Video Astrophotography
Equipment / Software / Hardware

.
.

 
 
SOFTWARE / HARDWARE 
.
ASTRO VCR by Edmund Harfmann 

Astro VCR is a program to use Integral Technologies FlashBus video capture card.  This card is currently available from Adirondack Video Astronomy.  The program places the card in 640x480 black and white mode and allows capture as a video stream until memory has been filled or captures and examines each field for contrast as quickly as the computer can keep up. 

The program is free.  Source code is included.  Why?  Because I like writing programs.  Because I used to run a small business and the hassle of tracking that sort of non-sense (along with a market that died) left a foul taste in my mouth.  Because while it works, others out there could improve upon it.  I will endeavor to fix bugs as quickly as I can (e-mail reports to ed@mdbs.com).  Reality: my wife demands a bit of my time, don't expect overnight response most of the time. 
.
ASTROSTACK by R.J. Stekelenburg

AstroStack has some essential tools in order to load and combine a set of pictures (from an AVI video or a sequence of bitmaps) and make it into a detailed and noise free image. I wrote it to make my own work easier and improve my results and believe others could benefit from it too. AstroStack is Freeware.
. 
.
Snappy Video Frame Grabber
The Snappy frame grabber is a very inexpensive, easy to install and easy to use tool that plugs directly into the printer port of a PC.  It operates in Windows and delivers amazing results at up to 1500 x 1145.  The deluxe version comes complete with some excellent software for processing images in B&W and color.  Snappy is produced by Play and is available in virtually any computer store. 

Comments:  The Snappy has proven to be excellent for capturing images off of both video tape and live feed.  Its ease of installation, simplicity of operation and low cost make it an ideal frame grabber for both beginning and experienced astrophotographers.
. 
.
EQUIPMENT
.
Adirondack Video Astronomy
Producers of the legendary Astrovid 2000 CCD video system and the new economical Astrovid 1000 video camera, AVA has definitely been on the fore front of video astronomy.  Both Astrovid systems use state of the art high resolution CCD video chips and utilize manual controls to adjust shutter speed, gain and gamma.  AVA also offers a variety of accessories for the Astrovid systems including flip-mirrors, high quality Dichroic filters, frame grabbers and image processing software.  Their excellent web site also contains a gallery of images that alone is worth a visit.

Comments:  This camera is used widely by both amateurs and professionals through out the astronomical community.  It has a reputation for quality and reliability, and for producing images of the highest quality.  The 1/2 inch video CCD chip used in the Astrovid 2000 produces images superior to those made with a 1/3 inch chip camera such as the PC23C.  A number of list members have been using Astrovid systems for solar, lunar and planetary imaging and obtaining excellent results with small and moderate aperture telescopes.
. 
.
True Technology Ltd., CCD Imaging Flip Mirrors and Filters
Offering in-line flip mirror systems with a sliding filter drawer and a selection of dichroic "interference" filters for tri-color imaging.
. 
.
Murnaghan Instruments
Murnaghan Instruments offers an interesting range of low light, high resolution CCD video camera systems along with filter wheels, flip mirrors and video hardware.
.. 
.
PC-23C
The PC23C is a high resolution, low light monochrome video surveillance camera produced by Topica and sold by Supercircuits for under $90.  It has a 512 x 492 1/3 inch CCD chip with 7 x 9 micron pixels and 460 lines resolution.  The camera has an auto-electronic shutter, 1/30 - 1/100,000 speeds.  It is quite small, 2.3" x 2.0" x 3.7" and light weight, about 7 ounces (190g).  It runs off 12VDC (200mA) and has a built in microphone/audio output.

Comments:  The PC23C has proven to be an excellent camera for video astronomy, astrophotography and lunar occultations.  A good number of list members have been using the camera for several years producing excellent images.  The auto-shutter and auto-gain systems which cannot be adjusted manually do pose some limitations when imaging the moon or planets, and their is no means of controlling gamma as with the Astrovid 1000 & 2000.  A modification to the PC23C auto-gain system was developed by list member Paul Goelz.
.. 
.
STRATTON VIDEO BRACKETS
These video couplers were seen in Astronomy magazine (July 99 issue) and Sky & Telescope magazine, (September 99 issue) and are designed to couple a home video camcorder, 35mm camera, digital camera, or other optical device to Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes.  The bracket can also serve as a mount for guide scope or a piggy back camera.  The system is very cleverly engineered so that aligning the video camera with the telescope eyepiece is quick, easy and, most important, accurate.
.

.
. Back to Directory
 
 
 
 
 
 

.