Camera Hardware; Introduction And Overview; Unpacking The Camera - SBIG STX Series Operating Manual

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1.0. CAMERA HARDWARE

Congratulations and thank you for buying one of Santa Barbara Instrument Group's STX

Series CCD cameras. These large format cameras are SBIG's seventh generation CCD cameras

and represent the state of the art in CCD camera systems with their low noise and advanced

capabilities. The STX Series cameras include several exciting new features: internal and

optional external self-guiding (US Patent 5,525,793), enhanced cooling capabilities, both high

speed USB 2.0 interface and Ethernet interface, plus other innovative features found nowhere

else.

These cameras have two CCDs inside a sealed chamber, one CCD is used for guiding and

the large one for imaging. An optional remote guiding head may be added for guiding through

an external optical system or through an off-axis guider placed before the camera. 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 new cooling design is

capable of exceptional performance even in warm climates. The relay output plugs directly into

most recent commercial telescope drives and is easily adaptable to virtually any drive system.

As a result, you can take hour long guided exposures with ease, using either the built-in guiding

CCD or the remote guiding head. The internal guiding CCD eliminates differential deflection of

guide scope relative to the main telescope and requires no radial guider setup hassles. The

remote guiding head allows for a convenient alternative when imaging through narrow band

filters where suitable guide stars may be difficult to find. This dual tracking mode 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 Adaptive Optics accessory.

It is always a good idea to check over your new camera to make sure that you have

received all necessary parts and standard accessories. Each STX Series camera is packed in a

deluxe custom carrying case. This case contains all the items necessary to operate your camera.

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