From: Alan Friedman <alan@greatarrow.com>

Date: April 21, 2005 4:10:38 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Re: saturn with five moons

Tim -

I think Milton is the best resource on getting a handle on the different cameras. He has tried them all.

My quick .02:

There are differences between them, but the differences are less dramatic than the difference between 6/10 seeing and 8/10 seeing in terms of what can be recorded on a low contrast target. The key is to optimize your planetary observing for good seeing. Getting out as often as possible, and If you don't live in Florida (8^) imaging right after sunset and right before sunrise can help to maximize the moments of steady air. 

If I had to list the ingredients for success in order of importance:

1. seeing conditions and frequency of observing sessions

    (1a. Astro IIDC, of course! (8^)

2. experience in image processing

3. excellent optics and good collimation

4. imaging equipment

5. tracking platform, telescope mechanics

my own very jaded opinions, of course!

Alan

On Apr 21, 2005, at 5:47 PM, Tim wrote:

Thanks!

Although I'm new to firewire imaging, I've been imaging planets with USB webcams for

about 4 years now, and 2 years before that with the Starlight Xpress HX5.  So, I'm torn 

between wanting to save money while I "try firewire imaging out" versus getting something 

fundamentally better than what I have.  

Of course, using Astro IIDC alone might be the fundamental improvement I'm after.  But 

noise is an obvious problem that would be very desirable to minimize from the get-go, so 

if the difference between a "serious" firewire camera and a firewire webcam is significant, I 

might just want to spend the extra money once.  ...I also like the idea of longer exposures. 

But I'd probably want a color camera, as I'd have a tough time with the manual filter wheel 

I built, since I'm not "co-located" with my scope.

-Tim.