1.2.2.1. Add New Hardware Wizard for Windows XP Users
1. With the camera disconnected from the computer, plug in the power to the camera and if your power supply has a power switch turn on the power to the camera. 2. Plug the camera into the computer with the supplied USB cable. The computer will then present you with the Found New Hardware Wizard. Click the Install from a list radio button then click the Next button.

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Section 1 - Introduction 3. As shown below, click the Search for the best driver radio button then check the Include this location checkbox then click the Browse button.
You will see the Browse for Folder dialog shown below:
Navigate through the directory structure of you hard drive to the: My Computer\C:\Program Files\SBIG\Driver Checker\SBIG Drivers

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Section 1 - Introduction directory. Expand each section by clicking on the + next to the name. For example scroll to the top and click the + next to My Computer, then click the + next to C:, etc. Finally click on the SBIG Drivers folder to select it (it will turn blue as shown below) then click OK.
Youll then be back in the Found New Hardware Wizard. Click the Next button.

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Section 1 - Introduction 4. Windows will show the dialog below while it is copying the driver:
5. You may be presented with the dialog below warning you the SBIG USB Loader driver has not passed the Windows Logo testing procedure. At this point click the Continue Anyway button.

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Section 1 - Introduction 6. Windows will continue installing the driver as shown in the dialog below:
7. Windows will finish installing the SBIG USB Loader driver as shown in the dialog below
Hit the Finish button. At this point the Cameras Fan and LED should come on. You are half-way through the installation of the drivers. Page 10
Section 1 - Introduction 8. Again you will be presented with the Found New Hardware wizard for the SBIG USB Camera driver as shown in the dialog below. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for this driver just like you did before.
9. At one point you may be presented with the following dialog:
Select the top entry and hit the Next button. When youre all done if you open the System Control Panel from the Start Menu, select the Hardware tab then click the Device Manager button and finally expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section at the bottom you should see the SBIG USB Camera entry as shown below:

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1.2.2.2. Add New Hardware Wizard for Window 95/98/Me Users

You can use the SBIG Test Lens to take indoor test exposures and get familiar with the camera operation. Also, if you happened to have purchased a camera lens adapter for your CCD Camera you can also use that to take test images during the day:

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Section 1 - Introduction Camera lens daytime exposure guidelines: Close the F stop all the way to F/16 or F/22. Set the focus based upon the object and the markings on the lens. Take a short (<1 second) exposure with the Grab command. Display the image. Process the image.

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Section 2 - Introduction to CCD Cameras
Introduction to CCD Cameras
This section introduces new users to CCD (Charge Coupled Device) cameras and their capabilities and to the field of CCD Astronomy and Electronic Imaging.

Cameras in General

The CCD is very good at the most difficult astronomical imaging problem: imaging small, faint objects. For such scenes long film exposures are typically required. The CCD based system has several advantages over film: greater speed, quantitative accuracy, ability to increase contrast and subtract sky background with a few keystrokes, the ability to co-add multiple images without tedious dark room operations, wider spectral range, and instant examination of the images at the telescope for quality. Film has the advantages of a much larger format, color, and independence of the wall plug (the SBIG family of cameras can be battery operated in conjunction with a laptop computer, though, using a power inverter). After some use you will find that film is best for producing sensational large area color pictures, and the CCD is best for planets, faint objects, and general scientific work such as variable star monitoring and position determination.

How CCD Detectors Work

The basic function of the CCD detector is to convert an incoming photon of light to an electron which is stored in the detector until it is read out, thus producing data which your computer can display as an image. It doesn't have to be displayed as an image. It could just as well be displayed as a spreadsheet with groups of numbers in each cell representing the number of electrons produced at each pixel. These numbers are displayed by your computer as shades of gray for each pixel site on your screen thus producing the image you see. How this is accomplished is eloquently described in a paper by James Janesick and Tom Elliott of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory: "Imagine an array of buckets covering a field. After a rainstorm, the buckets are sent by conveyor belts to a metering station where the amount of water in each bucket is measured. Then a computer would take these data and display a picture of how much rain fell on each part of the field. In a CCD the "raindrops" are photons, the "buckets" the pixels, the "conveyor belts" the CCD shift registers and the "metering system" an on-chip amplifier. Technically speaking the CCD must perform four tasks in generating an image. These functions are 1) charge generation, 2) charge collection, 3) charge transfer, and 4) charge detection. The first operation relies on a physical process known as the photoelectric effect - when photons or particles strikes certain materials free electrons are liberated.In the second step the photoelectrons are collected in the nearest discrete collecting sites or pixels. The collection sites are defined by an array of electrodes, called gates, formed on the CCD. The third operation, charge transfer, is accomplished by manipulating the voltage on the gates in a systematic way so the signal electrons move down the vertical registers from one pixel to the next in a conveyor-belt like fashion. At the end of each column is a horizontal register of pixels. This register collects a line at a time and then Page 25

Electronic Imaging

Electronic images resemble photographic images in many ways. Photographic images are made up of many small particles or grains of photo sensitive compounds which change color or become a darker shade of gray when exposed to light. Electronic images are made up of many

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Section 2 - Introduction to CCD Cameras small pixels which are displayed on your computer screen to form an image. Each pixel is displayed as a shade of gray, or in some cases a color, corresponding to a number which is produced by the electronics and photo sensitive nature of the CCD camera. However, electronic images differ from photographic images in several important aspects. In their most basic form, electronic images are simply groups of numbers arranged in a computer file in a particular format. This makes electronic images particularly well suited for handling and manipulation in the same fashion as any other computer file. An important aspect of electronic imaging is that the results are available immediately. Once the data from the camera is received by the computer, the resulting image may be displayed on the screen at once. While Polaroid cameras also produce immediate results, serious astrophotography ordinarily requires hypersensitized or cooled film, a good quality camera, and good darkroom work to produce satisfying results. The time lag between exposure of the film and production of the print is usually measured in days. With electronic imaging, the time between exposure of the chip and production of the image is usually measured in seconds. Another very important aspect of electronic imaging is that the resulting data are uniquely suited to manipulation by a computer to bring out specific details of interest to the observer. In addition to the software provided with the camera, there are a number of commercial programs available that will process and enhance electronic images. Images may be made to look sharper, smoother, darker, lighter, etc. Brightness, contrast, size, and many other aspects of the image may be adjusted in real time while viewing the results on the computer screen. Two images may be inverted and electronically "blinked" to compare for differences, such as a new supernova, or a collection of images can be made into a large mosaic. Advanced techniques such as maximum entropy processing will bring out otherwise hidden detail. Of course, once the image is stored on a computer disk, it may be transferred to another computer just like any other data file. You can copy it or send it via modem to a friend, upload it to your favorite bulletin board or online service, or store it away for processing and analysis at some later date. We have found that an easy way to obtain a hard copy of your electronic image is to photograph it directly from the computer screen. You may also send your image on a floppy disk to a photo lab that has digital photo processing equipment for a professional print of your file. Make sure the lab can handle the file format you will send them. Printing the image on a printer connected to your computer is also possible depending on your software/printer configuration. There are a number of software programs available, which will print from your screen. However, we have found that without specialized and expensive equipment, printing images on a dot matrix or laser printer yields less than satisfactory detail. However, if the purpose is simply to make a record or catalog the image file for easy identification, a dot matrix or laser printer should be fine. Inkjet printers are getting very good, though.

A: Unmodified Push to Make Switch B: Modified Push to Make Switch

c common

switch

normally open

Figure 4.1 - Push to Make Switch Modification Another less common type of switch configuration (although it seems to have been used more often in older hand controllers) involve hand controller buttons that use both a push to make contact in conjunction with a push to break contact. The modification required for these switches involves cutting traces or wires in the hand controller. Essentially the relay's Normally Open is wired in parallel with the switch (activating the relay or pushing the hand controller button closes the Normally Open or Push to Make contact) while at the same time the Normally Closed contact is wired in series with the switch (activating the relay or pushing the hand controller button opens the Normally Closed or the Push to Break contact). This type of switch modification is shown in Figure 4.2 below.
A: Unmodified Push to Make/Break Switch
B: Modified Push to Make/Break Switch

c common c nc

nc no normally open normally closed nc no
no normally open normally closed
Figure 4.2- Push to Make/Break Modification The last type of hand controller that is moderately common is the resistor joystick. In this joystick each axis of the joystick is connected to a potentiometer or variable resistor. Moving the joystick handle left or right rotates a potentiometer, varying the resistance between a central "wiper" contact and the two ends of a fixed resistor. The relays can be interfaced to the joystick

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as shown in Figure 4.3 below. Essentially the relays are used to connect the wire that used to attach to the wiper to either end of the potentiometer when the opposing relays are activated.

+ relay wiper

B A C nc B c no C

- relay

c nc no
potentiometer A: Unmodified Joystick

B: Modified Joystick

Figure 4.3 - Joystick Modification A slight variation on the joystick modification is to build a complete joystick eliminator as shown in Figure 4.4 below. The only difference between this and the previous modification is that two fixed resistors per axis are used to simulate the potentiometer at its mid position. You do not need to make modifications to the joystick; you essentially build an unadjustable version. This may be easier than modifying your hand controller if you can trace out the wiring of your joystick to its connector.

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In addition to the system level differences between the various cameras, Table 4.3 below quantifies the differences between different CCDs used in the cameras:
Camera TC211 Tracking CCD TC237 Tracking CCD ST-5C ST-237A STV ST-7XE ST-8XE ST-9XE ST-10XE, XME ST-1001E ST-2000XM CCD Used TC-211 TC-237 TC-255 TC-237 TC-237 KAF0401E KAF1602E KAF0261E KAF3200E KAF1001E KAI2000M Number of Pixels 192 x x x x x x x x x x x 1200 Pixel Dimensions 13.75 x 16 7.4 x 7.x 10 7.4 x 7.4 14.8 x 14.8 9x9 9xx 20 6.8 x 6.x 24 7.4 x 7.4 Array Dimension 2.6 x 2.6 mm 4.9 x 3.7 mm 3.2 x 2.4 mm 4.9x 3.7 mm 4.7 x 3.0 mm 6.9 x 4.6 mm 13.8 x 9.2 mm 10.2 x 10.2 mm 14.9 x 10.0 mm 24.6 x 24.6 mm 11.8 x 9.0 mm Read Noise 12e- rms 12e- rms 20e- rms 15e- rms 17e- rms 15e- rms 15e- rms 13e- rms 11e- rms 16e- rms 15e- rms Full Well Capacity 150Ke20Ke50Ke20Ke20Ke50/100Ke-3 50/100Ke-4 180Ke77Ke180Ke45Ke-
Table 4.3- CCD Differences How these various specifications affect the average user is described in the following paragraphs: Number of Pixels - The number of pixels in the CCD affects the resolution of the final images. The highest resolution device is best but it does not come without cost. Larger CCDs cost more money and drive the system costs up. They are harder to cool, require more memory to store images, take longer to readout, etc. With typical PC and Macintosh computer graphics resolutions, the CCDs used in the SBIG cameras offer a good trade off between cost and resolution, matching the computer's capabilities well. Pixel Dimensions - The size of the individual pixels themselves really plays into the user's selection of the system focal length. Smaller pixels and smaller CCDs require shorter focal length telescopes to give the same field of view that larger CCDs have with longer focal length telescopes. Smaller pixels can give images with higher spatial resolution up to a point. When the pixel dimensions (in arcseconds of field of view) get smaller than roughly half the seeing, decreasing the pixel size is essentially throwing away resolution. Another aspect of small pixels is that they have smaller full well capacities. For your reference, if you want to determine the field of view for a pixel or entire CCD sensor you can use the following formula:

8.12x size (m) Field of view (arcseconds) = focal length (inches) Field of view (arcseconds) =
20.6x size(um) focal length(cm)
The Kodak CCDs (KAF0400 and KAF1600) are available with or without Antiblooming Protection. Units with the Antiblooming Protection have one-half the full well capacity of the units without it.

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where size is the pixel dimension or CCD dimension in millimeters and the focal length is the focal length of the telescope or lens. Also remember that 1 = 3600 arcseconds. Read Noise - The readout noise of a CCD camera affects the graininess of short exposure images. For example, a CCD camera with a readout noise of 30 electrons will give images of objects producing 100 photoelectrons (very dim!) with a Signal to Noise (S/N) of approximately 3 whereas a perfect camera with no readout noise would give a Signal to Noise of 10. Again, this is only important for short exposures or extremely dim objects. As the exposure is increased you rapidly get into a region where the signal to noise of the final image is due solely to the exposure interval. In the previous example increasing the exposure to 1000 photoelectrons results in a S/N of roughly 20 on the camera with 30 electrons readout noise and a S/N of 30 on the noiseless camera. It is also important to note that with the SBIG CCD cameras the noise due to the sky background will exceed the readout noise in 15 to 60 seconds on the typical amateur telescopes. Even the $30,000 priced CCD cameras with 10 electrons of readout noise will not produce a better image after a minute of exposure! Full Well Capacity - The full well capacity of the CCD is the number of electrons each pixel can hold before it starts to loose charge or bleed into adjacent pixels. Larger pixels hold more electrons. This gives an indication of the dynamic range the camera is capable of when compared to the readout noise, but for most astronomers this figure of merit is not all that important. You will rarely takes images that fill the pixels to the maximum level except for stars in the field of view. Low level nebulosity will almost always be well below saturation. While integrating longer would cause more build up of charge, the signal to noise of images like these is proportional to the square-root of the total number of electrons. To get twice the signal to noise you would have to increase the exposure 4 times. An ST-5C with its relatively low full well capacity of 50,000e- could produce an image with a S/N in excess of 200! Antiblooming - Most SBIG CCD cameras have antiblooming protection. The TI CCDs used in the ST-5C, ST-237, ST-237A, TC-237 autoguider and TC-211 autoguider have antiblooming built into the CCDs. The Kodak CCDs used in the ST-7XE and ST8XE have Antiblooming versions of the CCDs available and the CCD used in the ST-2000XM only comes with antiblooming. Blooming is a phenomenon that occurs when pixels fill up. As charge continues to be generated in a full pixel, it has to go somewhere. In CCDs without antiblooming protection the charge spills into neighboring pixels, causing bright streaks in the image. With the CCDs used in the SBIG cameras the excess charge can be drained off saturated pixels by applying clocking to the CCD during integration. This protection allows overexposures of 100-fold without blooming. The trade off is sensitivity. Antiblooming CCDs are less sensitive than non-antiblooming CCDs. In the case of the ST-7XE and ST-8XE, for example, the non-antiblooming versions are very roughly twice as sensitive. The CCDs used in the ST-9XE, ST-10XE and ST-10XME and ST-1001E detectors do not come in an antiblooming version. Page 49

Terrestrial Imaging

An optional accessory for the SBIG cameras is the camera lens adapter. These accessories are made to accommodate most popular camera models. You may attach a camera lens in place of your telescope and use the CCD camera for very wide angle images of the night sky or for terrestrial views in daylight. Begin with a tenth second exposure at f/16 for scenes at normal room light and adjust as necessary for your conditions.

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Taking a Good Flat Field
If you find that flat field corrections are necessary due to vignetting effects, CCD sensitivity variations, or for more accurate measurements of star magnitudes, try either taking an image of the twilight sky near the horizon or take an image of a blank wall or neutral grey card. The Kodak CCDs may have a low contrast grid pattern visible in the sky background. A flat field will eliminate this. Finding areas of the sky devoid of stars is very difficult after twilight. Therefore, you should take flat field images of the night sky after sunset, but long before you can see any stars. If this is not possible, take an image of a featureless wall or card held in front of the telescope. However, if using this second method, be sure that the wall or card is evenly illuminated. Appendix D describes how to do this. You will know if the flat field is good if the sky background in your images has little variation across the frame after flat fielding, displayed using high contrast (a range of 256 counts is good for showing this). If you plan on flat fielding Track and Accumulate images you should also refer to section 6.8. Since the same flat field is added to itself a number of times, be sure that you do not saturate the flat field image by starting with pixel values too high. Typically try to keep the pixel values between 10% to 20% of saturation for this purpose. For single flat field images, try to keep the values to approximately 50% of saturation.
Building a Library of Dark Frames
The ST-7XE, ST-8XE, ST-9XE, ST-10XE, ST-10XME and ST-2000XM have regulated temperature control, and therefore it is possible to duplicate temperature and exposure conditions on successive nights. You can set the camera TE cooler temperature to a value comfortably within reach on your average night, and then take and save on disk a library of dark frames for later use. This is a good project for a rainy night. We recommend you build a file of 5, 10, 20 ,40, and 60 minute dark frames at zero degrees Centigrade for a start. Otherwise you will find yourself wasting a clear night taking hour long dark frames! Note: Dark frames taken the same night always seem to work better. The adaptive dark subtract will help if the ambient temperature changes slightly.

save the Track and Accumulate track list. The track list is a file that describes what alignment operations were done to the individual components of IMAGE to achieve the end result. In the following discussions this track list file will be referred to as TRACK. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as many times as desired for all the objects you wish to image, each time choosing a set of corresponding new names for the IMAGE and TRACK files. 6. You will now create a combined flat field image for each Track and Accumulate image you captured. Invoke the Add by Track List command. The software will bring up a file directory dialog showing all the track list files. Select the TRACK file corresponding to the image you wish to correct. The software will load the TRACK file and present you with another file directory dialog showing all the images. Select the appropriate FLAT image. The software will align and co-add the FLAT image using the same operations it performed on the Track and Accumulate image. Finally save the combined flat field image using the Save command. In the following discussions this combined flat field image will be referred to as COMBINED-FLAT. Repeat this step for each of the TRACK files using a corresponding name for the COMBINED-FLAT image. 7. You will now flat field correct the Track and Accumulate image with the combined flat field image. Use the Open command to load the IMAGE file, then use the Flat Field command. The software will present you with a file directory dialog where you should select the corresponding COMBINED-FLAT image. After the software has finished correcting the image you can view the results and save the flat field corrected image with the Save command. This image will be referred to as the CORRECTED-IMAGE file. Repeat this step for each of the IMAGE files using the corresponding COMBINED-FLAT image. At SBIG we have adopted the following naming convention for our various image and related files. If it helps you organize your files please feel free to adopt it or any method you feel helps sort out the process of naming files: Image type Uncorrected image (IMAGE) Flat field file (FLAT) Track list file (TRACK) Combined flat field (COMBINED-FLAT) Flat field corrected image (CORRECTED-IMAGE) Name XXXXXXXX. FLATXXXX. XXXXXXXX.TRK FLATXXXX.C XXXXXXXX.F (blank extension) (blank extension)

Tracking Functions

The CCDOPS software allows your ST-7XE, ST-8XE, ST-9XE, ST-10XE, ST-10XME and ST2000XM to be used as an autoguider or self-guided imager. It does not function as a standalone autoguider like the ST-4, but instead requires using a PC to perform the function. These cameras have considerably better sensitivity than the ST-4.

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Section 6 Accessories for your CCD Camera
Accessories for your CCD Camera
This section briefly describes the different accessories available for your CCD camera.

Water Cooling

Your camera is equipped with a new heat exchanger design that is ready to accept water circulation for additional cooling efficiency, if needed in warm climates. The camera can be used either with or without flowing water. Water-cooling is probably not necessary for most users when the air temperature is below 10 degrees C (50 degrees F), since the dark current is fairly low already. Think of it as a summertime accessory! We do not recommend use of water cooling below freezing temperatures, where antifreeze must be added to the water. It is simply not necessary then. There is no problem using the camera at any time without water circulation. Adding water circulation simply improves the cooling performance. With water circulation the improvement in cooling is about 10 degrees C better than with air only. You may supply your own pump and tubing or use the optional pump and tubing available from SBIG. To operate the camera with water circulation using the optional pump available from SBIG, start with the camera at the same level as the water reservoir. Connect all the hoses, and make sure the water return goes back into the reservoir. Push the inch internal diameter (ID) hoses onto the nipples on the back of the camera so they seal. Attach one hose to the nipple onto the reducing connector that adapts the inch ID hose to the inch diameter hose from the pump. Turn on the pump, and let the flow establish itself through the hoses. Next, mount the camera to the telescope. If you always keep the return hose outlet near the reservoir level the pump will have no problem raising the water 2 meters (6 feet) off the floor. The limited pressure capacity of the pump is only a problem when you let the water fall back into the reservoir from a significant height above it, such a 0.3 meter (12 inches). Lastly, check for leaks! Once you have established water circulation, turn on the TE cooler to 100% by giving it a target temperature of 50 degrees. Wait for about 10 to 20 minutes for the system to stabilize at the lowest temperature it can achieve. Examine the camera temperature, and reset the set point to 3 degrees C above the current temperature. This 3 degree temperature margin will enable the camera to regulate the temperature accurately. When using water cooling, avoid the temptation to put ice in the water to get the camera even colder. If colder water is used, the head may fog or frost up, depending on the dew point. At the end of the evening, stop the pump, and raise the outlet hose above the camera to let all the water drain out of the system. Blowing it out with gently pressure helps clear the water. You can leave the hoses full of water, but if a leak occurs while youre not there you may have a problem. When packing the camera for a long time, or at the end of summer, disconnect the hoses and blow out the heat sink to allow the enclosed spaces to dry out and minimize long term corrosion.

SGS - Self-Guided Spectrograph
The SGS Self Guided Spectrograph takes the tedium out of spectroscopy by allowing you to image and guide the source on the tracking CCD while acquiring its spectra on the imaging CCD. No more hunting around to place the object on the slit! With the SGS you can measure galactic redshifts, stellar classifications and determine nebular constituency. This is another example of the value of a self-guided camera like the ST-7XE, 8XE, 9XE, 10XE, ST-10XME and ST-2000XM.

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Third Party Products and Services
There are numerous third party products and services available directed to the CCD user. Appendix E mentions a few vendors who have supported SBIG products just to give you an idea of the ever increasing interest in this new technology.

6.7.1. Windows Software

Our CCDOPS version 5 software is compatible with Windows 95/98/2000/Me/NT/XP. However, many users also want additional image processing or analytical features not found in CCDOPS. Therefore, since January 2001, all SBIG cameras also include CCDSoftV5 which is a joint software development of SBIG and Software Bisque. There are also several other commercial Windows programs available which include a stellar database, telescope control for computerized telescopes like the Meade LX200, and CCD camera functions in an integrated package.
6.7.2. Image Processing Software
There are a host of image processing software packages capable of reading and processing FITS and TIFF files and many packages will read and process native SBIG image formats as well. In addition to commercial software, a number of web sites offer public domain and shareware programs.

6.7.3. Getting Hardcopy

One older way of producing a hard copy of images taken with the CCD camera is to simply take a photograph of the computer screen while the image is displayed. It is best to use a long lens and step back from the monitor to reduce the appearance of the curvature of the edges of the screen, and use an exposure longer than 1/30th of a second to avoid the video refresh rate of your monitor. Darken the room, and use a brighter background than is visually optimum. For the best quality hard copy, save the files in TIFF format and send a copy of the file on a disk to a photo lab which offers printing of digital images. The Windows version of CCDOPS allows for printing of the images, and there are a number of third party software programs for the PC such as Pizzaz Plus which will capture and print the display on your computer screen. These programs, however, do not produce very detailed prints and are useful only to a very limited degree. Recently, photo quality color desktop printers have become commonplace. Many of these printers will do a reasonable job with commercial image processing programs such as Adobe Photoshop.

following suggestions. The easiest method of finding objects is to use a reticule eyepiece, if the object is bright enough to see. Pull the CCD optical head from the eyepiece holder and insert a 12-20mm eyepiece, focusing the eyepiece by sliding it in and out of the eyepiece holder, not by adjusting the telescope's focus mechanism. Center the object carefully (to within 10% of the total field) and then replace the CCD optical head. Since the head was fully seated against the eyepiece holder when you started, fully seating it upon replacement will assure the same focus. If the object is too dim to see visually you will have to rely on your setting circles. Go to a nearby star or object that is easily visible and center that object in the CCD image. Calibrate your RA setting circle on the known object's RA and note any DEC errors. Reposition the telescope at the intended object, using the correct RA setting and the same DEC offset noted with the calibration object. Try a ten second or one minute exposure and hopefully you will have winged the object. If not you will have to hunt around for the object. You can use the Focus mode in Low resolution mode for this and hopefully you won't have to search too far. Check in DEC first, as DEC setting circles are often smaller and less accurate. Telescope Port doesn't Move Telescope - If you find the camera is not moving the telescope for Tracking, Track and Accumulate or Self Guiding you should use the Move Telescope command with a several second period to isolate the problem down to a specific direction or directions. If you set the Camera Resolution to the Low mode in the Camera Setup Command, you can move the telescope and Grab an image fairly quickly to detect movement of the telescope pointed at a moderately bright star. Try each of the four directions and see which ones move and which ones don't. At this point the most likely culprit is the hand controller modification. Trace the signals from the camera's telescope connector back through the hand controller, paying particular attention to the offending wires. Can't Reach Low Setpoint Temperatures - If you find that the camera isn't getting as cold as expected the problem is probably increased ambient temperatures. While these cameras have temperature regulation, they still can only cool a fixed amount below the ambient temperature (30 to 40 C). Lowering the ambient temperature allows the cameras to achieve lower setpoint temperatures. CCD Frosts - If your camera starts to frost after a year of use it's time to regenerate the desiccant as described in Appendix C. This is a simple matter of unscrewing the desiccant container and baking it (without the little O-ring) in an oven at 350F for 4 hours. No Image is Displayed - Try the Auto Contrast setting or use the crosshairs to examine the image pixel values and pick appropriate values for the Background and Range parameters. Horizontal Faint Light Streaks in Image - some PCs apparently have the mouse generate nonmaskable interrupts when moved. These interrupts can slightly brighten the line being read out. If this occurs, do not move the mouse during read out.

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Glossary
Antiblooming Gate - When a CCD pixel has reached its full well capacity, electrons can effectively spill over into an adjoining pixel. This is referred to as blooming. Kodak CCDs with the antiblooming option can be used to help stop or at least reduce blooming when the brighter parts of the image saturate. Astrometry - Astrometry is the study of stellar positions with respect to a given coordinate system. Autoguider - All SBIG CCD cameras have auto guiding or "Star Tracker" functions. This is accomplished by using the telescope drive motors to force a guide star to stay precisely centered on a single pixel of the CCD array. The camera has four relays to control the drive corrector system of the telescope. The CCD camera head is installed at the guide scope or off axis guider in place of a guiding eyepiece. CCD - The CCD (Charged Coupled Device) is a flat, two dimensional array of very small light detectors referred to as pixels. Each pixel acts like a bucket for electrons. The electrons are created by photons (light) absorbed in the pixel. During an exposure, each pixel fills up with electrons in proportion to the amount of light entering the pixel. After the exposure is complete, the electron charge buildup in each pixel is measured. When a pixel is displayed at the computer screen, its displayed brightness is proportional to the number of electrons that had accumulated in the pixel during the exposure. Dark Frame - The user will need to routinely create image files called Dark Frames. A Dark Frame is an image taken completely in the dark. The shutter covers the CCD. Dark Frames are subtracted from normal exposures (light frames) to eliminate fixed pattern and dark current noise from the image. Dark Frames must be of the same integration time and temperature as the light frame being processed. Dark Noise - Dark Noise or Dark Current is the result of thermally generated electrons building up in the CCD pixels during an exposure. The number of electrons due to Dark Noise is related to just two parameters; integration time and temperature of the CCD. The longer the integration time, the greater the dark current buildup. Conversely, the lower the operating temperature, the lower the dark current. This is why the CCD is cooled for long integration times. Dark noise is a mostly repeatable noise source, therefore it can be subtracted from the image by taking a "Dark Frame" exposure and subtracting it from the light image. This can usually be done with very little loss of dynamic range. Double Correlated Sampling - Double Correlated Sampling (DCS) is employed to lower the digitization errors due to residual charge in the readout capacitors. This results in lower readout noise. False Color - False Color images are images that have had colors assigned to different intensities instead of gray levels. FITS Image File Format - The FITS image file format (which stands for Flexible Image Transport System) is a common format supported by professional astronomical image processing programs such as IRAF and PC Vista. CCDOPS can save image files in this format but can not read them.

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Flat Field - A Flat Field is a image with a uniform distribution of light entering the telescope. An image taken this way is called a flat field image and is used with CCDOPS to correct images for vignetting. Focal Reducer - A Focal Reducer reduces the effective focal length of an optical system. It consists of a lens mounted in a cell and is usually placed in front of an eyepiece or camera. With the relatively small size of CCDs compared to film, focal reducers are often used in CCD imaging. Frame Transfer CCDs - Frame Transfer CCDs are CCDs that have a metal mask over some portion (usually half) of the pixel array. The unmasked portion is used to collect the image. After the exposure is complete, the CCD can very quickly shift the image from the unmasked portion of the CCD to the masked portion, thus protecting the image from light which may still be impinging on the CCD. This acts as an electronic shutter. Full Well Capacity - Full Well Capacity refers to the maximum number of electrons a CCD pixel can hold. This number is usually directly proportional to the area of the pixel. Histogram - The Histogram is a table of the number of pixels having a given intensity for each of the possible pixel locations of the image file. Remember that, in the end, the image file is nothing more than a list of pixel values, one for each CCD pixel. These value numbers can be displayed in two formats; as a table or plotted as a graph. Light Frame - The Light Frame is the image of an object before a Dark Frame has been subtracted. Photometry - Photometry is the study of stellar magnitudes at a given wavelength or bandpass. Pixel Size - The smallest resolution element of a CCD camera is the CCD pixel. The pixel sizes for each of the SBIG cameras are as follows:
Camera TC-211 Tracking CCD TC-237 Tracking CCD ST-5C ST-237/237A STV ST-7XE/ST-8XE ST-9XE ST-10XE, ST-10XME ST-1001E ST-2000XM Pixel Size (microns) 13.75 x 16 7.4 x 7.x 10 7.4 x 7.4 14.8 x 14.8 9xx 20 6.8 x 6.x 24 7.4 x 7.4
Planet Mode - Planet Mode is the most useful way to achieve focus. When you select Planet mode, a full frame is exposed, downloaded, and displayed on the computer monitor. A small window can be placed anywhere in the image area and the size of the window can be changed. Subsequent downloads will be of the area inside the box resulting in a much faster update rate. Quantum Efficiency - Quantum Efficiency refers to the fractional number of electrons formed in the CCD pixel for a given number of photons. Quantum Efficiency is usually plotted as a function of wavelength.

Model ST-2000XM/XCM CCD Imaging Camera

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ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
1. Model ST-2000XM Dual CCD Self-Guiding Camera
Our customers have been invaluable sources of inspiration and direction. It was in direct response to customer inquiries that we developed the ST-2000XM. Now those casual imagers who wanted something bigger and better but not at such a high price as the ST-8 or ST-10 have got what they asked for. The ST-2000XM has been developed to meet the needs of the astro imager looking for: A relatively large CCD with a generous field of view Lots of pixels - more than a megapixel Good sensitivity Low noise Antiblooming protection High resolution on smaller telescopes Flexibility of binning 2x2 on larger scopes with good image size Self-guiding High speed download Professional software Easy to use Full compliment of optional custom accessories Lower price SBIG quality and support
ST-2000XM CCD IMAGING CAMERA
The new model ST-2000XM uses an high quality interline CCD from Kodak, the KODAK DIGITAL SCIENCE KAI-2020M Image Sensor Megapixel Progressive Scan Interline CCD. The KODAK DIGITAL SCIENCETM KAI2020M is a high-performance multi-megapixel image sensor designed for a wide range of scientific, medical imaging, and machine vision applications. The 7.4 mm square pixels with microlenses provide high sensitivity and the large full well capacity results in high dynamic range. The vertical overflow drain structure provides antiblooming protection, and enables electronic shuttering for precise exposure control. Other features include low dark current, negligible lag and low smear. The KAI-2020M CCD is a 2 megapixel progressive scan detector with an active image area of 1.92 million pixels. The active image area is 1600 x 1200 pixels. This array is 75% larger than the Sony CCD used in competitors' "megapixel" cameras and the ST-2000XM is a self-guiding camera, utilizing SBIG's patented dual sensor design. The imaging CCD is nearly the same size as the KAF-1603ME used in the ST8XME but due to the smaller pixel size it contains nearly half a million more pixels than the ST-8XME. Full frame download time is approximately 4.5 seconds with our high speed USB 1.1 electronics. This camera is also fully compatible with all of our existing accessories such as the CFW8 filter wheel and AO-7 adaptive optics device. The ST-2000XM has antiblooming protection and the quantum efficiency is comparable to the ABG versions of the new enhanced full frame "E" detectors used in the ST-7XE cameras with a shift in the peak sensitivity toward the blue. Compared to the ABG versions of the full frame "E" series cameras, the ST-2000XM is more sensitive in the blue and green, and slightly less sensitive in the red. Moreover, because the ST-2000XM has two CCDs (a guiding CCD as well as an imaging CCD) in the same camera head, it is
capable of self-guiding without any compromise in the quantum efficiency of the imaging CCD. In other words, not only CAN it self-guide, it can do so without having to double the exposure time to compensate for the guiding feature. Kodak has improved the sensitivity and noise performance of this CCD since it was introduced, and we now use the latest higher QE, lower noise KAI-2020M in all ST-2000 cameras. The ST-2000XM is a complete camera system. There is no need to add in the additional cost of an interface or an autoguider or a nosepiece or better software to make these cameras actually operate as they should. Everything that is needed to make the camera operational is included in the base price
Each ST-2000XM camera system INCLUDES at no additional cost: Rugged camera body with imaging and autoguiding CCDs and new analog and digital electronics 2 Megapixel KAI-2020M imaging CCD Built-in TC-237 CCD autoguider with 10X the sensitivity of an ST-4 High speed USB 1.1 interface (up to 421,000 pixels per second) New I2C bi-directional expansion port Standard accessory / telescope port User rechargeable desiccant plug (no need to return the camera to the factory for frosting problems) "Dummy" desiccant plug for dust prevention during recharging procedure Internal shutter 2" Nosepiece Cooling Fan - on/off controlled by software New heat exchanger design with water cooling capability Tripod mount 1/4-20 threaded side plate T-thread ring 15 foot USB cable (third party USB extenders available for up to 500 meters!)

Adapter plug for telescope interface cable (for autoguiding) Telescope interface cable (for autoguiding) Universal 90-240VAC power supply with remote on/off switch SBIG's CCDOPS version 5 camera control software Software Bisque's CCDSoftV5 camera control and image processing software Software Bisque's TheSky version 5, level II Operating Manual Custom design hard carrying case with pre-cut foam for your camera
What you get with the ST-2000XM Megapixels Good pixel resolution on small scopes Big field of view on small and medium scopes High blue response Mechanical shutter for dark frames Second CCD included Regulated cooling to 0.1 degrees Improved cooling capability Premium software: CCDSoftV5 and TheSky Fast electronics Fast Full Frame Downloads
Feature High Pixel Count Small pixels Large CCD Array QE at 400 nm Auto dark frames Self-guiding Reuse Dark Frames Water cooling available Extra Software High Speed A/D High Speed USB 1.1
ST-2000XM 2 million (1.92 million image area) 7.4 microns 1648 x 1214 (1600 x 1200 image area) 47% Yes Yes Yes Included (up to -45C delta) Included at no additional cost ~425,000 pixels / sec ~4.5 sec
ST-2000XM First Light Images:
M51. ST-2000XM. This LRGB test shot was taken by Ron Wodaski through a 6" refractor using a CFW8A filter wheel. The Luminance frame was 7x3 minutes and four sets of RGB frames were 3:3:3 minutes. The full field of view is shown above reduced 50% to 600 x 800. The central portion at high resolution is shown below.
ST-2000XM Typical Specifications CCD Specifications CCD Kodak KAI-2020M + TC-237 Pixel Array 1600 x 1200 pixels, 11.8 x 8.9 mm Total Pixels 2 million Pixel Size 7.4 x 7.4 microns Full Well Capacity 45,000 e- unbinned 90,000 e- binned 2x2 Dark Current 0.5e/pixel/sec at 0 C Antiblooming Standard Readout Specifications Shutter Electromechanical Exposure 0.001 to 3600 sec., 10ms resolution Correlated Double Sampling Yes A/D Converter 16 bits A/D Gain 0.6e- /ADU unbinned, 0.9 e- binned Read Noise 7.9 e- RMS Binning Modes 1 x 1, 2 x 2, 3 x 3, and 1 x N, 2 x N, 3 x N Pixel Digitization Rate Up to 425,000 pxels per second Full Frame Acquisition 4.5 seconds Optical Specifications (8" f/10) Field of View 20 x 15 arcminutes Pixel Size.75 x.75 arcseconds Limiting Magnitude Magnitude 14 in 1 second (for 3 arcsec FWHM stars) Magnitude 18 in 1 minute System Specifications Cooling - standard Single Stage Thermoelectric, Active Fan, Water Assist Ready -35 C from ambient with air only -45 C from Ambient with water Temperature Regulation 0.1C Power 5 VDC at 1.5 amps, 12 VDC at 0.5 amp desktop power supply included Computer Interface USB Computer Compatibility Windows 98/NT/2000/Me/XP Mac OS-X Linux (third party suppliers) Guiding Dual CCD Self-Guiding Physical Dimensions Optical Head 5 inches dia. x 3 inches 12.5 cm dia. x 7.5 cm deep, 2 pounds/0.9 Kg CPU All electronics integrated into Optical Head, No CPU Mounting T-Thread, 1.25" and 2" nosepieces included Backfocus 0.92 inches/2.3 cm

Price and specifications subject to change without notice
1. Model ST-2000XCM Dual CCD, Self-Guiding Camera with Single-Shot Color CCD
The ST-2000XCM is the same camera as the ST-2000XM monochrome, except that it uses a Kodak KAI-2020CM color CCD for single-shot color imaging. The KAI-2020CM CCD is a high-performance 2 million pixel sensor designed for a wide range of medical, scientific and machine vision applications. The 7.4 um square pixels with microlenses provide high sensitivity and the large full well capacity results in high dynamic range. The vertical overflow drain structure provides antiblooming protection and enables electronic shuttering for precise exposure control. Other features include low read noise, low dark current, negligible lag and low smear.
ST-2000XCM Single-Shot Color CCD IMAGING CAMERA
Like the monochrome version, the ST-2000XCM has an active image area of 1600 x 1200 pixels. This array is 75% larger than the Sony CCD used in competitors' "megapixel" one shot color cameras and the ST-2000XCM is a self-guiding camera, utilizing SBIG's patented dual sensor design. The imaging CCD is nearly the same size as the KAF-1603ME used in the ST8XME but due to the smaller pixel size it contains nearly half a million more pixels than the ST-8XME. Full frame download time is approximately 4.5 seconds with our high speed USB 1.1 electronics. This camera is also fully compatible with all of our existing accessories such as the AO-7 adaptive optics device.
M33. ST-2000XCM Single-Shot Color
The benefit of one-shot color is that no external color filters are used and self-guiding is always done through an unfiltered optical train (except for a UV/IR blocker if required). This makes finding guide stars easier and guiding a single exposure takes less time than guiding three or four RGB or LRGB exposures through color filters. On the other hand, the benefit of the monochrome version is that the filters can be selected by the user to match the CCD characteristics better, to perform photometry, or to do narrow band imaging. Ultimately, the monochrome camera with custom filters will produce a superior result. The trade-off is ease of use vs. sensitivity and flexibility.

ST-2000XCM Typical Specifications CCD Specifications CCD Kodak KAI-2020CM + TC-237 Pixel Array 1600 x 1200 pixels, 11.8 x 8.9 mm Total Pixels 2 million Pixel Size 7.4 x 7.4 microns Full Well Capacity 45,000 e- unbinned 90,000 e- binned 2x2 Dark Current 0.5e/pixel/sec at 0 C Antiblooming Standard Readout Specifications Shutter Electromechanical Exposure 0.001 to 3600 sec., 10ms resolution Correlated Double Sampling Yes A/D Converter 16 bits A/D Gain 0.6e- /ADU unbinned, 0.9 e- binned Read Noise 7.9 e- RMS Binning Modes 1 x 1, 2 x 2, 3 x 3, and 1 x N, 2 x N, 3 x N Pixel Digitization Rate Up to 425,000 pxels per second Full Frame Acquisition 4.5 seconds Optical Specifications (8" f/10) Field of View 20 x 15 arcminutes Pixel Size.75 x.75 arcseconds Limiting Magnitude Magnitude 14 in 1 second (for 3 arcsec FWHM stars) Magnitude 18 in 1 minute System Specifications Cooling - standard Single Stage Thermoelectric, Active Fan, Water Assist Ready -35 C from ambient with air only -45 C from Ambient with water Temperature Regulation 0.1C Power 5 VDC at 1.5 amps, 12 VDC at 0.5 amp desktop power supply included Computer Interface USB Computer Compatibility Windows 98/NT/2000/Me/XP Mac OS-X Linux (third party suppliers) Guiding Dual CCD Self-Guiding Physical Dimensions Optical Head 5 inches dia. x 3 inches 12.5 cm dia. x 7.5 cm deep, 2 pounds/0.9 Kg CPU All electronics integrated into Optical Head, No CPU Mounting T-Thread, 1.25" and 2" nosepieces included Backfocus 0.92 inches/2.3 cm