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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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Celestron T-Adapter for Celestron 9.25", 11", and 14" EdgeHD telescopes

$69.95

1 Review(s)

This Celestron prime focus T-adapter fits the rear cell of Celestron 9.25", 11', and 14" EdgeHD telescopes only . . .
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Celestron Universal afocal digital camera adapter for 1.25" and 2" eyepieces

$49.95

This Celestron universal digital camera adapter allows you to do high magnification lunar and planetary astrophotography using a digital (point and shoot-type) camera . . .
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Celestron NexStar 4, 90mm, 102mm, and 130mm Maksutov-Cassegrain T-adapter

$29.95

This prime focus adapter fits the rear cell of Celestron 90mm, 102mm, and 130mm Maksutov-Cassegrain spotting scopes and astronomical telescopes . . .
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Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain T-Adapter

$33.95

This Celestron prime focus adapter fits the rear cell of all Celestron 5" to 14" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes . . .
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Celestron F/6.3 reducer/corrector for Schmidt-Cassegrains

$169.95

17 Review(s)

This combination f/6.3 focal reducer and field corrector works with all Celestron 5" through 14" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, as well as all Meade 8" through 16" SCTs . . .
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Celestron 2X Barlow for 1.25" eyepieces (includes T-adapter)

$57.95

While this Celestron 1.25" 2x achromatic Barlow can be used visually, it also has T-threads so it can be used as a T-adapter for lunar and terrestrial photography . . .
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Celestron Neximage 10 Solar System Color Imager

$309.95
- Easy to use color camera, provides live video for quick focusing
- 3856 x 2764-pixel array with small pixels, provides high resolution images
- Includes Celestron iCap software for image capture and export
- Includes RegiStax stacking software that automatically filters the best images, aligns, and stacks your planetary images

CCD & Photographic

Celestron T-Adapter for Celestron 9.25", 11", and 14" EdgeHD telescopes

Celestron Universal afocal digital camera adapter for 1.25" and 2" eyepieces

Celestron NexStar 4, 90mm, 102mm, and 130mm Maksutov-Cassegrain T-adapter

Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain T-Adapter

Celestron F/6.3 reducer/corrector for Schmidt-Cassegrains

Celestron 2X Barlow for 1.25" eyepieces (includes T-adapter)

Celestron Neximage 10 Solar System Color Imager