Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager

The Celestron NexImage is a dedicated Solar System Imager (CCD camera) that can be used with virtually any telescope in any size or price range. For example, the image of the Moon in the “Images of Some Features” section to the right was taken with a $169 70mm refractor. The NexImage takes lunar and planetary photos in full 16-bit color with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of convenience. Its true CCD imaging chip produces high quality planetary images, with greater light sensitivity and color fidelity, than is possible with the CMOS imaging chip used in competitive cameras. And the NexImage is the lowest priced dedicated astronomical imager or CCD camera ever.

The Celestron NexImage captures high power streaming video of any solar system object at five frames per second, ideal for viewing transient events such as lunar occultations of the planets, or the rare occasions when a planet occults a star. Its magnification on your telescope is approximately equal to that of a 5mm eyepiece having a 50° apparent field of view. This real-time video can be viewed live on your laptop or PC screen via the supplied USB cable so that several people can view the image at once. The images can also be stored on your computer as hundreds of individual frames. These can be viewed later to relive the occultation or can be digitally stacked to significantly reduce the electric “noise” inherent in video chips. Stacking will bring out the unseen fine detail (signal) hidden within your real-time image. The Celestron NexImage camera takes advantage of the fact that the signal to noise ratio of a stacked composite image is proportional to the square root of the number of frames combined. This means that stacking as few as 16 frames will reduce the grainy noise of the composite image by 4 times. Stacking as many 1600 frames will improve the image by 40 times!

Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager >