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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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Meade LPI-G Color fast download one-shot color CMOS solar system imager

$199.99

2 Review(s)

The Meade LPI-G Color solar system camera and guider is the latest easy-to-use version of the Meade LPI that started the affordable solar system imaging revolution 12 years ago.
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Losmandy 3-Axis piggyback for both Losmandy- and Vixen-style dovetails

$149.00

This Losmandy three-axis piggyback system mounts on any Losmandy D-plate or Vixen-style accessory dovetail and allows you to rotate your camera 360° on the piggyback, tilt it up and down by 45°, and rotate the piggyback itself to line up the best shot . . .
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iOptron Ball head for iOptron SkyTracker camera tracking mount

$65.00

3 Review(s)

The new iOptron 3305A ball head lets you mount your digital camera on the SkyTracker portable camera tracking mount for wide field deep space photography.
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Astro-Tech Focuser collimating ring for 10" through 16" Astro-Tech Ritchey-Chrétiens

$99.95

This Astro-Tech FCR1012 focuser collimation ring lets you fine-tune the focuser collimation of 10" through 16" Astro-Tech Ritchey-Chrétien astrographs to improve the sharpness at the corners of images taken with large 35mm-class DSLR and CCD sensors.
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Astro-Tech Focuser collimating ring for 6" and 8" Astro-Tech Ritchey-Chrétiens

$84.95

1 Review(s)

This Astro-Tech FCR68 focuser collimation ring lets you fine-tune the focuser collimation of 6" and 8" Astro-Tech Ritchey-Chrétien astrographs to improve the sharpness at the corners of images taken with large 35mm-class DSLR and CCD sensors.
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SBIG Seeing Monitor Kodak KAF-0402ME

$2,850.00

SBIG has developed an automated unit for monitoring and logging the seeing throughout a night. The Seeing Monitor uses an ST-402ME camera with custom optics and software. The Seeing Monitor is intended to be set up once and left outdoors for an indefinite period.
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SBIG CLAR SBIG Nikon Camera Lens Adapter for the STL Series

$195.00

This adapter mates the STL series cameras with Nikon 35mm camera lenses for wide field imaging.
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SBIG CLA7 SBIG 8300 Canon Camera Lens Adapter

$165.00

This adapter mates the ST8300 cameras with popular 35mm camera lenses for wide field imaging.
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SBIG CLA7 SBIG 8300 Nikon Camera Lens Adapter

$165.00

This adapter mates the 8300 cameras with popular 35mm camera lenses for wide field imaging.
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Low profile 2" prime focus adapter

$21.95

Used. Excellent condition. It looks like it has never been used, but someone put a "U" after the part number on the box, so it has to be sold as used. Regularly $29.95.