modify a ccd flatbed scanner for astronomical purposes

giodec

New Member
Hi all. I am an amateur astronomer since 1980, with an interest in recycling / modifying existing low cost technologies to convert them for the study of astronomy.
I am thinking about using a CCD flatbed scanner (in the case an Epson Perfection 1650) in slide copying mode (i.e. without the scanner light on and removing the lid) to get high resolution images of the Sun , Moon and planets. I want to do this building a support for the scanner in order to project and focus the image of the heavenly bodies , obtained through a telescope, over a ground glass fixed over the flatbed scanner glass. The whole "camera" is to be fixed to a telescope in order to let it follow the celestial object along its apparent movement over the sky. In the case of the Sun (filtered) and the Moon there should be enough light to let the scanner register a good image in one scan only . On the other hand in case of the major planets it could be necessary to shoot more scans and then stack them one over the other in order to get a visible high resolution image, as the images of planets like Mars, Jupiter and Saturn , when enlarged 200 or 300 x, are relatively dim.
I would need an help from an expert in scanner control software in order to have the possibility to automatically repeat the scan over the same image , and if possible to modify other embedded parameters which cannot be modified through the standard control software of the scanner (I use Vuescan on Win 10 64 bit OS). There are no electronic, mechanical or optical problems I cannot manage in this project, I only need help on the software side. Any advice is welcome. Best regards Giovanni , Italia
 
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