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Post by markt on Apr 27, 2008 20:02:35 GMT
Hey guys and gals  Was wondering if any of you have any advice or experience you can share with me on this one... From the skylights in my loft I have a nice view of the northern horizon - also reaching out of the loft window the tv aerial is close enough to be able to fix an all weather cam (read NLC-cam) to it. What I would like to do is record an image every minute or so from it in the hours of darkness this summer. The aim obviouslly being to have a complete record of the sky this NLC season. Ideally i'd like to have the pics I get as a live feed on a website for all to see, but i'd also like to review/edit them on the next day - hopefully revealing extensive NLC activity  I did a google before on 'how to do this' but didn't really get anywhere... Do any of you folk know how to do this? Ideally i'd like it (other than buying the camera) to be free, but if push comes to shove to achieve the best result I don't mind spending a bit each month for decent web space. For instance would it be possible to host a live cam feed on the forum here? Work means I have to go to bed earlier than I would like in the week, and past seasons experience normally means as i'm tucked up in bed NLCs are gracing our skies... I see this project as being pretty useful in achieving my goal of seeing as many NLCs as possible but could do with some pointers - anybody able to offer any advice?  |
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Post by heaven31 on Apr 27, 2008 23:12:30 GMT
I can't offer any help Mark but this sounds like a really interesting project, and how great it would be not to miss any displays I can't stay up too late this year myself either, I've changed jobs since last summer so would love to view your cam if you pull it off. Good luck! Jo x |
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Post by tmcewan on Apr 29, 2008 9:44:59 GMT
Hi,
I think you'll find a few options for this, all depending on the hardware/software combination you intend to use. Canon compact digital cameras (PowerShot range) appear to be popular for NLC patrol photography. As far as I know, most models come with software (I'd check first before buying though!) which can be used to automate exposures over a given time interval, via PC-Camera USB cable. Alternatively, 3rd party software is obtainable for some models (try http://www.breezesys.com). I'm sure other manufacturers will have suitable hardware/software combinations on offer too, but, I've only had experience with Canon. Anyone else have recommendations on this?
Tom
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Post by markt on May 1, 2008 9:41:21 GMT
Cheers for the advice Tom. Rather than using a 'normal' camera my plan was to permanently mount a weatherproof camera on the side of the chimney / aerial. Turning to my usual source of all things when i'm in tinkering mode - Maplins, I was thinking along the lines of this type of setup >>> www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=weatherproof%20camera&source=15&SD=YCan't have anything too large - don't really want it to be obvious I have a camera mounted on the side of my chimney, trouble is most of the 'maplins' type cameras have the infra red LED floodlights which, I suspect, would illuminate some of the nearby rooftops potentially 'flooding' my image resulting in the sky being under exposed (?). I guess I may have to search for a more expensive solution, it's got to have a decent wide angle piece of glass in the end... I'll keep you updated on progress, but, as usual, all advice / opinions are greatly appreciated |
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Post by leolion on May 1, 2008 12:53:50 GMT
Hi markt , If you look back to this January on this forum Rainmaker made a posting from Germany where he has a system in set up . His website is www.nachtleuchtende-wolken.de/nlc-webcam.html and his camera was from Lechner (they have a UK Lechner source) . It would appear to be colour/ b/w video security camera . He has had some issues with the camera but looks to have made some progress ( so my use of Babelfish tells me !!) You can source Day/Night cameras similar to ths from RF Concepts UK such as the WDR / True Day Night SK-B407 unit made by Sunkwan Electonics . RF Concepts give you several camera options to play with . I have a couple of B/W 2005XA cameras with 3.8 mm lens that are very sensitive and might fit the bill if you went for the 'no colour' option. I would attempt to contact Rainmaker via his website link and ask for his help/advice .Hope some of this is a help . Personally I may set up one of my meteor video cameras as an NLC camera just to see how effective it is ( but no plans yet for streaming !!! ) |
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Post by markt on May 1, 2008 20:29:43 GMT
Good spot there Leo! Rainmaker is doing pretty much what I would like to do. I'm not sure i'd get away with a camera box that size in my chimney tho  I think i'll have a look for a physically smaller camera on the web, they've got to be out there... I think initally just recording to harddrive rather than streaming direct to the web may well be the way to go - i'm ok with pc's but no wizz... It's May now, so potentially the NLC season starts this month - i better get my skates on! |
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Post by trull on Jul 20, 2008 11:56:03 GMT
I've been thinking of doing the same thing, my options are: A) I've got a Panasonic IP Cam on 80.229.221.252/ (login torccam password newtonhill btw) - but its only 640x480 which is not enough, and its not great in dim light. B) I could use my Imaging Source Firewire camera - but its 640x480 and needs a FW ported PC next to it. C) I do use my Canon 350D with a cheap (30quid-ebay) Phottix intervalometer setup in the guest bedroom D) There's a possibility of using a utility called gphoto2 on one of my linux/mac boxen, I used to use a little bash script to grab photos from the Met Office's sky cams (before they stopped them boo hiss) so it could catalog the images easily enough. If there are any sky cams that might capture this stuff - I have the software to grab from them and store...subject to them not minding! That's as far as I've gotten it. Any comments? Torc |
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Post by markt on Jul 8, 2009 15:50:47 GMT
Reviving this one for a wee while as I have some developments on it... I recently bought an Imaging Source DMK31 camera, principally for imaging the sun in Hydrogen Alpha, lunar and planetary stuff. Knowing it had a C-mount on it this meant there was a possibility of mounting a lens on it. To cut a long story short I work in the 'technology department' of a local school and anything that is being chucked out has to come via our workshop to be 'inspected' (read cannibalised) before it ends up in the bin. Recently, with all the electrical storms the school was struck by lightning and one of the many consequences was the CCTV system was taken out. The 'camera guy' has been in for a week or so now replacing damaged units, sending the ruined ones our way. Back end of last week I came across a 8mm f2.8 Cmount lens - took it home but unfortunately it sits too far away from the chip to achieve infinity focus, it's FANTASTIC for macro stuff tho! Today 'camera man' brought me down a 3.5-8mm f1.4(!) lens designed for 1/3" chip (same as DMK31). I could see straight away the rear of the lens sat further back with respect to last weeks 8mm. I've just got home and plumbed said lens into the DMK and hey presto I get infinity focus! I've done some pointing around outside this aft and at the 3.5mm end it's giving me in excess of a 90 deg fov. To be honest, there is too much light in the daytime sky, but in lower light conditions it is a supreme performer. So, you can probably guess where this is going... Later on this evening i'll be out there seeing what it's like for NLC potential. Given the fact the DMK is smaller than a 3" cube, and the lens is the size of a cotton reel it now means I have the possibility to mount to my loft window frame with a ball and socket arrangement, fed to the lappy which is sat inside. My mind is running away with itself with possibilities now! The DMK has enough exposure range I reckon I could use it to photograph meteors (thinks about Perseids!), or in february i'm back in Iceland for the aurora. Heck, if this works I can see myself getting the DFK31, the colour version  I'll keep you all posted |
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Post by markt on Jul 8, 2009 22:41:09 GMT
*Update* Now it's darkish (23.30 local time) I have to say the camera works wonderfully in its potential role! Whilst there are no (apparent from here) NLC to home in on, in a still lightish sky I can easily go down to 6th magnitude (with appropriate exposure) - NLC, ISS, bright meteors, aurora, iridium flares are all within its grasp. I suspect later in the night / year when it's darker I may well surprise myself to how much can actually be seen... I is a happy bunny |
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Post by johnm on Sept 4, 2009 20:17:54 GMT
markt,
Any further updates on your camera ?
One of the problems with a wide angle lens is that it is almost impossible to put it in a waterproof case - the only real option might be one of the hemi-spherical ones designed for security cameras but they are designed to look down and might not be weatherproof if inverted.
There are a couple of bits of software 'FitsCast' and Irfan view that are useful for posting either FITS or JPEG images to a web server - search for them on Google.
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Post by markt on Sept 20, 2009 7:49:00 GMT
Hi John, sorry, i've been a slow poke in replying to this: I did various 'star trials' over the summer but have never got the opportunity to actually try it out on NLC - though I see absolutely no reason why it wouldn't work on them. It's been a funny season for me NLC wise this year - work means i'm only ever going to be able to do evening sky coverage, I also saw quite a few displays away from home this year when i was camera-less; I must have been going down the pub more... One of my winter projects is to sort out the software / processing methodology i'm going to have to use. I couldn't just leave the DMK31 running else this would generate silly amounts of data (I know this from using it for solar). I've got to have software turning the camera on and off at regular intervals. I'm off to Iceland for a week in february on (amongst other things) an aurora hunt and I want to give to setup a run out there for some (hopefully!) high speed aurora stuff! Mark |
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