Detailed instructions for use are in the User's Guide.
Operating Manual
CCD Camera Models ST-7E, ST-8E, ST-9E, ST-10E and ST-1001E
Santa Barbara Instrument Group
147A Castilian Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93117 Phone (805) 571-7244 · Fax (805) 571-1147 Web: · Email:
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.
Shielded I/O cables must be used when operating this equipment. You are also warned, that any changes to this certified device will void your legal right to operate it. CCDOPS Manual for ST-7E/ST-8E/ST-9E/ST-10E/ST-1001E Fourth Revision May 2001
Table of Contents 1. 1.1. 1.2. Introduction .................................................................................................................1 Road Map of the Documentation ...............................................................................1 Quick Tour....................................................................................................................1 1.2.1. CCDOPS Software ....................................................................................2 1.2.2. CCD Camera .............................................................................................3 Introduction to CCD Cameras...................................................................................5 Cameras in General .....................................................................................................5 How CCD Detectors Work .........................................................................................5 2.2.1. Full Frame and Frame Transfer CCDs ....................................................6 Camera Hardware Architecture .................................................................................6 CCD Special Requirements.........................................................................................8 2.4.1. Cooling.......................................................................................................8 2.4.2. Double Correlated Sampling Readout ....................................................9 2.4.3. Dark Frames ..............................................................................................9 2.4.4. Flat Field Images .....................................................................................10 2.4.5. Pixels vs. Film Grains .............................................................................10 2.4.6. Guiding ....................................................................................................11 Electronic Imaging .....................................................................................................12 Black and White vs. Color.........................................................................................13 At the Telescope with a CCD Camera....................................................................15 Step by Step with a CCD Camera ............................................................................15 Attaching the Camera to the Telescope ...................................................................15 Establishing a Communications Link ......................................................................16 Focusing the CCD Camera .......................................................................................16 Finding and Centering the Object ............................................................................18 Taking an Image ........................................................................................................18 Displaying the Image ................................................................................................18 Processing the Image.................................................................................................19 Advanced Capabilities ..............................................................................................19 3.9.1. Crosshairs Mode (Photometry and Astrometry) .................................19 3.9.2. Sub-Frame Readout in Focus .................................................................19 3.9.3. Track and Accumulate............................................................................20 3.9.4. Autoguiding and Self Guiding ..............................................................20 3.9.5. Auto Grab ................................................................................................21 3.9.6. Color Imaging .........................................................................................21 Camera Hardware .....................................................................................................23 System Components..................................................................................................23 Connecting the Power ...............................................................................................23 Connecting to the Computer ....................................................................................23 Connecting the Relay Port to the Telescope ............................................................23 4.4.1 Using Mechanical Relays ...........................................................................24 Modular Family of CCD Cameras ...........................................................................26
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.
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4.6 Connecting the older model CFW-6 filter wheel to the Camera ..................................30 4.7 Battery Operation .............................................................................................................31 4.8 ST-1001E Differences ........................................................................................................31 5. 5.1. 5.2. 5.3. 5.4. 5.5. 5.6. 5.7. 5.8. 6. 6.1. 6.2. 6.3. 6.4. 6.5. 6.6. 6.7. Advanced Imaging Techniques ..............................................................................33 Lunar and Planetary Imaging...................................................................................33 Deep Sky Imaging .....................................................................................................33 Terrestrial Imaging ....................................................................................................33 Taking a Good Flat Field...........................................................................................33 Building a Library of Dark Frames ..........................................................................34 Changing the Camera Resolution ............................................................................34 Flat Fielding Track and Accumulate Images...........................................................35 Tracking Functions ....................................................................................................36 Accessories for your CCD Camera..........................................................................39 Cooling Booster..........................................................................................................39 Tri-color Imaging .......................................................................................................40 Camera Lens Adapters and Eyepiece Projection ....................................................40 Focal Reducers ...........................................................................................................40 AO-7 and Lucy-Richardson Software ......................................................................41 SGS - Self-Guided Spectrograph...............................................................................41 Third Party Products and Services ...........................................................................41 6.7.1. Windows Software..................................................................................41 6.7.2. Image Processing Software ....................................................................41 6.7.3. Getting Hardcopy ...................................................................................41 SBIG Technical Support.............................................................................................42 Common Problems ...................................................................................................43 Glossary......................................................................................................................45 Appendix A - Connector ad Cables ........................................................................49 Appendix A - Connector Pinouts .............................................................................49 SBIG Tracking Interface Cable (TIC-78)...................................................................49 Appendix C - Maintenance ......................................................................................51 Cleaning the CCD and the Window ........................................................................51 Regenerating the Desiccant.......................................................................................51 Appendix C - Capturing a Good Flat Field............................................................53 Technique 53
6.8. 7. 8. A. A.1. A.2. B. B.1. B.2. C. C.1.
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Section 1 - Introduction
1.
Introduction
Congratulations and thank you for buying one of Santa Barbara Instrument Group's CCD cameras. The model ST-7E, ST-8E, ST-9E, ST-10E and ST-1001E are SBIG's fourth generation CCD cameras and represent the state of the art in CCD camera systems with their low noise and advanced capabilities, including Kodak's new Blue Enhanced E series of CCDs. We feel that these cameras will expand your astronomy experience by being able to easily take images like the ones you've seen in books and magazines, of structure never seen through the eyepiece. SBIG CCD cameras offer convenience, high sensitivity, and advanced image processing techniques that film just can't match. While CCDs will probably never replace film in its large format, CCDs allow a wide range of scientific measurements and have established a whole new field of amateur astronomy that is growing by leaps and bounds. The ST-7E, ST-8E, ST-9E and ST-10E cameras include an exciting new feature: self-guiding (US Patent 5,525,793). These cameras have two CCDs inside; one for guiding and a large one for imaging. The low noise of the read out electronics virtually guarantees that a usable guide star will be within the field of the guiding CCD for telescopes with F/numbers F/6.3 or faster. The relay output plugs directly into most recent commercial telescope drives. As a result, you can take hour long guided exposures with ease, with no differential deflection of guide scope relative to main telescope, and no radial guider setup hassles, all from the computer keyboard. This capability, coupled with the phenomenal sensitivity of the CCD, will allow the user to acquire observatory class images of deep sky images with modest apertures! The technology also makes image stabilization possible through our AO-7, or self-guided spectroscopy with our SGS. Due to the large size of the imaging CCD, The ST-10E camera does not have a second CCD in the head for self-guiding. For this camera we recommend a separate autoguider like the STV.
1.1.
Road Map of the Documentation
This manual describes the ST-7E, ST-8E, ST-9E, ST-10E and ST-1001E CCD Camera Systems from Santa Barbara Instrument Group. For users new to the field of CCD Astronomy, Sections 2, 3 and 4 offer introductory material about CCD Cameras and their applications in Astronomy. Users who are familiar with CCD cameras may wish to skip section 2 and browse through sections 3 and 4, reading any new material. Thoroughly experienced SBIG customers may wish to jump right to the separate Software Manual, which gives detailed and specific information about the SBIG softwa ...
