I'd like to develop a camera solution that can photograph most of the sky at once. If we developed a kit for this and used globalskywatch.com as a central place to aggregate/monitor and review the files it could be quite powerful. For example, if there were enough cameras out there you could follow a plane leaving one zone and going into another... etc. Not to mention just having time laps filming.

Recommendations for a source for a lens? Recommendations for a cheap webcam that could handle the changes in brightness ok.

Any ideas?

allergen, from BC

Great idea. We actually thought about doing this a couple years ago.

Our idea was to offer people a standalone box or a free software package that they could just run in the background on their computer (since we are programmers). The box/software would then take photos on a regular interval and send them directly to a dedicated area on this site.

The box idea involved a waterproof box with a glass dome with a camera mounted inside. Just plug in power (low voltage via a remote power supply) and an internet connection and it boots and begins taking pictures.

This would allow people to monitor the sky anywhere a box was running and to view histories online. The system could also assemble timelapse automatically for each location.

This would be pretty cool. It would be like Google Earth, but for the sky.


Here are the problems I see.

1. It would take 2 to 4 weeks to develop a simple version of the software (not that long really). The box would take a couple months to develop and would be pretty expensive because it would have to include a camera, computer, and operating system.

2. This would consume a large amount of server drive space. This amounts to a larger monthly hosting cost.


This would be something I would love to do, and I certainly could do, but I just don't know if there are enough people interested.

If this would really help solve the chemtrail problem in the long run, I'm all for it because chemtrails are killing me. They have ruined my life.

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About your questions.

The problem I see with webcams is that they don't have very good resolution. Perhaps some of the newer ones do, and if so, that would be good.

My timelapse is done with a Canon PowerShot A520 and AS650, so the resolution is pretty good and at night they are set on long exposures (15 seconds), so they can actually see the stars.

Here are a few examples:

http://www.youtube.com/user/GeoArtifacts?feature=mhum

http://www.youtube.com/user/mmem701?feature=mhum

The A520 has a wide-angle lens which extends the view only about 30%, which helps a little.

The lens is an Opteka 52mm .45x AF Wide Angle.

There is a way to get a very wide view and it doesn't cost much. Get a convex mirror (like security mirror, but stronger curve) and point camera at the mirror. You are taking pictures of the reflection (might have to experiment with the focus) The only catch is that the camera will show in the reflection. You actually want the camera lens to be more like a tele (zoomed in) so it can be farther from the mirror (be smaller in the relfection) One trick is to have camera in the shade of a tree or something so you don't notice it. Get a mirror at least 1 foot diameter with strong curve. Have the camera at least 2 feet from mirror. Keep in mind the relfection is not as bright as the sky, so needs a bit more exposure. You could set mirror facing straight up, with camera above it (centered) for all sky shot, or offset mirror and camera for less than perfect (but easier) shot. I got this idea when doing night work of "star trails" and aurora. A lens capable of doing such a wide view is very expensive, so I thought of the mirror technique. Never actually got the mirror, so I would be very interested if you try this.

Interesting concept. Would love to know how it works.

What about buying a lens from a bulk supplies and mounting it just in front of the lens. I wonder if that would be an inexpensive substitute.

I have no real photography background so I have no idea if this would work, but have learned by doing and reading so as to do my own timelapse, like this video:

http://globalskywatch.com/media/Bangor-Maine,3-Years-of-Chemtrails.html

I would be great to find an easy, inexpensive way to get the entire sky.


Cheap lens sources... ?

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/category/355/Lenses-and-Optics/1.html

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/products.asp?dept=1096

By the way, I'm into photography and astronomy, and know quite a bit about optics. Any lens that can go that wide of view will be super expensive or have major optical issues (I won't get technical, but there are many reasons) A mirror is much more straight forward, and avoids these issues. My original idea was to use a 12 inch glass mirror (convex), but now I'm having trouble finding these... seems plastic are more common and larger sizes (18 inch) Here are some websites to get a general idea:
http://www.seeall.com/products/dome_mirrors.html
http://www.reflectionproducts.com/full-dome-mirror.html
It really depends on the quality of image you need. Maybe try glass (cost more) for yourself, then recommend acrylic (cost less) for others to promote this idea. A network of wide angle view cameras watching the sky is a great idea! Also, good quality full sky images would get people interested. I'll try to adapt my idea to a webcam application. Did you know this idea was originally done with old chrome plated hubcaps?

OK Thanks for the info.

I would love to see someone give this a try. Getting the entire sky in 1 shot would be great.

Hubcaps - That's interesting.

I wonder how well those domes that you linked to would work. That seems like a really good idea.

As much as I know about photography, I know very little about webcams. It seems they are mostly wide view, auto focus type. This won't work because the lens needs to be longer focal length ("zoomed in" or "telephoto") and must also have manual focus. A regular digital camera with zoom lens might be better (if it has connection for computer, like USB) It's possible that you could use a small webcam (so it can be closer to mirror but not block too much of the view) and use a convex mirror with less strong curve (more like standard security mirrors... cheaper too) It's hard to find specifics about webcam lenses... not listed in specs. I'll keep looking around... still think this is a good idea.

I think some webcams stay in focus at any distance. I have one that does that. I know others are different.

As you said, it won't be listed in the specs so we just have to discover and share what we find.

Here's some links that show how the sky would look. I think a webcam will work fine, either offset (doesn't show in reflection) or right above mirror (will show in middle of reflection)

http://chickenlickenscreations.blogspot.com/2012_05_01_archive.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgrendon/3504230485/

A mirror globe also works, but the quality is not as good

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49776511@N00/1261096930/

Very cool. Thanks for sharing this. It looks like it could work quite well.