What is a CCD?

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 5:38 pm

What is a CCD? How much does it cost? How does it work? How to use it? :roll:

Post by **weixing** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:01 pm

Hi,
Actually a CCD(charge coupled device) is a device consists of several hundred thousand individual picture elements (pixels) on a tiny 1/2", 1/3", or 1/4" chip. Each pixel responds to light falling on it by storing a tiny charge of electricity. The pixels are arranged on a precise grid, with vertical and horizontal transfer registers carrying the signals to the camera's video processing circuitry.
Depending on what type and brand of camera you want, the price may vary. Those CCD camera design for astrophotography will be the most expensive and those digital camera for consumer use will be much cheaper, but not all model are suitable for astrophotography.
They are a few connecting method. You can connect to the eyepiece for eyepiece projection, mount directly to the telescope without the eyepiece or piggy back on the telescope for wide astrophotography.
Hope the above information are useful to you...

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:07 pm

Where does captured transfer to? a computer? What is the cost of the cheapest CCD camera?

Post by **weixing** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:17 pm

Hi,
OK.. CCD is a electronic chip that is inside the digital camera. The light will enter through the camera lens and fall on the CCD chip. Consumer digital camera will capture the image and transfer to a Compact Flash Card, SD Card or even MicroDrive(small hard disk). There are quite a few of the digital camera that are suitable and the price are not very cheap, normally over S$700++.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:19 pm

Zzzz.. I can't afford. Forget it.

Post by **weixing** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 6:23 pm

Hi,
That's right... it is a big investment... Save your money to get a good telescope is better...

kcy · Post by **kcy** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 10:10 pm

Hoho after buying it ya still need to learn to do alignment, find the objects ya want to take..unless ya know all these stuff and has a GOTO.

Post by Q » Fri Oct 17, 2003 10:12 pm

even with a GOTO you will still to do alignment right?

Post by **Airconvent** » Sun Oct 19, 2003 2:23 am

yes but its a whole load easier.
Find a star you know, align to it once and if all goes well, the alignment will not be mentioned again for the duration of the session...

rich