Yes I think that's the best option. If your ZWO act as standard usb camera, you can activate it's video stream directly from CC application, see version 3.2.0-beta3 here github.com/sajmons/CollimationCircles/releases.
If your camera supports absolute focus, you can control that too from CC (see camera controls button for that). With that you get hassle free colimmation of secondary and primary mirror. All you have to do is to change your camera focus distance from within CC app.
I'm not quite sure if this is working in latest version, but I'm working on it and will be available in final 3.2.0 version.
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My first attempt to climate telescope was with phone camera too. But I quickly realised, that is impossible to place phone at exact center of focuser tube. That wouldn't be issue if at least you could place phone at exact same spot near the center, but that's is just impossible. At least it was for me. What's the point in collimating telescope if your optical path constantly changes? Sure you can do collimation each time you take phone off and back on, but good luck with that. It will be OK for visual observation, but not for astrophotography.
That's why I'm using raspberry pi camera with special case designed and 3d printed, the way that it can be screwed on top of my focuser. This way optical path stays the same even if I take my camera off and put it back on.
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Kurt, I totaly agree with you. Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 seams to be a great option. But I need something more versatile, USB plug&play. No drivers needed.
That's way I'm looking for UVC compatible cameras.
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Latest version of libcamera INDi driver crashes when I conect Astra_lite to it. Previous version worked OK.
Latest KStars have no problem with it.
Log file in attachement.
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Yeah, for colimation we need simple UVC Web Camera or something simmilar. If you found one to be sutable for use in telescope eyepiece, please let me know.
Curently I'm using my Raspberry Pi HQ camera for the process, but manually adjusting focus is real pain.
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I did try that method too. For larger telescopes, that would probably be easier, but for smaller ones it's very hard to squize paper inside OTA and keep it steady.
I found that removing primary mirror is by far easiest method for me.
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I wrote series of articles about advanced newtonian collimation and how it's done with Collimation Circles application.
All three parts are available here:
- saimons-astronomy.webador.com/1769915_ad...e-collimation-part-1
- saimons-astronomy.webador.com/1769983_ad...e-collimation-part-2
- saimons-astronomy.webador.com/1769983_ad...e-collimation-part-3
I hope you will find it usefull.
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@Prof Huster: indi_pylibcamera and indi_libcamera drivers are not the same. indi_pylibcamera is developed usinf python languege and indi_libcamera is developed in c++. Those are totaly diferent drivers with slightly diferent functionalities.
For questions about indi_pylibcamera you should contact scriptorron at GitHub here: github.com/scriptorron/indi_pylibcamera.
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I very happy to anounce, that new version of Colimation Circles 3.1.0 is awailable.
You can download it here: github.com/sajmons/CollimationCircles/releases
Whats new:
Added UVC and Raspberry Pi camera support by @sajmons in #17
Fix for issue #15 when saving JSON file if UI language is not English app crashes by @sajmons in #16
Best regards
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At last! Version 3.0 of Collimation Circles is here!
You can read all about it here: saimons-astronomy.webador.com/1634837_co...-circles-3-0-is-here
And download it from here: github.com/sajmons/CollimationCircles/releases
Summary of changes:
Added Ability to connect to camera stream and display it in background
Added Log file console support
Added NLog library for application information logging to file
Added Option for show keyboard shortcuts in main window
Added Inclination shortcut
Added links to patreon web page and social networks
Added PayPal donation button to About dialog
Added Requirements check on app startup
Added Missing translation
Fixed fatal error when list of shapes is empty and user loads JSON file
Fixed issue github.com/sajmons/CollimationCircles/issues/13
Fixed Segmentation fault on Linux
Fixed AvaloniaUI NuGet packages Fixed VideoLAN.LibVLC references
Change Item visibility CheckBox replaced with ToggleButton
Change About tab moved to is't own dialog
Change Removed keyboard shortcuts from settings Tab
Change Simplified settings CheckBox-es
Change UI/UX optimizations
Change Upgrade .Net 8
Change Updated NuGet packages to latest versions
Change Undock button size and position
Change Code and performance optimizations
Change Translation updates
Best wishes to all!
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