CCD Astrophotography Cameras

CCD cameras used for astronomy range from under $100 for cheap Webcams to over $25,000 for professional imaging systems. There are two types of CCD cameras used for astrophotography:

CCD single-frame cameras that allow time exposure (integration) imaging.

CCD video cameras that provide real-time viewing.

Unlike CCD video cameras that gives continuous updates of the image, still CCD cameras have longer exposure times, with many (hundreds if not thousands) of images taken that are later downloaded to a computer and processed with CCD imaging software.

Many CCD camera systems for astrophotography contain integral auto-guiders, which control a telescopes mount for precision tracking. In this way, exposure times can be as long as you want as the target object is perfectly positioned on the CCD sensor as it moves across the night sky.

Some major makers of CCD cameras for astrophotography include:

• Apogee Instruments CCD cameras
• Finger Lakes Instruments (FLI) CCD cameras
• Meade Instruments CCD cameras
• Orion StarShoot CCD cameras
• Photometrics CCD cameras
• SAC Imaging CCD cameras
• Santa Barbera Instrument Group (SBIG) CCD cameras