CCD Astrophoto Gallery

In the spring of 2002 I picked up my first electrically cooled CCD camera. Instead of using film, this camera produces electronic images. The camera uses a high efficiency monochrome (black and white) detector which produces little electrical noise, allowing for long exposure times. Inside the camera head is a computer controlled "filter wheel", which allows exposures to be taken through red, green or blue filters. Using a computer to re-combine the images, colour photos are possible. The camera I selected was an SBIG ST237A. Not the best on the market, but a cost effective way of entering this field while getting results good enough to keep.

image courtesy Santa Barbara Instrument Group

My primary reason for getting into CCD's was to image deep sky objects that are too small to capture with any amount of detail on film. When I first used the camera, I was surprised at how well it performed. On the resolution front, it managed to repeatedly pick up more detail than I was ever able to catch with film, including Kodak Tech Pan. Every image so far has recorded more detail, more stars and in general "more stuff" - except, of course, there is less field.

The other pleasant surprise was the dynamic range. This shows well in the m57 image. The nebula has some nice detail considering the conditions it was shot under, but it also picked up a nice but faint background galaxy. I had attempted this with film, only to have the nebula completely overexposed in order to record anything of the galaxy.

Update!


As of February 2004 I now have an SBIG ST-8 camera with CFW-8 filter wheel. This camera has a larger array then the ST237A, at 1.5 Mega pixels. It captures a larger field of view, has lower electrical noise and has a second CCD sensor so that it can guide itself! I am very excited with what this camera is capable of, first light image was the Crab Nebula, below.

Images on these pages are copyright © John C. Mirtle. Images may be used on a personal computer (for wallpaper, etc), or in a non-profit publication (such as a club newsletter) with proper credit to the author. Any commercial or for-profit use is prohibited without permission.


ST237A Images
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The Ring Nebula The Bubble Nebula Tech Pan/CCD comparison
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The Veil Nebula M56 Stephan's Quintet
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Planetary NGC7662 NGC604


ST-8 Images
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The Rosette Nebula The Crab Nebula Sh2-119
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The Crescent Nebula region




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