Stargazing QuickCam Astrophotography: Tips for Stunning Night Sky Photos

  • Thread starter Thread starter russ_watters
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    astrophotography
AI Thread Summary
Using a 60mm refractor and a QuickCam, the user has begun exploring astrophotography, sharing initial results processed with RegiStax. They plan to target the sun, Saturn, and the Orion Nebula next, highlighting the affordability and effectiveness of the QuickCam for beginners. The user expressed some disappointment with raw images but noted significant improvement through processing. They are excited about new hardware, including a 114mm Newtonian reflector with go-to capability, which they recently ordered. The discussion emphasizes the accessibility of astrophotography and the enthusiasm for capturing celestial images.
russ_watters
Mentor
Insights Author
Messages
23,690
Reaction score
11,130
Inspired by http://www.usno.navy.mil/pao/QuickCamAstro.shtml , I've started using my 60mm refractor and a quickcam for astrophotography. Attached is one of my first pics (downsampled from 640x480 - I'll have to put up a website). I used a 15 second video clip combined into one photo and processed with RegiStax.

I have some new hardware coming for my scope, and my next targets will be the sun, Saturn, and the Orion Nebula.
 

Attachments

  • moon1.jpg
    moon1.jpg
    12.5 KB · Views: 565
Last edited by a moderator:
Astronomy news on Phys.org
For anyone wishing to try their hand at astrophotography on the cheap, quickcam is the bomb. Here is a very nice source for nuts and bolts information.
http://www.ghgcorp.com/cshaw/quickcam.htm
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Next up...Saturn! I was a little disappointed with the raw images, but the processing helped a lot.
 

Attachments

  • saturn.jpg
    saturn.jpg
    4 KB · Views: 642
Russ, did you see the Saturn image on ghgcorp? It was fantastic for a mere 8" Celestron. They have a link to a great digitizing program I think you would like.
 
Chronos said:
Russ, did you see the Saturn image on ghgcorp? It was fantastic for a mere 8" Celestron. They have a link to a great digitizing program I think you would like.
No, I don't see it. I'm going to need to spend some time surfing that site and the links - it looks great.

Anyway - it only took 46 hours from when I took those first pictures of Saturn that I realized I just had to have a new telescope. It really is a disease... So I ordered one of THESE: A 114mm Newtonian reflector with full go-to capability for $380. Not bad at all. I may need to pull an all-nighter this weekend to see Jupiter...
 

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
View full post »

Similar threads

Stargazing Saturn using ETX-105 and a QuickCam 4000
Replies
4
Views
1K
Stargazing What Can You Capture in the Night Sky with Jupiter, Saturn, and Comet Photos?
Replies
2
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top