LHO Techniques
I have adapted a Connectix QuickCam to serve as a lunar and planetary CCD imager when coupled with my eight-inch SCT. The inspiration to hack together a low cost imaging system comes from the fine lunar images posted here:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~sdk/questarpix.html
Step 1 - I purchased a QuickCam (for about $60 mail order). This is an inexpensive and popular black-and-white digital camera that plugs into the parallel port on a computer. Still images can be taken by the camera with 64 shades of gray in 6-bit gray scale mode. Operating software comes with the camera, and upgrades can be downloaded from the Connectix web site.
Step 2 - Then I dismantled it as follows, realizing that the warranty is now void! Here are superb instructions for opening the QuickCam ball by Hanno Muller:
http://perso.club-internet.fr/uranos/disassemble_quickcam.htm
The key to opening the QuickCam ball lies beneath a piece of tape on the rear of the camera body. Remove the tape and you will find a small hole. Push a small screwdriver into this hole, releasing two clips that will allow the housing to be slightly pried apart. Be gentle! Two additional clips along the perimeter of the housing need to be disengaged during the opening process. You can crack the clips and/or the black plastic frame around the lens assembly if you are over zealous (making reassembly difficult). With the camera open, the circuit board and lens assembly simply slides out. Ground yourself before handling the circuit board - static electricity could damage the circuitry. Remove the brass counterweight, plastic infrared-blocking filter and lens assembly by loosening the obvious screws - you should then see the unobstructed CCD chip as shown in the images below.
This image shows the opened QuickCam - be gentle! Follow the instructions described above carefully.
Remove both the lens and the IR-blocking filter for best results (shown on the left). That's the CCD chip that you see unobstructed on the circuit board to the right.
Step 3 - I then mounted the CCD and circular circuit board inside the back end of the plastic top from my shaving cream can which conveniently snaps (tightly) into place behind the t-adapter for my SLR camera. Note that the lens and infrared filter have been removed, and the CCD chip is mounted in the exact center of the plastic housing. The electronics are held in place with tiny screws into the plastic top, and the cord comes out the rear. A nicely compact and exceptionally lightweight system. The use of the t-adapter was inspired by this page:
http://www3.gamewood.net/astronomy/ccdinfo/qc/
Be sure to align the CCD chip in the exact center of the housing. It must be aligned along the optical axis of the telescope for best results. That's the t-adapter for my 35 mm SLR camera to the right.
Here's the final setup - with the plastic mount snapped firmly into the t-adapter. The black tape around the plastic housing is to minimize external light diffusing into the imager.
I use the software provided with the QuickCam to acquire the image, not bothering (at least at this time) to worry about dark-frames and flat-fields. I allow the camera software to automatically adjust brightness, contrast and white balance, which all determine the proper exposure time. The images are automatically saved in a bitmap format, but then I lightly process (sharpen and detail) them and convert them to jpeg format with LView Pro.