Orion 52183 StarShoot USB Eyepiece Instruction Manual
- June 5, 2024
- Orion
Table of Contents
Orion 52183 StarShoot USB Eyepiece
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Welcome to a new world of adventure. Your new StarShoot USB Eyepiece II (SSUEII) is capable of capturing detailed, full-color images 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 computer which can be saved for emailing or printing later. The SSUEII 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 or install the needed software.
Parts List
- StarShoot USB Eyepiece II (SSUEII)
- USB2 Cable
- CD-ROM
System Requirements (refer to Figure 1)
Telescope
The SSUEII 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 before installing the SSUEII. If your telescope does not have
enough inward focus travel, you will need to use an optional 1.25″ Barlow lens
to extend the telescope’s focal plane to the camera’s imaging plane (Barlow
sold separately).
For most types of astro-imaging with the SSUEII, 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 SSUEII.
Since the maxi-mum 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.
For obtaining the best planetary images, however, we do recommend an
equatorial 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.
Computer
A computer is required for normal use of the SSUEII. For astro-imaging in the
field at night, a laptop computer is highly recommended. The Orion Capture
software requires Windows XP, Vista or 7.
The following hardware is required:
Processor – Pentium III™ or equivalent, or higher
- Recommended minimum memory size is 256 MB.
- Disk Space – 100 MB minimum, 500 MB or more recommended for saving images.
- Video Display – 800 X 600, 16-bit color or higher. 1024×768 or higher is recommended.
- Mouse (external or built-in)
- Internet connection required to display online help and downloading image processing software
- USB 1.0 or High-Speed USB 2.0 port
Software and Driver Installation
Before the camera can be used, image capture software must be installed onto your computer. Turn on your computer and allow the Windows operating system to load as normal. Insert the included CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM drive, and the Launcher will appear (Figure 2). This allows you to install the Orion image capture software (Orion AmCap),.
Capture Software Installation
- Click Install Capture Software.
- The Orion AmCap Setup Wizard appears. Click Next.
- Select a destination folder and Click Next.
- Click Next again to start the installation.
- When the wizard is complete, click close. This has installed the capture software.
- When installation is complete click the Finish button.
- Plug in the camera into your computer’s USB port. A Found New Hardware notification will appear in your Windows taskbar (Figure 3). ****
- Wait a few moments and the camera will automatically install on your computer. When Device Installed Successfully notification appears you will be ready to use the camera.
- Open Orion AmCap from the icon on your desktop. The Live Video
Window should appear (Figure 4).
The software will recognize many cameras so check that Vimicro USB2.0 UVC PC Camera is selected from the device menu.
Image Processing Software
Website links are provided in the launcher to download popular free image
processing software to be used with your AVI 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
perform some additional image processing to bring out subtle details or to
make the image appear more pleasing overall (Figure 11).
Both software applications are a recommended addition to any astro-imagers
arsenal of image processing software.
Image Processing Software Installation
Return the launcher and select RegiStax or AviStack to be directed to a
website to download the latest software.
For detailed information on the image processing software consult the websites
of each software Provider. Tutorials and user groups can be found online also.
Getting Started During Daylight
We recommend using the SSUEII 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 SSUEII, follow these step-by-step
instructions:
-
Plug the camera into your computer’s USB port.
-
Double click the Orion AmCap icon now installed on your computer’s desktop.
-
Orion AmCap will automatically connect directly to your camera with a Live Video Window. Your Live Video Window will only show light and dark before the camera is coupled to your telescope.
-
The native resolution of the camera sensor is 640×480 and can be set from the options menu. To change to resolution select Video Capture Pin from Options menu, select desired resolution (normally 640×480) under the Output Size heading, then click OK (Figure 5). The Live Video Window will now display at the selected resolution. Any images captured with the camera will now also be set at the same resolution. To move the Live Video Window out of the way, click on the top bar of the window and drag it to the desired location on the computer screen.
-
To connect the camera to the telescope, simply replace the telescope’s 1.25″ eyepiece with the camera. Make sure the securing thumbscrew on the focuser drawtube is tightened after the camera is inserted.
-
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 you are starting out in daylight, as is recommended, you may need to turn the exposure and/or brightness control of the camera down before attempting to focus. This is done
by selecting Video Capture Filter in the Options menu and moving the exposure (Figure 6) or brightness slider (Figure 7). 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 telescope. -
Look at the Live Video Window on the computer 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 focal length eyepiece (Figure 9). -
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.
The image can also be flipped in horizontal or vertical by selecting Video Capture Filter in the Options menu and clicking on horizontal and/or vertical checkbox (Figure 8).
NOTE: The Special Effect, Face Tracking and Face Effect options in the Video Capture Filter are not used for Astronomy purposes. -
Select Set Capture File from the File menu and name your file including the AVI extension name. IE mymovie. avi. Click Open.
-
Enter the amount of disk space to allocate as a buffer for this data. Movie files need a large amount
of disk space. Enter a value such as 50 Megabytes or higher. Press OK. The size of the captured data may be much higher than this value depending upon number and size of frames captured. -
Select Set Frame Rate under the Capture menu. Check the box Use Frame Rate and type 30. Press ok.
-
Select Set Time Limit under the Capture menu. Check the box Use Time Limit and type 20. Press OK.
-
Select Start Capture under the Capture menu.
-
Press OK when you are ready to capture Images.
An AVI movie sequence of 600 frames (30 frames per second x 20 seconds) will
now be recorded.
The total number of captured frames is displayed on the bottom bar. If frames
are being dropped this will be displayed and the frame rate or resolution
should be set to a lower value to prevent this.
You have now taken your first images with the SSUEII! This simple method of imaging is exactly how the camera is used to capture terrestrial subjects during daylight hours. Close-up images of birds and other wildlife or faraway vistas can all be obtained in this way with the SSUEII. 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 and Orion AmCap software during the day to become familiar and comfortable with their basic operation. For best results, you can optimize your images with the camera controls.
Camera Controls
For best images, you can adjust the camera controls though Orion AmCap to fine-tune the image. You can see how the camera controls affect an image in the Live Video Window.
From the Options menu choose Video Capture Filter and you can access the camera controls under Video Proc Amp, Camera and Advanced tabs. Here you will find the Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, Hue, Saturation (level of color), Sharpness (keep this low as it can add noise), and Exposure controls. The Exposure control is a gain adjustment that allows additional flexibility in adjusting image brightness. You can either manually adjust this by unselecting the Auto box and manually moving the slider, or have automatic adjustment by leaving the Auto box selected. Other options such Gamma and White Balance will aid in tuning the live view however it is recommended to only modify exposure and brightness if images are to be software processed later. To return the camera controls to their default settings, click the Reset button.
The other camera controls are available by selecting Video Capture Pin from
the Options menu. This accesses the Stream Format property sheet, which allows
you to set additional parameters. The Frame Rate should generally be left at
30 frames per second for the sharpest planetary images. This value may be
overridden if the use Frame Rate box is checked in the Capture -> Set Frame
Rate menu. (You can also use the Video Capture Filter selection described
previously to adjust image brightness.)
Try several different settings to get a feel of how the camera controls work
and affect the resultant image on the computer screen. The Brightness and
Exposure controls are the ones you will use the most. The telescope being
used, seeing conditions, and object being imaged will dictate how these camera
controls should be set. Usually, Exposure will be set first and then
Brightness is adjusted as needed.
Astronomical Imaging
Now that you’re familiar with basic camera and software operation, it’s time to take the SSUEII out at night under the stars to capture some astronomical images. We recommend 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 planetary images do.
Imaging the Moon
Imaging the Moon is much like imaging terrestrial objects during the day.
Since the exposure is very short, it is not critical 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 termina-tor (that tiny thin line between the shadow and light, see Figure 10). To get more of the moon in the image, a focal reducer will need to be used. For close-ups of cra-ters use a barlow lens (see “Using Focal Reducers and Barlow Lenses”).
Imaging Planets
The best planetary images will be obtained by stacking (combining) many
individual images in order to improve image contrast, brightness, and detail
(Figure 11).
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 SSUEII has a maximum frame rate of 30 frames per second at maximum
resolution, you can literally obtain hundreds of images for stacking in
seconds! You save time by taking one video instead of dozens of indi-vidual
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 window 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 captured 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
telescope 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 (movement
of molecules in the air, such as heat rising) and poor transparency (moisture,
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
countryside can provide better viewing conditions than many convenient
backyard locations.
Loss of Camera Connection
If the computer connection to the camera is interrupted, you will need to re-
establish connection. This can happen due to several reasons; if a cable
becomes unplugged, the computer “freezes”, or the software/hardware otherwise
temporarily loses the data coming from the camera.
To re-establish camera connection, first close the Orion AmCap program on your
computer. Then, unplug and re-plug the camera into the computer’s USB port.
Now, open Orion AmCap, and the Live Video Window should appear indicating a
re-established connection between camera and computer.
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
magnification). 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
telescope, which makes the camera field of view narrower (increases camera
magnification). 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 effective 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 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 www.OrionTelescopes.com for more
information).
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 SSUEII’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 SSUEII to take images of the Sun and the sunspots on its
surface.
(Filters available through Orion, check the catalog or
www.OrionTelescopes.com for more
information).
Flip Mirror
As easy as flipping a switch, the Imaging Flip Mirror enables the
astrophotogra-pher 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, check the catalog or
www.OrionTelescopes.com for more
information).
USB Extension Cable
In many instances, it is likely that a longer cable for the SSUEII will be
needed in order to comfortably setup telescope, camera, and computer. We
recommend pur-chasing a 10’ USB extension cable if you need more cord length
(available through Orion, check the catalog or
www.OrionTelescopes.com for more
information).
Things to do
Moon
- Learn your way around our closest celestial neighbor.
- Image the craters and mares.
- mage the different phases from New moon to Full Moon
- Image the detail at the terminator
- Create a moon mosaic
Planets
- Take a movie of the position of the great red spot of Jupiter during the Gas Giant’s <10 hour day.
- Image Jupiter’s moons and their shadows as they transit across the Gas Giant
- Follow in Galileo’s footsteps by Imaging the different phases of Venus
Solar
- Using a full aperture Solar Filter to image sunspots, eclipses and transits
Specifications
- Sensor: Color CMOS sensor
- Sensor size: 1/4″
- Number of pixels: 640 x 480-pixel layout; 0.3-megapixel resolution
- Pixel size: 6.0μm x 6.0μm
- Video frame rate: up to 30 frames/second
- A/D conversion: 8 bit
- IR filter: Yes
- Spectral Range: 400-650nm (with IR Filter)
- Connection: USB 1 or 2
- 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
compliance could void the user’s 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 provide rea-sonable 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 equipment 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 product is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship 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 & Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any warranted instrument that proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid. Proof of purchase (such as a copy of the original receipt) is required. This warranty is only valid in the country of purchase.
This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been
abused, mishandled, or modified, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights. It is not intended to remove or
restrict your other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your
state or national statutory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer
goods remain fully applicable.
For further warranty information, please visit
www.OrionTelescopes.com/warranty.
Copyright © 2021 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars. All Rights Reserved. No part of this product instruction or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
References
- Orion Telescopes & Binoculars: OrionTelescopes.de
- Orion Telescopes & Binoculars: Official Site - Telescope.com
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