Orion STARSHOOT 52174 User's Manual
Contents
1. eyepiece with the camera Make sure the securing thumbscrew on the focuser drawtube is tightened after the camera is inserted 4 You will now need to refocus the camera for the centered object Focusing will be the hardest thing to learn in the initial stages If the daytime image brightness is still too bright to produce an acceptable image on your computer screen you may need to stop down the aperture of your tele scope 5 Look at the Live Video Window on the screen and adjust the focus knob accordingly to determine best image focus Note The camera s field of view is fairly small It is approximately equivalent to the field of view through the telescope when looking through a typical i e not wide field 5mm Ultrascopic eyepiece 6 Image orientation can be changed by rotating the camera within the focuser drawtube Simply loosen the thumbscrew on the drawtube and rotate the camera until the desired image orientation is achieved Retighten the thumbscrew on the focuser drawtube when done You may need to slightly refocus using the telescope s focus knob if the focuser drawtube has moved a bit inward or outward when the camera was rotated 7 If you have attached a VCR DVR or Camcorder you can now record a video of the live view You have now taken your first images with the SSVE This simple method of imaging is exactly how the camera is used to capture terrestrial subjects during daylight hours Close up images of birds and2. check the catalog or OrionTelescopes com for more information Figure 4 Use software to assemble individual frames to create a higher resolution image Image taken using Orion Apex 90mm Mak Cass telescope and Orion 0 5x Focal reducer 10 Individual images assembled In Adobe Photoshop Things to Do Moon Learn your way around our closest celestial neighbor e Image the craters mountains and valleys VENY Sa 4 NAY A e Image the different phases from New moon to Full Moon Figure 5 Image taken using Orion Apex 90mm Mak Cass telescope 100 e Image the detail at the terminator frames Processed using RegiStax e Create a moon mosaic Figure 4 Planets e Take a movie of the position of the great red spot of Jupiter during the Gas Giant s lt 10 hour day e Image Jupiter s moons and their shadows as they transit across the Gas Giant e Follow in Galileo s footsteps by Imaging the different phases of Venus Solar e Using a full aperture Solar Filter to image sunspots Figure 5 Terrestrial e Image animals from a far distance so as not to disturb feeding and nesting spots Recommended Reading Books available through Orion check the catalog or OrionTelescopes com for more information Specifications Sensor OMM Vision Color CMOS sensor Sensor size 1 3 Number of pixels NTSC 510 x 496 pixel layout PAL 628 x 586 pixel layout 0 3 megapixel resolution Pixel size 9 2um x 7 2um Video frame
3. of in the seeing conditions on a given night If the image appears somewhat dim and fuzzy on the computer screen you may want to consider removing the Barlow lens Focal Reducers and Barlow lenses available through Orion check the catalog or OrionTelescopes com Filters For some types of planetary imaging you may want to use color filters to bring out subtle details Any standard Orion 1 25 filter will thread into the front of the SSVE s barrel Try using different color filters on a planet to see which filters help best show planetary details Neutral density Moon filters and variable polarizer filters are useful to reduce the glare from the moon They can also be used to reduce the glare from Venus Solar Filters Warning Always use a full aperture solar filter when viewing the sun With a properly fitting full aperture solar filter attached to your telescope you can use the SSVE to take images of the Sun and the sunspots on its surface Filters available through Orion check the catalog or OrionTelescopes com for more information Flip Mirror As easy as flipping a switch the Imaging Flip Mirror enables the astropho tographer to find center and focus a target visually with a 1 25 telescope eyepiece then photograph it with a CCD camera All without swapping out any equipment It s a real timer saver making the normally tedious task of focusing with the CCD camera alone easier and quicker available through Orion
4. other wildlife or faraway vistas can all be obtained in this way with the SSVE Solar images can also be taken during the day with an optional full aperture solar filter over the front of the telescope Take some time to use the camera dur ing the day to become familiar and com fortable with its basic operation Astronomical Figure 2 The moon s surface detail Imaging GO the best along the terminator Now that you re familiar with basic cam era operation it s time to take the SSVE out at night under the stars to capture some astronomical images We recom mend starting with the Moon as it is easy to acquire into the camera s field of view and typically does not require stacking of multiple exposures as plan Figure 3 left Jupiter live image etary images do right 500 frames Aligned stacked and enhanced using Registax Imaging the Moon Image Processing Software Image Imaging the Moon is much like imaging taken with Orion 180mm Mak Cass terrestrial objects during the day Since telescope the exposure is very short it is not criti cal that the telescope be precisely polar aligned When the moon is past half full it is hard to get detail due to the tremendous glare off of the lunar surface Most detail even on a sliver of a moon will be at the terminator that tiny thin line between the shadow and light see Figure 2 To get more of the moon in the image a focal reducer will need to be used For c
5. rate NTSC 30 frames second PAL 25 frames second A D conversion 8 bit IR filter Yes Connection Standard Composite RCA Video Out Barrel 1 25 threaded for filters This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 this device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation Changes of modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compli ance could void the useris authority to operate the equipment Note This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to pro vide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equip
6. use an optional 1 25 Barlow lens to extend the telescope s focal plane to the camera s imaging plane For most types of astro imaging with the SSVE using a telescope with a focal length of at least 1000mm is recommended Otherwise the image scale may be too small To increase the effective focal length of your system use a Barlow lens or other type of tele extender lens Mount While using an equatorial EQ mount is recommended to achieve the best results one is not absolutely required for general imaging with the SSVE Since the maximum exposure time is only a fraction of a second astronomical objects will not drift significantly through a telescope attached to an altazimuth mount or Dobsonian base during single image captures Use a sturdy mount that is appropriately sized for the telescope tube being used Figure 1 To use the SSVE a telescope mount and viewing recording device that accepts RCA composite input such as TV Camcorder DVR and VCR For obtaining the best planetary images however we do recommend an equa torial mount Planetary imaging requires combining many individual images and having an equatorial mount will prevent the planet from drifting out of the field of view of the camera during the time it takes to acquire the large number of images necessary A motor drive single axis is recommended too so you can track the target object as you transmit live images to your laptop or PC Video can be recorded v
7. 343 2010 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars
8. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion StarShoot Video Eyepiece 52174 52176 Vides Eyepie on ORION TELESCOPES amp BINOCULARS Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 OrionTelescopes com Customer Support 800 676 1343 E mail support telescope com Corporate Offices 831 763 7000 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 2010 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars IN 403 Rev B 11 10 Welcome to a new world of adventure Your new StarShoot Solar System Video Eyepiece SSVE is capable of display ing detailed full color video of astronomical objects in our solar system The planets Moon and Sun with optional solar filter can all be imaged to create spectacular views on your TV Screen The SSVE can even be used during the day to take images of terrestrial subjects You ll find that this inexpensive yet capable and easy to use camera will enhance all of your journeys with your telescope Please read this instruction manual before attempting to use the camera Parts List e StarShoot Video Eyepiece SSVE e 9V power adapter System Requirements refer to Figure 1 Telescope The SSVE can be used with virtually any telescope that is compatible with 1 25 format eyepieces The camera simply is inserted into a focuser in the same way as a Standard eyepiece Figure 1 If you use a star diagonal you should remove it If your telescope does not have enough inward focus travel you will need to
9. ia standard VCR s DVR s or Camcorder s equipped with a composite RCA input Movie files can then be downloaded to a PC for image processing Regi a Image Processing Software http www astronomie be registax http www avistack de Website links are provided above to download popular free Image processing software to be used with your image files to enhance your astro Images Image Processing Software such as RegiStax or AviStack can Align and Stack combine hundreds of individual images into a single resultant image and per form some additional image processing to bring out subtle details or to make the image appear more pleasing overall Both software applications are a recommended addition to any astro imagers arsenal of image processing software Getting Started During Daylight We recommend using the SSVE for the first time during the day This way you can become familiar with the camera and its functions without having to stumble around in the dark Set up your telescope and mount so the optical tube is pointing at an object at least a couple of hundred feet away Insert an eyepiece and focus as you normally would To obtain first images with the SSVE follow these step by step instructions 1 Plug the 9v Power adapter into the SSVE 2 Plug the RCA composite output from the SSVE into your viewing device TV DVR VCR Camcorder 3 To connect the camera to the telescope simply replace the telescope s 1 25
10. lose ups of craters use a Barlow lens see Using Focal Reducers and Barlow Lenses Imaging Planets The best planetary images will be obtained by stacking combining many indi vidual images in order to improve image contrast brightness and detail A great way to obtain images for stacking is to take several seconds of video of the planet then break the video into individual frames for stacking Since the SSVE has a frame rate of 30 frames per second NTSC or 25 frames per second PAL you can literally obtain hundreds of images for stacking in seconds You save time by taking one video instead of dozens of individual pictures Since you will be taking multiple images over a period of time it is important you have a decent polar alignment in order to keep the planet within the field of view of the camera To this end having a motor drive at least single axis will also be helpful Otherwise you will periodically need to rotate the R A slow motion knob to keep the planet within the camera s field Tips Focusing One of the hardest things to do in planetary imaging is achieving good focus You can make this process easier by simply watching the Live Video on your display device to focus Depending upon the viewing conditions you may notice that the image goes in and out of focus this is due to viewing conditions This is to be expected and one of the reasons why post processing software can bring out the best in your cap
11. ment and receiver Connect the equipment into an output on a circuit different from that to which the receiver in connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help A shielded cable must be used when connecting a peripheral to the serial ports One Year Limited Warranty This Orion StarShoot Video Eyepiece is warranted against defects in materials or workman ship for a period of one year from the date of purchase This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only During this warranty period Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars will repair or replace at Orion s option any warranted instrument that proves to be defective provided it is returned postage paid to Orion Warranty Repair 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 If the product is not registered proof of purchase such as a copy of the original invoice is required This warranty does not apply if in Orion s judgment the instrument has been abused mis handled or modified nor does it apply to normal wear and tear This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state For further warranty service information contact Customer Service Department Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 800 676 1343 on ORION TELESCOPES amp BINOCULARS OrionTelescopes com 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 Customer Support Help Line 800 676 1
12. ocations Using Focal Reducers and Barlow Lenses Focal reducers serve to decrease the focal length of your telescope This increases the field of view seen by the camera decreases camera magnifica tion This can be useful for obtaining images of wider objects such as the full Moon or a landscape vista Barlow lenses or other tele extenders increase the focal length of your tele scope which makes the camera field of view narrower increases camera mag nification This is useful for high power planetary images Keep in mind that when the focal length is doubled the image will become four times dimmer so a longer exposure may be necessary For best planetary imaging you should shoot with an effective focal ratio telescope focal length telescope aperture of f 20 or greater This will give you a good combination of image brightness and image scale for planets For most telescopes a Barlow lens will be required to obtain this focal ratio For example Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes usually have a focal ratio of f 10 A 2x Barlow lens doubles the effective focal length of the telescope which makes the focal ratio f 20 Similarly a 3x Barlow lens will yield of focal ratio of f 30 You can also try using multiple Barlows to obtain even greater effec tive focal ratios There is a limit to how large a focal ratio your telescope and seeing conditions can handle however Experimentation will be needed to see what your telescope is capable
13. tured images Focus as best as possible with the average frame being at best focus to ensure more in focus frames than out of focus Image processing software can then be used to select the best frames to combine for best results Refocus often throughout your imaging session This ensures at least some of your images will have an excellent focus It is also not uncommon for tele scope movements to alter the focus slightly so be sure to refocus for any new astro imaging targets Choosing a Site for Astro imaging Once you have a focused image you may find your image shifting and washed out This can be caused by many environmental factors Poor seeing move ment of molecules in the air such as heat rising and poor transparency mois ture smoke or other sky contaminants will all serve to reduce image quality That is why most major astronomical telescopes are on high mountains in thin air to get above much of the seeing and transparency problems Also wind will move your telescope and affect images Your eyes viewing through an eyepiece can change slightly to compensate for disturbances like these but the camera cannot Keep these factors in mind when choosing an observing site for astronomical imaging For the best astro images we recommend finding a location with dry air some altitude and away from city or streetlights Even a nearby hilltop in the coun tryside can provide better viewing conditions than many convenient backyard l
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