Do you know why you get the horizontal lines on your images?
Hi Mike
I think they are a result of using the Baader 3.8 photographic film as it forces the exposure up around the 1/250 to 1/1000 sec setting depending on the ‘scope/Barlow/solar film configuration used. I pulled the x2.5 Powermate out and tried prime focus and had the ToUcam above 1/5000 sec to cut down the incident light, and the lines were quite dramatic then.
If I fit the Baader 5.0 visual film, the exposure drops to 1/50 but the frames are also more blurred due to the lack of freezing. The exposure steps in the ToUcam are a bit limiting, with huge jumps between steps.
I'm gradually coming to an end of my ToUcam journey, but not too sure when to jump and what into. I'm torn between the DMK and waiting to see what Paolo's offering will be in December.
Amazing shot, Dennis, with so much detail in those filaments. Can I ask about the Baader filter? I wasn't aware that it came in different grades.
Hi Graeme
Thanks for the nice words. The Baader solar film comes in an ND5.0 grade for visual and an ND3.8 grade for photographic only.
The ND3.8 photo is not for visual. When I once had a quick look to centre the Sun it was very, very uncomfortable so I now use a Televue Sol Finder to help centre the Sun in the field of view.
Here is the best single frame from the avi. I think it looks better and has more detail than the Registax processed version above? I have tried MAPs and SAPs, but this single frame seems to beat them all.
Do you know why you get the horizontal lines on your images?
Someone on CN suggested that the horizontal lines are parasitic lines? I presume these are the result of some unwanted electrical behaviour or characteristics in the ToUcam circuitry, due to the extremely fast shutter speeds being used at the time. Or, maybe using the Baader 3.8 ND filter places too much thermal stress on the ccd chip?
Have you tried interlacing to deal with the lines Dennis. I know with the SAC at higher rates if I forget to interlace when processing in Registax I get lines.
Have you tried interlacing to deal with the lines Dennis. I know with the SAC at higher rates if I forget to interlace when processing in Registax I get lines.
Thanks Paul - I'll see where that is implemented in the ToUcam or K3CCDTools, but it really is time I moved up to the next level, so I'll be getting a "more serious" webcam with Xmas coming up soon!
Thanks Paul. I'm considering the new, yet to be released ccd from an Italian guy, Paolo Lazzarotti, who is one of the world's top lunar and planetary imagers. The product launch is scheduled for December 2006. Here are some details from his forum:
"The new series will be USB 2.0 based and it will be including 6 models
beginning from the 640x480 format size up to 1392x1040 going through
the 1024x768 format. BW and RGB versions will be also available.
Fast framerates (up to 60 fps) together with very sensitive Sony CCD
sensors SuperHAD and ExView based will freeze the turbulence.
The A/D converter will be 16 bits, that means no more need of stacking
hundreds or thousands of frames, a few dozens will be enough.
In fact, the seeing rarely allows the user to enjoy with several good raw frames.
The Long Exposure Mode will also allow the usage of deep and
narrowband filters as well as the DSOs capture.
The price will be very attractive and competetive, we invite you to check
here for updates since December 2006 when some first prototype will be
introduced to the market."
Hi Dennis, great images, very detailed and stunning. It's quite awesome to think you could drop the earth into that sunspot and it would just disappear.
I have not explored this avenue of imaging as yet but after seeing the recent round of transit images and the latest sunspots I am really being drawn in to having a go myself, after some research of course.
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