Originally presented at the Local Group of Deep Sky Observers quarterly meeting 04/20/2011. Presentation on how to obtain Lunar (or Planetary) images, detailing equipment, software, process and procedures using your Telescope and an inexpensive Webcam. Enjoy!

1. How to Obtain Lunar Astrophotos Using your Telescope and a Webcam Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

2. Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier The same techniques shown in this demonstration, can also be used for Planetary Imaging

3. Yes, You Too, Can Make Pictures Like This! This is easy and inexpensive but, Mostly A Lot of Fun! Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

4. Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

5. Equipment Telescope Laptop Computer Webcam IR Filter Telescope Adapter Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

6. Telescope Just about any Telescope will do Would be nice to have tracking motors to keep your target centered but, hand tracking will do Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

7. Laptop Computer A Laptop is needed to power the Webcam and provide storage for the images the Webcam captures Any old Laptop should suffice, so long as it has ample storage and usually a USB port for the Webcam A Means of powering the laptop in the field Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

8. Webcam A Webcam capable of obtaining low light images Connectix - Quickcam Philips - ToUcam Pro 840, SPC900NC Meade - LPI Imaging Source – DMK21AF04-AS Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

9. My Webcam Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

10. Description Philips SPC900NC USB Connection Notice that the lens and lens bezel have been removed Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

11. IR Filter An IR (Infrared) cutoff filter is needed to prevent “star bloat” or image bleed in the pixels of the webcam. Especially needed for refractors because they focus infrared and visible light at different points Webcams are very sensitive to UV/IR light Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

12. UV/IR Cut Filter Baader UV/IR Cut Filter Standard 1-1/4 “ screw in filter Used to prevent star bloating and image bleed between pixels Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

13. Telescope Adapter An adapter to attach a Webcam to a Telescope Usually a thread in/on adapter that basically turns the Webcam into an eyepiece Old film canisters Moog adapters Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

14. Telescope Adapter Moog adapter Special threads to screw into Webcam Other end is threaded for Filters Outer barrel is standard 1-1/4” to fit in telescope like an eyepiece Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

15. Additional Filters; Not necessary but, can assist in bringing out details in features on the Moon, Planets Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

16. Complete Webcam Webcam + Adapter + Filter Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

17. Software K3CCDTools WcCtrl Craterlet ICcapture Registax Virtual Moon Atlas Envisage for LPI – Meade Software VirtualDub Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

18. Software K3CCDTools V1 is free Used for image capture And camera control http://www.pk3.org/Astro/index.htm?k3ccdtools.htm Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

19. Software WcCtrl Free Camera control http://www.burri-web.org/bm98/soft/wcctrl/index.htm Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

20. Software Craterlet Free Image capture Minimal camera control http://www.stark-labs.com/craterlet.html Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

21. Software IC Capture Comes with Camera Camera control for Imaging Source cameras http://www.theimagingsource.com/en_US/products/software/enduser/iccapturetis/ Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

22. Software Registax Free Image processing software http://www.astronomie.be/registax/ Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

23. Software Virtual Moon Atlas Free Electronic encyclopedia of the Moon Used to find targets on the Moon and find what you are looking for on the Moon http://www.ap-i.net/avl/en/start Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

24. Software VirtualDub Free Video manipulation software Used to convert video file formats .bmp to .avi .mpeg to .avi Etc. Some Webcams produce videos in different formats. What we need is an AVI format file. This program converts other formats to AVI http://www.virtualdub.org/ Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

25. Software Not Really but, included here as an observing list A Target List Sky & Telescopes “The Lunar 100” A listing of 100 objects on the Moon arranged in an order from the easiest to the hardest to observe. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/moon/3308811.html?page=1&c=y Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

26. How to do it! Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier We’ve gathered our Equipment and all our Software

27. The Process Hang on tight cause here we go Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

28. Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier Set up telescope Do alignment Focus on the Moon Pick a Target along or near the Terminator Insert Webcam, Start Software Refocus on target Capture images Process captured images

29. Pick Target Along or near Terminator Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

30. Actual Image through Software allows you to adjust Focus Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier Archimedes:

31. Actual Video Capture Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier Archimedes:

32. Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier Previous capture lasted for only 120 seconds Captured as an AVI file by Iccapture through a Imaging Source DMK21AF04-AS camera At a frame rate of 60fps That’s 3600 individual pictures that were taken Out of those 3600, 100-200 will be clear enough to use At this point we are done with our imaging or We can image other features on the moon or proceed on to the processing of our captured files

33. Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier Okay, we can now put the Telescope and other equipment away and move inside where it is warm and we have plenty of light

34. Image Processing We will use our software named Registax for the processing of our AVI image file Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

35. Start Registax and load your image file Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

36. Pick Your AVI File Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

37. Selected AVI to be Processed Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

38. Select Features to Align On Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

39. Stack & Optimize Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

40. Stacking & Optimizing Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

41. Stacked & Optimized before Wavelets Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

42. Image w/Wavelets Applied Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

43. Image Cropped Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

44. Final JPG Image Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

45. What to do with all your new Lunar Images! Join the Webcam Moon Imagers Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Webcam_Moon_Imagers/ Help with imaging the Moon Help with Techniques Help with Equipment, Software Monthly Challenge Targets Just More Fun Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

46. Remember! These same procedures can be used to image the Planets! Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier

47. The End Questions?????? Whistlestop Observatory - Chip Frappier