Lunar and Planetary Webcam User's Guide
(Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)
ISBN / ASIN: 1846281970
224 Pages
PDF
In the last few years, cheap webcams have revolutionized amateur astronomy by
providing a very inexpensive alternative to purpose-made astronomical CCD cameras,
which use refrigerated imaging chips and are thus extremely expensive. Webcams are
capable of more advanced work than 'normal' digital cameras because their simple
construction makes it easy to remove the webcam's lens, allowing it to be interfaced
directly to a telescope. Using a webcam is not difficult but most amateur astronomers
who have tried to do this do not achieve the finest results, despite the webcam's
potential. There are numerous imaging and image processing tricks and techniques,
and all of them are needed to get the best results.
Along with webcam technology has come simple-to-use image processing and enhancement
using a PC: the most powerful technique is, 'stacking' in which the best images
(out of hundreds) are selected and summed automatically to provide startlingly
good results.
"Lunar and Planetary Webcam User’s Guide" de-mystifies the jargon of webcams and
computer processing, and provides detailed hints and tips for imaging the Sun, Moon
and planets with a webcam. He looks at each observing target separately, describing
and explaining all specialised techniques in context.
Glance through the images in this book to see just how much you can – easily – achieve
by using a webcam with your telescope!
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