Deep Sky Imaging by Stacking Video

[2020BC (Bill Christie)]

This is a stack of 700 x 2.54 second integrated (x128) frames from a B&W security video camera. Total exposure time 29.5 minutes.

Subject: M8 Core and Hourglass Nebula;
Scope: LXD-75 SN-8 prime-focus (Focal length = 812mm);
Camera: Mintron 13V1C x128, AGC Max, Gamma 0.45, Astronomik CLS filter;
Exposure: 29.5 minutes (700 x 128 frames);
Date: 05Aug06;
Process: Astrovideo (Aligned and stacked). Photoshop curves and unsharp mask.
Moon affected (80% waxing).

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Wow, amazing what can be done with short exposures. That's a real eyeopener Bill.

How have you found Astrovideo to operate? I'm having nothing but frustration with it (using a SAC 4.2). I can't actually get it to take a video. (Trying to vid Jupiter). Any suggestions?

[Dennis]

Hi Bill

That is a mighty fine result for a camera that is non-mainstream for DSO work. It always inspires me to see how enterprising amateurs push the boundaries of their equipment and explore outside the traditional boundaries.

Cheers

Dennis

[CoombellKid]

Wow! I'm impressed! I could get away with that sort of setup on my EQ5

great shot thanks for sharing

regards,CS sunny days

Rob

[2020BC (Bill Christie)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

How have you found Astrovideo to operate? I'm having nothing but frustration with it (using a SAC 4.2). I can't actually get it to take a video. (Trying to vid Jupiter). Any suggestions?

I find Astrovideo an indispensable piece of kit for this type of experimental DSO work and also planetary imaging. I've never used a SAC camera, however I've been able to get Astrovideo to recognise both of my Mintrons, a firewire camcorder and also a USB webcam. With my cameras it's as easy as choosing the camera from the Driver menu. Don't know how I can help with your setup.

Maybe this is relevant from the online Help:
"If you have a SAC8 camera (or a 1004 JG USB) your choice depends on whether you are performing long exposure imaging (eg deep sky) or short exposure imaging (eg lunar and planetary imaging). For short exposure imaging you should select the camera from the VfW or WDM list of drivers. If you want to perform extended exposures, you should select the camera on the Twain dialog. Note that you will not, by default, see a preview image if you select a Twain driver. You need to click on the Preview option (eye symbol on the toolbar) to open a Twain preview window and the window"

Hope this helps.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Thanks Bill, I'll have a look into that.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

beautiful paul. great shot.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Thanks for the appearance accolaids Eric, but you really should congratulate Bill for his great shot

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Bill I checked out the options for SAC4.2 drivers and there is only one. Unfortunately its not the Vfw or WDM options.

[sheeny (Al)]

Wow! I'm impressed! Well done!

Al.

[mick pinner]

hi Bill, does your camera have both USB and AV download capacity?
also does it have an inline on screen control box?

[2020BC (Bill Christie)]

Originally Posted by mick pinner

hi Bill, does your camera have both USB and AV download capacity?
also does it have an inline on screen control box?

Hi, Mick.

The Mintron video camera has two outputs, that deliver video simultaneously. One is a standard BNC video connection and the other is a standard S-Video connection. I usually feed the BNC connection to a 19" TV I have next to the scope and the S-Video goes either to my firewire mini-DV camcorder or to a USB converter.

If I record the video on mini-DV tape I play it back later into my desktop computer via a firewire connection. If I feed the BNC video into the USB converter then that connects to a laptop I have next to the computer. I've just acquired this laptop and so I'm experimenting with how to setup autoguiding. The USB 2.0 converter cost me $90 from Dick Smith and is very good quality.

The camera controls are very flexible and quite clever. On the back of the camera there are four very small "arrow-buttons" organised around a central "OK" button. When you press the OK button with the tip of your finger a menu appears on-screen (on the video output - eg. TV or computer) Using the arrows and OK button you can surf through this on-screen menu and set every possible camera option. This control menu is called OSD (on screen display). OSD is apparently quite common with security cameras. It negates the need for any external control box or back-of-the-camera display. OSD doesn't however, let me control the camera remotely from a computer, yet I've never found this to be any sort of inconvenience. On the contrary I think it much nicer that all the controls are accessible via the camera back and the OSD. I'd be quite frustrated/lost without it.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Bill

[mick pinner]

my Sac Mintron version has in inline control box so you do not have to touch the camera itself, same configuration as the one on the back of your camera.

[Harpspitfire]

thats a super image, i always had an interest in these cameras but never got one yet, i messed around your image a little bit- do you post stuff like that here?