CELESTIAL PORTRAITS

A Collection of Astro Imagery

A Collection Of Astro Imagery

An Insight Into Web-Cam Astrophotography

Webcam Equipment

Webcam Astrophotography

[WEBCAM] Webcam imaging is an extremely rewarding aspect of astrophotography in terms of successful image throughput rate and a low starting cost. This is especially more so for the discerning visual beginner who would like to engage into solar system imaging without the need to spend too much. With the help of a web-camera (that can be purchased cheaply locally or through the internet) and a entry-level telescope setup, one can get started in lunar, solar and planetary imaging by using an accompanying laptop.

[WEBCAM REQUIREMENTS] Equipment requirements for a webcam imaging setup:
1) Telescope
2) Mount or tripod
3) Web-camera (most popular would be the Toucam Pro series from Phillips)
4) Web-camera adapter (to telescope "eyepiece" end, normally known as the Mogg adapter)
5) Laptop (for image capture)

Lunar Features (WEBCAM-based)

	Gassendi Crater Instrument: Showa 25RC Cassegrain Location: Singapore (Courtesy of NUS High School) Comments:
	Lunar Crater Instrument: Showa 25RC Cassegrain Location: Singapore (Courtesy of NUS High School) Comments:

[LUNAR FEATURES WEBCAM-BASED] The above is a collection of webcam-based lunar topographical features taken from Singapore. Web-cameras are excellent in taking close-up lunar features fairly easily by registering an AVI sequence and using processing software like Registax to stack them, eventually increasing the SN ratio and smoothing the image further, thus making it more pleasing to the eye.

Lunar Mosaics (WEBCAM-based)

	Lunar Mosaic 180206 Instrument: Pentax 75SDHF Refractor Location: Singapore Comments:
	Partial Lunar Mosaic Instrument: Pentax 75SDHF Refractor Location: Singapore Comments: Trial image.
	Lunar Mosaic 061205 Instrument: Pentax 75SDHF Refractor Location: Singapore Comments:
	Lunar Mosaic 061205 Instrument: Pentax 75SDHF Refractor Location: Singapore Comments: Same image as above, but processed differently provide a greater tonal range.
	Lunar Mosaic 051205 Instrument: Pentax 75SDHF Refractor Location: Singapore Comments:
	Lunar Mosaic 171205 Instrument: Celestron 5-inch Vintage SCT Location: Singapore Comments: Collaboration with Ng Tengjie

[LUNAR MOSAICS WEBCAM-BASED] The above is a collection of webcam-based lunar mosaics taken from Singapore. Each mosaic is a composite of several sub-frames, pieced together to form a single mosaic image.

Planets (WEBCAM-based)

	Saturn 110306 Instrument: Takahashi FSQ106 Refractor Location: Penang, Malaysia Comments: Collaboration image with Jin and William Chin.
	Venus 061205 Instrument: Pentax 75SDHF Refractor Location: Singapore Comments:
	Mars 131105 Instrument: Showa 35DK Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain Location: Singapore (Courtesy of NUS High School) Comments: Average seeing.
	Mars 251105 Instrument: Showa 25RC Classical Cassegrain Location: Singapore (Courtesy of Nanyang Polytechnic ) Comments: Mediocre seeing!

[PLANETS WEBCAM-BASED] The above is a collection of webcam-based planet images mainly taken using the popular Toucam Pro II web camera.