Oculus | all-sky camera

Lets brighten up peoples live with all those lovely pictures of the world around us!

Moderator: Montana

Post Reply
User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress
1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
1.45 Million Pixels
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/
Pedro RÉ | (20200529)
Attachments
oculus_20200527-033.jpg
oculus_20200527-033.jpg (862.72 KiB) Viewed 2816 times
oculus_20200527-014.jpg
oculus_20200527-014.jpg (646.42 KiB) Viewed 2816 times
oculus_20200527-013.jpg
oculus_20200527-013.jpg (881.29 KiB) Viewed 2816 times
oculus_20200527-003.jpg
oculus_20200527-003.jpg (1.29 MiB) Viewed 2816 times
oculus_20200527-001.jpg
oculus_20200527-001.jpg (1.41 MiB) Viewed 2816 times
all_sky_oculus_20200530-003.jpg
all_sky_oculus_20200530-003.jpg (1.1 MiB) Viewed 2816 times
oculus_mosaic_20200529.jpg
oculus_mosaic_20200529.jpg (1.15 MiB) Viewed 2816 times


User avatar
JochenM
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 2839
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 2:26 pm
Location: Belgium
Has thanked: 1200 times
Been thanked: 1619 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by JochenM »

Nice piece of kit, Pedro.

The footage in the end of the Youtube clip (I'm assuming that's your own footage?) looks quite nice.


Jochen Maes
Belgium
https://www.jochenmaes.com
User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Yes Jochen, it was my first light yesterday


User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 34526
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 17521 times
Been thanked: 8763 times

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by Montana »

That looks interesting! have you caught any meteors yet?

We saw an amazing one last Sunday evening. It was about 10 minutes after we watched an ISS pass and then the Japanese craft following. It flew across the sky from south east to south west and then gradually broke into 2 pieces. I wish I had an all sky camera at that moment!

Alexandra


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Thanks Alexandra

This all-sky camera can be used for capturing fireballs mainly. I use it (together with two other all-sky cameras) to monitor the sky while I am operating the roll-off-roof (deep-sky imaging). It works like a charm


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

all-sky cameras
Attachments
all_sky_cameras_20181102-06.jpg
all_sky_cameras_20181102-06.jpg (172.67 KiB) Viewed 2791 times
all_sky_cameras_20181102-07.jpg
all_sky_cameras_20181102-07.jpg (153.49 KiB) Viewed 2791 times
all_sky_cameras_20190426-08.jpg
all_sky_cameras_20190426-08.jpg (1.05 MiB) Viewed 2791 times
all_sky_camera_20190427-03.jpg
all_sky_camera_20190427-03.jpg (283.83 KiB) Viewed 2791 times
Last edited by pedro on Sun May 31, 2020 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.


User avatar
MapleRidge
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 10173
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:58 pm
Location: Cambray, ON Canada
Has thanked: 64 times
Been thanked: 4299 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by MapleRidge »

Great accessory for observing/monitory sky conditions Pedro!!!

I always love to watch the animations that people post of the sky.

Brian


Brian Colville

Maple Ridge Observatory
Cambray, ON Canada

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/185395281@N08/albums

10'x15 Roll-off Roof Observatory
Takahashi EM400 Mount carrying:
C14 + Lunt 80ED
Deep Sky Work - ASI294MM Pro+EFW 7x36/Canon 60D (Ha mod), ONAG
Planetary Work - SBIG CFW10, ASI462MM

2.2m Diameter Dome
iOptron CEM70G Mount carrying:
Orion EON 130ED, f7 OTA for Day & Night Use
Ha Setup: Lunt LS80PT/LS75FHa/B1200Ha + Home Brew Lunt Double Stack/B1800Ha on the Orion OTA + Daystar Quantum
WL, G-Band & CaK Setup: Lunt Wedge & Lunt B1800CaK, Baader K-Line and Altair 2nm G-Band filter
ASI1600MM, ASI432MM, ASI294MM Pro, ASI174MM, ASI462MM
User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Chack out an oculus movie (whole night)


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RÉ | (202005230)
1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
1.45 Million Pixels
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/


User avatar
marktownley
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 42120
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Brierley Hills, UK
Has thanked: 20229 times
Been thanked: 10111 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by marktownley »

Way cool Pedro, I like the idea of an all sky camera myself.


Image
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Thanks Mark

I use these cameras all the time (day or night). The Oculus is a nice addition and I am still testing several objectives.

Check out the following link:
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/all_sky_cameras.html


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RÉ | (20200603)
1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera (1.55mm objective)
1.45 Million Pixels
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/


Derek Klepp
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12900
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:02 am
Been thanked: 171 times

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by Derek Klepp »

Cheers Pedro always good to see first hand what these products do.
Derek


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Thanks Derek

Glad you enjoyed the video


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RÉ | (20200613)
1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
(1.55mm objective) 1.45 Million Pixels
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/
Attachments
OCULUS_20200613-033.jpg
OCULUS_20200613-033.jpg (765.8 KiB) Viewed 2674 times
OCULUS_20200613-022.jpg
OCULUS_20200613-022.jpg (831.02 KiB) Viewed 2674 times
OCULUS_20200613-021.jpg
OCULUS_20200613-021.jpg (694.44 KiB) Viewed 2674 times
OCULUS_20200613-017.jpg
OCULUS_20200613-017.jpg (614.14 KiB) Viewed 2674 times
OCULUS_20200613-007.jpg
OCULUS_20200613-007.jpg (846.21 KiB) Viewed 2674 times
OCULUS_20200613-001.jpg
OCULUS_20200613-001.jpg (1017.57 KiB) Viewed 2674 times
OCULUS_20200613_mosaic.jpg
OCULUS_20200613_mosaic.jpg (882.34 KiB) Viewed 2674 times


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RE' | (20200616)
1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
1.45 Million Pixels | 1.55mm objective
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RE' | (20200617)
1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
30s integrations (dusk to dawn)
1.45 Million Pixels | 1.55mm objective
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RE' | (20200620) - CCD Messier Marathon
1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
30s integrations (dusk to dawn)
1.45 Million Pixels | 1.55mm objective
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/

Imageoculus_20200620_mosaic by Pedro Ré, on Flickr

Imagem013_TMB152_33x5min_20200620_DDP_mosaic_new by Pedro Ré, on Flickr


User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 34526
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 17521 times
Been thanked: 8763 times

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by Montana »

Amazing pics Pedro!

Alexandra


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Thanks Alexandra

I was up all night...


EGRAY_OBSERVATORY
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6876
Joined: Mon May 18, 2020 4:45 pm
Location: Essex, S.E.England
Been thanked: 4908 times

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Hello Pedro,
I also have the S/E Oculus All-Sky-Camera, same as yours and since January'20.

In the early nights of use, lots of aircraft (as I live in a very busy S.England airports area, as well as over-flight routes Europe/U.S., were recorded.
During the pandemic, largely that is not the case, albeit still a few commercial and military flights, but not enough to contrail-out the sky...

Not yet got any known meteors etc., but certainly got the Starlink satellite chains on the 21st April'20 after 20:00z.
The attached image shows the faint track of one of those satellites, where due to the early-evening after-glow it was not possible to a better image
of the satellites before blowing-out the rest of the image by increasing the gain...

There is a long-wire HF aerial crossing through the left-side of the image, which I use for radio-communications, which is normally left raised, but no doubt can be lowered out of view on occasions as necessary.

i have made a quick-release cable-connection system fitted to the side of the observatory, which allows for the connectors to be unplugged and removed from within the weather-proof box - when necessary.

As have been busy with re-setting up the Solar gear, haven't taken any recent images as yet, but I've left the Oculus set-up on its' own heavy-duty tripod complete with a self-made 'quick-removal' cover to keep out the strong-Sun-light, dust and creatures too. Does seem that the birds may well be using it as a landing-pad, but at least not directly on the camera's cover...
Attachments
Capture_00007 2117BST ditto.jpg
Capture_00007 2117BST ditto.jpg (130.6 KiB) Viewed 2616 times
IMG_1666 OCULUS.JPG
IMG_1666 OCULUS.JPG (1.94 MiB) Viewed 2616 times
IMG_1665 OCULUS.JPG
IMG_1665 OCULUS.JPG (1.7 MiB) Viewed 2616 times


EGRAY_OBSERVATORY
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 6876
Joined: Mon May 18, 2020 4:45 pm
Location: Essex, S.E.England
Been thanked: 4908 times

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by EGRAY_OBSERVATORY »

Hi Pedro,
Third time lucky, due to severe broadband-speed problems (under investigation) I was unable to get a preview to and from the website, so I finish-off that post below - thanks.

"It appears that birds are using the "self-made" Oculus cover as a landing-pad, but at least not on the camera-cover itself.

I was hoping to image the shortest-night last night of the bright-sky moving around the compass, but the clouds prevented that, so might be able to try again tonight...

Best Wishes and CLEAR SKIES.
Regards
Terry
EGRAY OBSERVATORY 21-6-2020


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Very interesting Terry

thanks for sharing


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RE' | (20200628) 1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
1.45 Million Pixels | 1.55mm objective
30s integrations (dusk to dawn) - Moon 50%
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »


OCULUS | Starlight Xpress (all-sky camera)
Pedro RE' | (20200629) 1/2" Format All-Sky CCD camera
1.45 Million Pixels | 1.55mm objective
30s integrations (dusk to dawn) - Moon 68%
http://pedroreastrophotography.com/


User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 34526
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 17521 times
Been thanked: 8763 times

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by Montana »

I do enjoy watching these Pedro :bow

Alexandra


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Thanks Alexandra


User avatar
Montana
Librarian
Librarian
Posts: 34526
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Has thanked: 17521 times
Been thanked: 8763 times

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by Montana »

Hello Pedro,

I was wondering if I could ask a few questions because I am quite intrigued by this. I would love to leave a camera out overnight to look for meteor showers, would this be any good for this or do you have another recommendation? mainly I was wondering if the camera was sensitive enough to get good meteor showers.

Also do you have the 150 degree or 180 degree version?

Does it come with a long cable to get to your house or do you need to buy weather resistant cables and adapters? does it have to be attached to a computer all night or is it saved to a card?

I am just trying to get my head round what is involved (easy or difficult).

Kind regards
Alexandra


User avatar
pedro
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Way More Fun to Share It!!
Posts: 12236
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Portugal
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 6556 times
Contact:

Re: Oculus | all-sky camera

Post by pedro »

Hi Alexandra

This Oculus camera is mainly for fireballs and not meteors. You have other options if you plan to record meteors (mainly video cameras with UFO software).

Check out this link
https://www.imo.net/
https://www.imo.net/about/organization/commissions/

I will try to record the Perseids today though. Maybe I will record a few fireballs.

best regards


Post Reply