USB Eyepiece for Microscopes: Quality Viewing from Any Position

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the use of a USB eyepiece for microscopes and telescopes, particularly focusing on its potential for quality viewing and astrophotography. Participants explore the practicality and effectiveness of the device in various observational contexts, including planetary imaging and capturing faint celestial objects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses interest in using the USB eyepiece to avoid discomfort during long viewing sessions with a reflector telescope.
  • Another participant notes that while the eyepiece may not match the naked eye in real-time viewing, it can reveal details through longer exposures, making it useful for astrophotography.
  • A suggestion is made that the eyepiece could perform well for bright objects like the moon, but its effectiveness on planets and other celestial bodies remains uncertain.
  • Concerns are raised about the quality of the eyepiece, with some participants questioning whether it is merely a low-quality product.
  • Participants discuss the potential for the eyepiece to serve as an entry point into astrophotography, emphasizing the importance of stacking images for better results.
  • One participant shares a positive experience with a similar device for microscopy, indicating that trade-offs exist but overall satisfaction was achieved.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the overall quality and effectiveness of the USB eyepiece. While some express optimism about its potential, others remain skeptical about its capabilities compared to traditional viewing methods.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the lack of specific details regarding the equipment used in promotional images, which may affect perceptions of the eyepiece's performance. There is also an acknowledgment of the trade-offs involved in using lower-cost equipment.

DaveC426913
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I stumbled across this.
http://www.innovatoys.com/tech-gadgets/usb-eyepiece-for-microscopes/5937

I've got a 6" reflector on an equatorial mount. At some angles, an hour of viewing could put me in a chiropractor's office.

It would be cool to observe the sky from a sitting position that didn't put a crick in my neck.
Do you guys think this would produce a quality image that could be comparable to one's eye to the eyepiece?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Also marketed as the Orion Starshoot astrocam: http://www.telescope.com/Astrophoto...Imaging-Camera-IV/pc/-1/c/4/sc/58/p/52175.uts

It isn't equivalent to the naked eye, but can be better or worse, depending on your point of view. In realtime, it is worse than the naked eye, but with exposures of a few seconds will reveal faint objects you can't see with the naked eye. Or with many short exposures and post-processing, it will reveal details you can't see with the naked eye. That's the entry-point into astrophotography -- see my website for details.
 
Hi Dave

for that price, it would be worth having a play and see what can be achieved
For bright objects like the moon, it should be great, not so good on the planets, and definitely interesting to see how it
works on star clusters, comets and nebula etc.
Put a solar filter over the front of your scope and do some sunspot images as well

At Russ suggested, you can do what he and I do with even the more advanced cameras and take many
short exposure images that you then stack on each other in free software like DSS ( Deep Sky Stacker)
This produces a total combined exposure time of all the individual exposures :)

get one and have a play, you don't have much to loose ;)

cheers
Dave
 
Ohhh ... looking at that link Russ gave to the Orion site
there's a bunch of lunar, solar and planet pix there ... looking good

D
 
My primary interest is in planets. Moon doesn't really interest me, and stars are still just points, even in a scope.

I'd prefer realtime, but I imagine having a computer handy would start me into astrophotog.

I'd like to be able to image Mars features, Jupiter's bands and GRS, and subtleties in Saturn's rings.

So, in your opinion(s), it's not just a cheap piece of plastic with cheap electronics?
 
DaveC426913 said:
So, in your opinion(s), it's not just a cheap piece of plastic with cheap electronics?

well if the selected images in that link on the Orion site are to be believed, then it has good ( not great) possibilities
( the thing is they didn't say what sort of scope the camera was used on for each of those images)
It is right at the bottom end as far as price goes ... so in the ol' words, "ya gets what you pays for"

its going to most likely give you a reasonable start into astrophotography and that will help you decide if you want
to make a bigger investment for a greater return at a later date

cheers
Dave
 
I wish I could be more helpful with details but to add to the already high quality from russ watters, a new member here, a teacher/professor in Astronomy iirc, posts in the astronomy section and has shown some truly remarkable high quality images he has taken with fairly modest equipment. Also this site should be interesting http://www.astro-photo.nl/

I haven't yet bought such an eyepiece for telescopy but I do have a cheap one for microscopy and while it has tradeoffs, overall it was an excellent purchase that I'm very happy I made the decision.
 

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