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Web camming Jupiter


catman161

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Hi guys,

Quick question when using sharp cap and an SPC900 to webcam Jupiter what should the disc look like on the screen? Should I be able to discern surface detail when it is in focus or is it meant to be a disc of white light with the moons visible either side as small pricks of light?

Am attempting to capture some frames but not sure what the disc is supposed to look like when focused properly!

Thanks in advance :)

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Guest Kheldar

If you can see the moons I suspect you have the gain WAY too high - if I recall correctly from long ago you should just about make out banding in the live view


 


Focus on a nearby star, not Jupiter itself


Set the gain to 0 and increase slowly


Edited by Kheldar
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As Stephen says Felix, wind the gain down and exposure down until you can see the banding then tweak the focus and fine tune the settings until you get the best detail in the moments of stable conditions. The moons will no doubt be underexposed or even dissapear but as your trying to get planetary detail that doesnt really matter.


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Thanks Phil :)


 


I got a few avis once I worked out what I was doing wrong! I have uploaded the first effort (not great) in the imaging section. WIll process the rest another night. Thank for your help guys :)


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To focus I usually over expose and use high gain to see the moons. I then try to get the moon as a pin point of light, then reduce gain and exposure to show banding on disk. The alternative I try is to use a bahtinov mask on a nearby star.

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I find Sharpcap is better for Jupiter than Wxastrocapture. I also use a 2x Barlow lens most of the time, sometimes a 3x Barlow if I'm in a patient mood. Without a Barlow lens, a variable polarising filter works. I capture the moons separately and combine the images later if I get around to it.


 


I sometimes image the moons using a Startravel 80, a sit has a wider field of view.


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  • 3 weeks later...

When I open SharpCam, how do I get it so that the "video capture filter" controls stay all the time on the right hand side of the screen, I can onyl get them to appear transiently to alter the setting then when I click OK it vanishes again.


 


Thanks


 


James

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Felix


 


Thanks.


 


I've also found this you tube which gives a bit more detail:


 


>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAZYQdoXrAg&feature=player_embedded


 


James

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