCD as well.

I'm thinking that if I get a microfocuser first then tacking on a motor will seem much more practical. I'm keen to attempt to build something myself to motorise the focus.

What I'd love to know is:

1. Does an IR blocking filter make a big difference with focus for planets; and
2. Do you guys use Hartmann masks, software or another method to achieve focus?

Thanks heaps for the advice.

Have fun,
Doug