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CCD & Photographic

A CCD camera is essentially an electronic version of a 35mm camera for astrophotography that saves the images in your computer, rather than on a roll of film. A CCD camera can take snapshots of the Moon and planets and long exposure photos of deep sky nebulas, galaxies, and star clusters. Because the CCD camera has to store up the faint light of deep space objects before it can display an image, just as a 35mm film camera does, a CCD can't give you real-time or instant images of deep space objects.

Because a CCD camera is more sensitive than 35mm film or your eye, it can store up more information during an exposure. Software supplied with the camera, or available separately, allows you to manipulate the image later to bring out details that would be washed out or invisible in a 35mm negative or while observing visually. CCD cameras are surprisingly unaffected by city light pollution, allowing deep sky photography from even heavily light polluted sites.

CCD cameras typically vary in price according to their image size, with large cameras running into the multiple thousands of dollars. Even at their largest, however, their image covers less of the sky than a 35mm film camera on the same scope. CCDs are best at recording small and very faint objects rather than large and bright objects, although excellent images of large objects can be recorded by taking multiple overlapping images and combining them in the computer.

It has been said that CCD cameras on amateur-size telescopes can record fainter objects than the 200" scope at Mt. Palomar could record only 10 or 15 years ago with conventional film cameras. By some measures, CCD cameras can be said to have an effective film speed (ASA or ISO rating) of 20,000, making them ideal for recording very faint objects.

Some CCD cameras can act as autoguiders to take the tedium out of guiding long exposure 35mm photos. Some CCD cameras have their own autoguider built in for recording images automatically and untended; others come with separate guiders or have them available as an option.

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Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini Latitude (EQ) Base

$80.00

1 Review(s)

If you don't have a ball head mount on your current photo tripod, this "wedge" will fit the bill nicely.
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Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini Dec Bracket S20560

$48.00

If you want to hook a counterweight, or an Optical Tube Assembly, up to your new Star Adventurer Mini, you have to buy this part.
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Astro-Tech 20mm T-thread spacer ring for DSLR and CCD imaging with 42mm Threads

$9.95

This Astro-Tech 20mm T-thread spacer ring can help provide the necessary spacing between a DSLR or CCD camera's focal plane and a reducer, field flattener, or other imaging accessory in prime focus astrophotography.
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Astro-Tech 30mm T-thread spacer ring for DSLR and CCD imaging with 42mm Threads

$9.95

This Astro-Tech 30mm T-thread spacer ring can help provide the necessary spacing between a DSLR or CCD camera's focal plane and a reducer, field flattener, or other imaging accessory in prime focus astrophotography.
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Celestron .7x Reducer Lens for The EdgeHD 925

$429.00

The EdgeHD .7x Focal Reducer Lens makes your EdgeHD 9.25" one full F-Stop faster than f/10, reducing your exposure time by half to capture the same brightness of object
4-element lens design
Maintains similar flat-field performance as native EdgeHD optical design
Increases field of view by 43% to better capture wide field images
Threads directly onto the 3.25" threads of the EdgeHD which reduces mechanical vignetting and allows for use with larger (full frame) sensors and Off-Axis Guiders
Maintains the identical back focus when used at f/10 and provides generous back focus to accommodate additional accessories and wide variety of cameras
Allows use of existing EdgeHD T-Adapters with or without the Reducer Lens
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ZWO ASI183MM USB3.0 Monochrome Astronomy Imaging Camera

$699.00

The ZWO ASI183MM is the most sensitive ZWO camera currently available. What a great piece of gear for planetary deep space imaging!
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ZWO ASI294MC COLOR CMOS ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA

$699.00

The ZWO ASI294MC is a great 4/3 format color camera to get you into imaging without breaking the bank.
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ZWO ASI071MC Pro Color Astronomy Imaging Camera

$999.00

The ZWO ASI071MC Pro is another step forward for ZWO in APS-C style chip cameras. Upgraded for 2019.
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ZWO EFW 8-position Filter Wheel for 1.25" and 31 mm Filters

$299.00

This low profile ZWO filter wheel is just what your monochrome camera ordered.
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ZWO Standard Electronic Automatic Focuser (EAF) 5V

$199.00

A great solution for your focusing needs.