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[peetyg]

I am trying to decide which is the best tele vie powermate for planetary imaging 2.5x, 4x, or 5x. I currently own C9.25 hd edge cpc. I am currently modifying a Microsoft life cam. My star diagonal is 2 inch. Should I get the 2 inch with 1.25 adaptor or go with 1.25.

Thanks

Peety

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Peety,

Always go with the 2" if possible and the Powermates are a great hunk of glass.

Are you planning to butt up the cam next to the eyepiece?

If so, the 2.5x will be so difficult to center and focus with.

I would go with the 5x, but again, depending how you are going to set-up the imaging.

[peetyg]

do you have a recommendation the best way to image and keep the image centered.

[tomlee]

Hello Peety,

I don't own nor have used any of the two but like you also want to get one of them for planetary astrophotography so I like to join this discussion. Hope this would help too. Here is what I think.

I am contemplating a 5x over the 4x mostly because I can't afford the 4x but if you are modifying webcam for prime focus I think definitely go for 5x. Not just for the lower cost of the 5x but for reason that the optical quality of the lenses are supposed to be same and for planetary astrophotography 5x seems not very much.

However, for viewing plesasure with an eyepiece then of course even only at 4x is too much magnification, I heard. But when it is not too much, may be the 4x would be more desirable for its bigger view.

Tom

[peetyg]

some where I heard that the ideal for planatery imaging is around f25-f30. Not sure this correct. If so wouldn't it make sense to use 2.5x (current scope is f10x 2.5=f25). Not sure this correct.

[-=CROMAN=-]

Let me know what results you have with your lifecam. What software are you planning on using? I had major problems using my modified lifecam on Jupiter. I could not control the overexposure with any software i tried. The moon came out good though, so did the sun. Although i have at least 6 dead pixels on my lifecam shortly after modding it. be careful

[erikruud]

Rich, I think I saw somewhere that you need to disable the Auto Gain Control in the actual driver.

[tomlee]

If that is the case all you will need is a 2 inch refractor with a focal length of 1250mm.

It's focal length you want a lot of. Minimally 2000. Then 3000 and 4000 are welcome, experts say. I've used a 4000mm scope with a 2x and landed on my DSLR a Jupiter image the size of 8mm in diameter on its live view LCD. I will let you figure out how big that can mean to a print or computer screen. I have not seen much color. I like to try a 3x to 5x on that.

All in all, I have seen pictures of Jupiter, regardless of its size in the sensor, which were second only to Damien Peach's (well I am exaggerating but not much, the quality is up there). These were taken with a modest 8" newtonian and a 5x by an older DSLR.

************* below is extra*************

Software, the stacking ones are key to all those top quality photos of our planets. I don't think one can take straight shot of these. You may come up with a single shot or single frame clipped off of a video so no stacking is needed but the enhancement functionality of these software goes right to pulling the colors and details out.

Last but not least, sometimes one has to go out a few times all in decent weather, hopefully, in order to see (let alone photographing) a nice sharp view of whatever he/she has in mind. So. even when all the right gears are at disposal one also needs the weather (still air) to happen for the shot to happen for him/her. A better place for observing certainly desirable. I am pretty convienced that I have to travel quite many miles from the Midwest and some of them upward, in order to ... if I ever ... get a shot to match those.