Lunar and Planetary Webcam User's Guide (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: webcam era, color webcam, planetary imager, Damian Peach, Great Red Spot, Orion Optics (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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!

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (May 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846281970
• ISBN-13: 978-1846281976
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #718,088 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Romp Through the Solar System!, July 3, 2007

By	Dale N. Nosko (Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was lucky enough to find out about imaging with a webcam when hardly anyone outside QCUIAG(Quickcam and Unconventional Imaging Astronomy Group)had given it a second thought. There were individuals in that group that were, even then, turning out images of the Solar System that rivaled professional observatories with these inexpensive devices that were never intended to be turned skyward. But because of the forward-thinking of some of their members and people's unceasing drive to tinker
(and discover!), major monthly publications like Sky and Telescope and Astronomy quickly understood the power these little cams wielded and began to pay considerable attention to the images that were beginning to fill their reader gallery pages.
As with any technology, the quality of the cameras, their chips, and ultimately the software that was being written to drive them, resulted in amateur images that were making everyone take notice and want to get in on this versatile and simple method of capturing exciting images of our nearest neighbours. Until I discovered this gem on Amazon, I was pretty much limited to whatever knowledge I could acquire about imaging with a webcam to what was posted on the net.
This book in the "Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series" has changed all that. It is a wonderfully concise and richly illustrated guidebook for both beginner and advanced amateur alike. It introduces in the most basic way how anyone with a modest telescope and simple webcam can turn out world-class images. Now to put this new knowledge to work in improving my own imaging techniques!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not much of a guide for beginning webcam users, April 11, 2008

By	DavidS (Mint Hill, NC USA) - See all my reviews

As a very novice astronomer, and knowing absolutely nothing about webcams, I purchased this book based on the reviews and the title. While the planetary and lunar photos were nice, the first portions of the book was basically worthless, unless you wanted an introduction to individuals world wide who have been at this for a long time and have great equipment. Damian Peach takes terrific photos, but that sure doesn't help a beginner know how to use the equipment. The installation of the camera is probably a no-brainer. But getting the initial images loaded is really glossed over. The chapter entitled "Beginner's Guide to using a Webcam" has a superficial procedure to get the camera installed and focused. The final step, #13, says "Call up the webcam's Capture menu and choose a time and frame rate and a filename, e.g., 120 seconds, 10 frames per second, Jupiter1. Hit return!" That's it, nothing more. Then he jumps into using Registax to stack images. Well guess what, my new webcam, a Philips SPC900NC, has software which doesn't have these options, let alone saving the files in an .avi file. So where do I turn now? How do I convert any saved video into an .avi file for use by Registax? If you are counting on this book to help you are out of luck. And assuming you could figure out how to import .avi files into Registax, the explanations of Registax for image processing and stacking is also very lightly touched upon. This is NOT a beginner's guide book to answer your every question. It will give you a brief exposure to webcams, their usage, and photos possible.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommend, October 4, 2007

By	Ronnie A. Zincone "astropho" (Richmond, RI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great book to get you started on Webcam astrophotography. Great for beginners and advanced webcam imagers. Highly recommend.