Astrophotography bookmarks:

    Webcam info:

        There are a variety of webcams that have low LUX ccd's (particularly Sony ccd's) and do well for astronomy applications.

        Some of these webcams can be modified (with a little soldering) so that they can take long exposures (up to a few minutes)

        Here is a breakdown of various webcams, how sensitive they are, and if they can be modified;

             http://web.archive.org/web/20050319095518/homepage.ntlworld.com/molyned/web-cameras.htm

       For more information using webcams/video cameras for astro-imaging:

            (QCUIAG) QuickCam and Unconventional Imaging Astronomy Group

            http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/qcuiag/

            http://www.megastronomy.150m.com/New-QCUIAG/

       The Philips SPC900NC webcam is currently the best webcam on the market for astroimaging (and the one that I got)

          It has a low LUX sony 1/4" CCD chip. It's color and slightly smaller than the Supercircuits video camera, so it doesn't have quite the performance.

          Walmart has them for $58 http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5044149

            Information on modifying these webcams so that they can do long exposures.

                This is the pioneer of modifying webcams for astro-imaging, and has detailed descriptions of the modifications.

                There is also a description of how it is possible to replace the 1/4" ccd chip with the larger 1/3" sony CCD chip

                    (I think this is the same chip that is in the SuperCircuits video camera) 

                http://www.pmdo.com/wwhich.htm

                http://www.home.zonnet.nl/m.m.j.meijer/D_I_Y/spc900nc.htm

                You can buy already modified webcams from here:  http://astronomiser.co.uk/cams.htm