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bwh · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 95 Location: Dalgety Bay

Meade DSI Pro2: Professional

Philips Toucam: consumer web cam ~£30 ebay + ~£10 eyepiece adapter

Copied from earlier post by Bhenderson50:
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the DSI Pro 2 and the Toucam are quite different in capabilities. The Toucam is ideal for taking lots of images of bright objects, such as planets and the moon, but is not really sensitive enough in its native state to work for deep sky objects. Some people have modified their Toucams for longer exosure times, but I'm not sure how successful they are at imaging DSO's.
The DSI Pro 2 is much more sensitive, and as such is optimised for deep sky objects. It can also be used for brighter objects, but frankly is nowhere near as good as the Toucam for planets. Best to use each in its optimised mode I think.

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sage advice

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bwh

Meade 8inch (228mm) LX5 Smidt-Cassegrain fl=2000
Skywatcher 120mm Refractor fl=1000m
Toucam Pro II 840k

bwh · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 95 Location: Dalgety Bay

Unmodified toucam does look a good starter for planets and bright object work.

Had no luck with deep space objects - as no enough light for a 1/10 second exposure.

Have heard that modification for 30-60 second exposures possible, but will try to source other toucam (and they rare) - but internet full of ways to modify the basic setup, with colling fans, pletiers etc etc

Do think

good quality scope + web cam/ccd camera the way for amateurs to see the skies
_________________
bwh

Meade 8inch (228mm) LX5 Smidt-Cassegrain fl=2000
Skywatcher 120mm Refractor fl=1000m
Toucam Pro II 840k