Webcams And Astrophotography



About Webcams And Astrophotography

There's no doubt that webcams have greatly improved the way in which images are taken of the night sky significantly. Webcams are capable of taking truly wonderful images of planetary as well as lunar subject matter with minimum modification, although there are now a number of models of webcams that have been specifically adapted to astro imaging as they work in low light conditions.

A large number of amateur astronomers like to take images of the moon by using a webcam. By using a special adapter in place of the telescopes's eyepiece you can receive a video stream of the object. This method can effectively take many hundreds of images within a short space of time.

When you have utilized the software that comes with the webcam for taking your images you can then go on to utilize freeware to process the final results. This method is a superb introduction into the whole world of Webcams And Astrophotography.

For those of you who already have a web cam, you'll need some basic software which can be downloaded from the internet free of charge, and an adaptor which will enable you to connect your webcam to your telescope.

The webcam is without question a great device for planetary astrophotography as well. It works by taking a number of frames in a row. The one thing necessary will be software to add your images together, then select which ones are the best and then stack them together to create a quality planetary image

There are many ready to go, webcam imagers to choose from, from leading companies such as Celestron, Meade and Orion. There are of course higher priced imagers for long exposure, deep-sky imaging.

Even though webcams were not originally designed for astrophotography they have increased in popularity in recent years and it's obvious to see why, they are comparatively cheap, and widely accessible, results are instantaneous and no film is required.

It really is a quick and simple intoduction into astrophotography, although after you have seen what can be achieved you may wish to move on to far more complex sky imagers for even better results....

An Introduction To Webcam Photography

Here is an intesting book that will guide you into the fascinating topic of Webcams And Astrophotography, and allow you to become a participant in this latest wave of astrophotography.

The Author Robert Reeves has almost 50 years experience in the world of astrophotography starting with his parent's Voightlander 120-format camera.

In the last few years webcam and astrophotography has exploded onto the astronomy scene. It has rapidly evolved from short exposure six-bit black-and-white imagery into long-exposure full-color 16-bit per channel imagery of such qualitythat it rivals conventional means of astrophotography.

Indeed, webcams have become the method of choice for planetary imaging. The message of this book is that you too can participate in this revolution without spending very much money. You do not need to invest $10,000 in a CCD camera, telescope and software.

A basic webcam costs about the same as a "so-so"eyepiece. Software to control the camera and process the images that will get you going is free.

If you have the telescope (practically any telescope that will track) and a computer you are ready. Since you see your results instantly the learning curve is much shorter.

Regardless of how you apply a webcam to astrophotography, you will derive a number of benefits.

Working with them has been accurately described as interesting, challenging, and fulfilling. Webcams are capable of producing beautiful astrophotos that create a lasting record of your astronomical experience.




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