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After looking over my telescope and digital camera eyepiece I had purchased, I thought... huh, that chip in there looks just like the one in my digital camera, and I think that's the same one used in web cams....
After doing some searching on the web, I discovered this is called a Charged Coupled Device. I think they ran out of ideas for a name....but anyways, yes, this is the same chip. My search also yielded some web cam hacks others have done. However, they either unsoldered the chip and made their own housing...too complex....or simply taped a tube onto a web cam. Just using the web cam without removing the lens does not produce close up images, or very good results.
Why would I want to make my own when I had purchased one? Well, to see if I could, and because my laptop does not have enough horsepower to run the software that came with my telescope. It's amazing software, with some really great features, but only being able to look out the window of my house with the telescope isn't very fun. I want to be portable! My laptop does run my webcam, so why not try it.
So, first step... destroy the web cam.
Once I located the screw hidden deep down in a hole, and removed the screw, the web cam fell apart! That was easy!
Unscrew the lens. It is glued in place, so be gentle when trying to unsrew it. You might try breaking the glue off first.
Knock out all the pieces from the nut. I did this by setting it on my desk, then set the tip of my round file on the lens, and tapped it with a small hammer. The lens and pieces popped out quite easy, as they are just glued in.
Then, I needed a coupler. I had some parts from an old relay laying on my desk, and saw the bell that fits around the coil. It was just a bit smaller in diameter then my eyepiece for my telescope, but the correct length. I tried many, many other objects such as 35mm film canisters, pill bottles, PVC fittings, etc, and this was the only thing close to working. I saw one hack on-line that used a 35mm film canister, but his telescope must use completely different diameter eyepieces, as it was way too large.
Next, I drilled out the coupler with a 15/32 drill bit, and drilled out the lens nut with a 17/64 bit. The lens nut fits perfectly in a 15/32 hole, and the CCD measured diagonally is 1/4 inch. (But my 1/4 inch bit was broken, and by looking at the purchased camera, bigger doesn't hurt a thing)
Put a few rounds of electricians tape around the bell (coupler) to shim it up. Then drop the nut through the bell like this.
And screw the nut and bell back onto the camera.
Drop camera into the telescope where an eyepiece would normally go. Plug camera into your laptop, rotate camera so image is upright, and begin filming! With my web cam software, I can take pictures, as well as video. (I figure most webcam software does that) Also, if you want to protect your camera a bit, you might be able to alter the case it came in, or go to a hobby store and get one of those project boxes to mount it in. And remember, the CCD chip is now exposed to the elements. This means dirt! Keep it in a bag when not in use!!
And after looking over my regular digital camera, I think one could adapt those over quite easily too. I'm just not sure how they would handle the light, as I really had to turn down the brightness on my web cam. But, I guess one could use a lunar filter, or make a filter.....
So what does an image with my homebrew camera look like?
Not bad. The software that came with my telescope does a better job of filtering, thus getting better pictures. I might have been able to get in focus a bit better had it not been 8 degrees F outside when I was doing this. I was beginning to shiver, and couldn't get the focus correct. By the way, the touchpad on my laptop stopped working after ten minutes of being in 8 degrees.
I also ran across software on the internet for this purpose, but I have not tried it.
And below is a photo with the purchased equipment.
Definately a difference! But like I said, I think it's all in the software.
Guess next I'll have to try a pair of binoculars.....maybe a spotting scope....OH! and a night vision scope! ....
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