CCD Camera Operating Manual for the Model ST-4X, ST-5 and ST-6 Santa Barbara Instrument Group 1482 East Valley Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108 Phn (805) 969-1851 Fax (805) 969-4069 Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: · · · · Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the receiver and the equipment. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. Also note that user must use shielded interface cables in order to maintain product within FCC compliance. CCDOPS Manual Revision 2A January 1996 Table of Contents 1. 1.1. 1.2. Introduction ............................................................................................................1 Road Map of the Documentation ............................................................................1 Quick Tour...............................................................................................................1 1.2.1. CCDOPS Software .................................................................................1 1.2.2. CCD Camera..........................................................................................2 Introduction to CCD Cameras................................................................................3 Cameras in General..................................................................................................3 How CCD Detectors Work ......................................................................................3 2.2.1. The ST-4X CCD and Frame Transfer CCDs...........................................4 Camera Hardware Architecture ..............................................................................5 CCD Special Requirements......................................................................................7 2.4.1. Cooling...................................................................................................7 2.4.2. Readout Types .......................................................................................8 2.4.3. Dark Frames...........................................................................................8 2.4.4. Flat Field Images....................................................................................8 2.4.5. Pixels vs. Film Grains.............................................................................9 Electronic Imaging ...................................................................................................9 Black and White vs. Color...................................................................................... 10 At the Telescope with a CCD Camera ................................................................. 13 Step by Step with a CCD Camera.......................................................................... 13 Attaching the Camera to the Telescope................................................................. 13 Establishing a Communications Link.................................................................... 15 Focusing the CCD Camera .................................................................................... 15 Finding and Centering the Object.......................................................................... 17 Taking an Image .................................................................................................... 17 Displaying the Image............................................................................................. 17 Processing the Image ............................................................................................. 17 Advanced Capabilities........................................................................................... 18 3.9.1. Crosshairs Mode (Photometry and Astrometry)................................. 18 3.9.2. Sub-Frame Readout in Focus............................................................... 18 3.9.3. Track and Accumulate......................................................................... 19 3.9.4. Autoguiding......................................................................................... 19 3.9.5. Auto Grab ............................................................................................ 20 3.9.6. Color Imaging ...................................................................................... 20 Camera Hardware ................................................................................................. 21 System Components .............................................................................................. 21 Connecting the Power............................................................................................ 21 Connecting to the Computer ................................................................................. 22 Connecting the Relay Port to the Telescope .......................................................... 23 Modular Family of CCD Cameras ......................................................................... 26 Camera Software Reference ................................................................................. 31 Different Host Computers ..................................................................................... 31 5.1.1. Installing the Software......................................................................... 31 5.1.2. The CCDOPS User Interface................................................................ 32 5.1.3. CCDOPS for IBM PCs.......................................................................... 35 2. 2.1. 2.2. 2.3. 2.4. 2.5. 2.6. 3. 3.1. 3.2. 3.3. 3.4. 3.5. 3.6. 3.7. 3.8. 3.9. 4. 4.1. 4.2. 4.3. 4.4. 4.5. 5. 5.1. i 5.2. Command Mode.................................................................................. 35 Graphics Mode..................................................................................... 36 5.1.4. CCDOPS on Macintosh Computers .................................................... 37 CCDOPS Menus and Commands.......................................................................... 37 5.2.1. Command Tree .................................................................................... 37 5.2.2. File Menu on the Macintosh ................................................................ 39 5.2.3. File Menu on the PC ............................................................................ 40 Save FITS Command............................................................................ 41 Save TIFF Command ........................................................................... 42 5.2.4. Edit Menu on the Macintosh ............................................................... 43 5.2.5. Camera Menu ...................................................................................... 44 Grab Command ................................................................................... 45 Auto Grab Command .......................................................................... 46 Focus Command.................................................................................. 47 Macintosh Focus Window ................................................................... 49 PC Focus Mode Menus ........................................................................ 50 ST-4X Camera Setup Command.......................................................... 51 ST-5 Camera Setup Command ............................................................ 52 ST-6 Camera Setup Command ............................................................ 53 5.2.6. Display Menu on the Macintosh.......................................................... 54 5.2.7. Display Menu on the PC...................................................................... 55 Display Image Command.................................................................... 56 PC Display Mode Menus..................................................................... 57 Macintosh Contrast Window............................................................... 59 Macintosh Color Table Editor.............................................................. 60 5.2.8. Utility Menu......................................................................................... 61 Edit Parameters Command.................................................................. 63 5.2.9. Misc Menu ........................................................................................... 64 Mac Setup Command .......................................................................... 65 PC Setup Command ............................................................................ 66 Telescope Setup Command ................................................................. 67 5.2.10. Track Menu.......................................................................................... 68 Track and Accumulate Command....................................................... 69 Calibrate Track Command................................................................... 70 Tracking Parameters Command.......................................................... 71 5.2.11. Filter Menu........................................................................................... 73 Filter Setup Command......................................................................... 74 Advanced Imaging Techniques ........................................................................... 75 Lunar and Planetary Imaging................................................................................ 75 Deep Sky Imaging.................................................................................................. 75 Terrestrial Imaging ................................................................................................ 76 Taking a Good Flat Field ....................................................................................... 76 Building a Library of Dark Frames........................................................................ 76 Changing the Camera Resolution.......................................................................... 77 Making Astrometric and Photometric Measurements .......................................... 77 6.7.1. Astrometric Measurements.................................................................. 77 6.7.2. Photometric Measurements. ................................................................ 79 6.7.3. Calculation of Centroids...................................................................... 80 6.7.4. Calculation of Separation..................................................................... 81 6.7.5. Calculation of Magnitude.................................................................... 81 6.7.6. Calculation of Diffuse Magnitude ....................................................... 82 Flat Fielding Track and Accumulate Images......................................................... 82 6. 6.1. 6.2. 6.3. 6.4. 6.5. 6.6. 6.7. 6.8. ii 6.9. 6.10. 7. 7.1. 7.2. 7.3. 7.4. Tracking Functions ................................................................................................ 84 PC COM Port Compatibility Testing..................................................................... 85 Accessories for your CCD Camera....................................................................... 87 Tri-color Imaging ................................................................................................... 87 Camera Lens Adapters and Eyepiece Projection................................................... 87 Focal Reducers ....................................................................................................... 87 Third Party Products and Services ........................................................................ 87 7.4.1. Windows Software............................................................................... 87 7.4.2. Image Processing Software.................................................................. 88 7.4.3. G ...