Any tips are welcome......

So...I've had a 4.5" telescope since I was in 6th grade about 30 some years ago. I took a few pics of the moon and basically it has been sitting ever since because I didn't understand how to line it up and track. Well, thanks to modern digital photography and Youtube teaching me how to line it up, I've got the bug to dig it out. So doing some research and learning that I could use a webcam...I invested in a cheap laptop and a webcam and some adapters to set it up.

Dry run on the moon....



But the real test planned was to get Jupiter. So lastnight the weather finally cooperated... Set everything up over by the community lake. Played hell for a good hour and a half. The difference in focal setting between the eyepiece and camera were giving me hell trying to get the camera lined up. Not to mention the webcam program was crashing. But when I was just about to give up...suddenly i saw the smudge pop up on the laptop screen. Focused it as best I could and started the camera.  Processed and stacked the footage and this is about the best result which is a far cry from what I could see through the eyepiece.



Biggest problem I have is the magnificaiton of the webcam...It's probably around 115x. The best views I had with eyepieces was 50x to 100x... I don't know how to reduce the magnification of the webcam..  Any help?

I know nothing about telescope imaging. I managed this with a DSLR and a long lens, though.





Drop in over here. Lots of info to be found:

http://www.astronomyforum.net/planets/

I saw your picture. You look like you could do better than I did.

Download Registax...photo stacking software. I think it works best using video..avi, mpeg, etc...so if you camera will record video try it. That's what I used with my picture. If your camera only does still, I think it will still work.

I just got on amazon and bought a focal reducer which should be here saturday. If weather allows I should be able to try again with some better results.

I look forward to updates!

Got a .5x focal reducer but had rain lastnight, so no update. I'll have a new 1.5x barlow to go with it by the next time I go out too. Hopefully some time this coming week.

Is it a reflector telescope?  If so, you'll want to collimate the mirrors.  



I have yet to try a digital eyepiece, but as far as just viewing with your eye, getting a set of good eyepieces makes a big difference.  I have a 4.5 inch reflector that came with cheap eyepieces.  Collimation of the mirrors made a difference, and then getting a couple sirius plossl eyepieces ($20-30 each) made even more difference.  



I have a point and shoot camera that is converted for IR that I need to try out through it on Jupiter.



 

this is the best I've ever gotten of Jupiter. I haven't put much time into it

I have about $5k in astrophotogrophy gear and I rarely use it.   Getting free time on a clear night in one of the cloudiest parts of the country doesn't help

I looked up some videos on collimation. Not working so good in reality.  Did pull the scope apart and cleaned all the glass.  The secondary mirror won't stay in place when I turn the screws. Going to need to get some help.

On the job training with this stuff...Latest Jupiter..



Not sure why I can't get the moons in the picture. I did figure out that getting the mounted as close to the scope as possible reduced magnification. Now I've eliminated the webcam adapter and mounted it direction to the focal mount. But I haven't tried it yet on anything except the moon.