Night sky images?

Gina · **Posted:** Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:36 pm

mcrossley wrote:

The 1.9mm on this page comes out at 132 deg diagonal on a 1/3" format camera according to them.

I've just checked the CCTV cameras we use for security and checking the livestock. The wide angle lenses are 2.1mm focal length, used with "board cameras" - 1/4" CMOS image sensor. This gives something like 90 degrees coverage in practice. Both cameras and lenses were bought from Maplin but they don't do them any more. Pity I didn't buy more wide angle lenses when they were available really - cheaper than I've found elsewhere (but I tend not to buy more than needed).

hans · **Posted:** Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:40 pm

you can also let the (web)cam piggybak on a small telescope with goto-system.
eg the MEADE etx-70 isn't very expensive second hand.
so it would follow the earth rotation and allows longer exposures,without turning the stars into lines.
mods and info: http://www.weasner.com/etx/menu.html
done this a few years ago with a Philips pcvc840k (ToUcam proII)

LeoLion · **Posted:** Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:17 pm

You may find this Danish website of interest http://stjerneskud.info/fireball/webcam.html . The board camera used can be purchased from RF Concepts in Ireland . His initial lens was sourced from Edmund Optics but I believe he has now moved on to a Sunex unit . A web search will pull that one up. The lenses he is using are , I believe threaded M12 ( the fairly standard webcam lens thread http://www.optics-online.com/dsl_fisheye.asp . Hope this is a help

fractonimbus · **Posted:** Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:30 pm

LeoLion wrote:

You may find this Danish website of interest ...

Thanks. Very interesting indeed.

DN

Gina · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:39 am

This camera looks interesting :- http://www.dinodirect.com/1-3-SONY-B-W-CCD-0-001Lux-F1-2-600TVL-Wired-Dome-Color-Camera-KIFERMD-26A-currency-GBP.html 1/3" Sony Super HAD 0.001 lux CCD sensor. Seems to come with an F1.2 3.6mm FL lens C/CS mount - could be swapped for a fish-eye lens. They have a half price offer on ATM - just 2 days left.

They seem a bit confused about B/W or "color" - a colour camera with a B/W image sensor :lol:

fractonimbus · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:58 am

Does look interesting but its minimum exposure would need hacking. Also says it doesn't like looking at the Sun :-)

Gina · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:45 am

fractonimbus wrote:

Does look interesting but its minimum exposure would need hacking. Also says it doesn't like looking at the Sun :-)

I don't think any Sony HAD low-lux sensor would like the sun shining directly on it. An image of the sun produces a lot of heat. There is another dome camera, slightly cheaper, which quotes 0.01 lux sensitivity with the same aperture lens. This has the 1/3inch SONY Exview HAD CCD which I think was the one someone modified for long exposure. Link here :- http://www.dinodirect.com/1-3-SONY-Exview-HAD-CCD-420TVL-0-01LUX-F1-2-Digital-Video-Dome-Camera-412D.html?cur=GBP&AFFID=51. I have one of these on order (I hadn't found the Super HAD camera then).

fractonimbus · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:44 am

Gina wrote:

I have one of these on order (I hadn't found the Super HAD camera then).

Another gadget freak :-)

Someone after my own heart. I think this forum could be dangerous to my bank balance ;-)

I presume you need some sort of frame grabber to acquire the still image (presuming that's what you're after?)

DN

fractonimbus · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:52 am

I'm going to find out what sort of camera they're using at the HAT site at Siding Spring. See http://150.203.153.131/~hatuser/wth/cam_d.html The upper image is from a camera that works in colour during the day and B&W at night, but in the near full moon light (now, ~12:00 UT) it looks as bright as day. At times of dark of moon, you can see the brighter stars and the silhouettes of the small telescope enclosures very easily. Obviously has a huge dynamic range.

Really nice animation that shows this at http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/misc/hat/index.php

DN

Gina · **Posted:** Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:03 pm

fractonimbus wrote:

Another gadget freak :-)

Someone after my own heart. I think this forum could be dangerous to my bank balance ;-)

Could be

Quote:

I presume you need some sort of frame grabber to acquire the still image (presuming that's what you're after?)

Yes, you need a TV input device and software. Most will work with XawTV for Unix/Linux systems as well as having their own Windows software.

fractonimbus · **Posted:** Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:00 am

How to break the bank: buy the Rolls Royce camera they're using at Siding Spring Observatory

Axis 221 network Camera with Pentax lens

From Mount Stromlo's tech people: "It uses a SONY HAD CCD and sums up many de-Bayered frames after dark, it is fitted with a fast fixed focal length lens."

See: http://www.amazon.com/Axis-221-Night-Ne ... B00083Y57I
and
http://www.axis.com/products/cam_221/

This is a *bad* discovery. And even worse. they have lots of other cameras.

DN

Gina · **Posted:** Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:43 am

WOW! That's some beasty!!

Gina · **Posted:** Fri Feb 18, 2011 2:36 pm

Has anyone seen anything about avoiding sensor damage from the sun in "all sky" cameras? I've looked at various cameras that use the Sony HAD CCD image sensors and all warn against letting the sun shine into the lens as the sun's image will damage the sensor and lead to failure. The Sony sensors seem to be recommended for low light applications. The articles I've read refer to using CCDs for astrophotography attached to telescopes and used at night. I've always heard that special equipment is required to have the sun within the view. I was thinking of using a physical shutter if I make an "all sky" night camera system. This would require some sort of automatic control.

OTOH I would like to have a daytime "all sky" view, in colour, to show clouds, but that's another matter. I'll make do with the more usual webcams.

fractonimbus · **Posted:** Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:30 pm

The Siding Spring 'Axis' camera does not point at the sun ever, so that's consistent with the advice you read. OTOH, the All Sky camera nearby, which picks up starlight, also looks at the sun all day, without damage. I don't know what sort of sensor it uses, but it's quite old, so the chances are it's a CCD.

DN

Gordon-Loomberah · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:44 am

fractonimbus wrote:

... OTOH, the All Sky camera nearby, which picks up starlight, also looks at the sun all day, without damage. I don't know what sort of sensor it uses, but it's quite old, so the chances are it's a CCD.

I should be able to find that out, and also I think at least one of Rob McN's meteor cameras has the sun in its FOV during the day, although it isnt imaging then... I think they are Mintrons, but will check.

EDIT- update.
details of the camera at the APT:

It's pretty crude, but very reliable, and has now been running for a
decade or so non-stop with practically no maintenance. In essence
it's GSTAR-EX analog low-light b/w TV camera with Pentax wide angle
auto-iris lens. Details of GSTAR-EX current camera versions may be
found at...

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/guides/gstar/index.htm

...including a very satisfactory looking fish-eye lens.

The video signal I plugged into an no-brainer Axis video server.
Current versions may be found at...

http://www.axis.com/products/video/vide ... /index.htm

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Night sky images?

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