Webcam imaging with Linux



If you have an older computer then Linux may give it new life for astronomical imaging.

QCUIAG members Carsten Arnholm and Martin Burry have written a program called wxAstroCapture that runs under Kubuntu, a Debian based Linux that is one of the versions of Ubuntu. wxAstroCapture will also run under Xubuntu a lighter and faster version of Linux suitable for machines with lower specifications. wxAstroCapture works with the Philips ToUcam family of webcams including the SC long exposure modifications. wxAstroCapture also supports the Artemis camera developed from research within QCUIAG. The software is available for download at www.arnholm.org

Screenshot of wxAstroCapture capturing a solar AVI using a ToUCam and a PST H-alpha scope



My imaging setup with a Kubuntu laptop, a ToUcam and a PST H-alpha solar scope on a Merlin mount


A number of Windows programs concerned with imaging will install and run perfectly under WINE in Kubuntu. These include:

• Registax
• Solar Layers
• Flexible Image Combine
• Blink Comparator

Cheese
If you use Gnome as does Ubuntu rather than KDE as does Kubuntu Then there is a video capture program called Cheese. The requirements for Cheese are:

Gnome 2.22
GStreamer 0.10

Cheese will not work under KDE and Kubuntu but will capture stills from a ToUcam in that environment

S.J. Wainwright
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