PHILIPS SPC900NC MODIFICATIONS

For my first CCD camera, I bought and modified a Philips SPC900NC Web-Cam. Reading up on the subject on the 'net this seemed to be the one to get. It's since been re-tasked as part of my 50mm Digital finder 'scope...

Philips SPC900NC SC1 Modification
My first long exposure digital camera for the telescope. This webcam is one of the best candidates for modification for use at the telescope. I installed the camera's electronics and CCD into a small enclosure with a cooling fan and T-ring for mounting to the telescope (or finder, see below). My electronics were based on a combination the circuits shown here and here.

Digital 50mm finder
Another problem I ran into was positioning the object to be viewed or (especially) photographed in the main telescope's field of view. To solve this problem, I simply attached my Philips SPC900NC SC1 Webcam to the 50mm finder of the main telescope. With this setup I can control the LXD75 mount from my laptop for rough positioning then tweek the position of the object to bring it into view in the main telescope once it's visible in the finder. I can do this from inside my home while the telescope is outside in the cold.