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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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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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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.
$0.8x reducer/field flattener for f/6 refractors$ $Astro-Tech 0.8x reducer/field flattener for f/6 refractors$

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Astro-Tech 0.8x reducer/field flattener for f/6 refractors

$149.95

8 Review(s)

This economical Astro-Tech 2" 0.8x reducer/field flattener is designed for astrophotography with f/6 focal ratio refractors, but will also work well with refractors in the f/5.5 to f/7 range . . .
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Celestron 0.7x focal reducer for Celestron 14" EdgeHD scopes and optical tubes

$839.00

This Celestron EdgeHD 0.7x focal reducer makes your 14" f/11 EdgeHD telescope into a full f-stop faster f/7.7, increasing your photographic field of view by 43% and cutting your deep space exposure times in half . . .
$Astro-Tech 60mm photoguide refractor$ $Astro-Tech 60mm photoguide refractor$

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Astro-Tech 60mm photoguide refractor

$139.95

16 Review(s)

The new Astro-Tech AT60GS 60mm guidescope with upgraded helical focuser makes highly accurate autoguiding of deep space astrophotos affordable for any astrophotographer.
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Celestron Ultima Duo eyepiece to Apple iPhone 4 or 4S imaging adapter

$59.95

2 Review(s)

This Celestron Smartphone adapter works with a Celestron Ultima Duo eyepiece and your iPhone 4 or 4S to easily capture celestial images through virtually any telescope.
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Celestron Piggyback for Celestron SCT telescopes only

$39.95

2 Review(s)

This Celestron piggyback bracket lets you mount your 35mm or digital camera on top of a Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope for wide-field deep space photography . . .
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Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini Camera Tracking Mount

$335.00

1 Review(s)

Meet SAM - the Star Adventurer Mini. A user-friendly and multi-function mount to satisfy all your needs for nightscape and eclipse photography, astrophotography and time-lapse photography.
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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.