Help getting a CCD

[atomic7732]

I want to get a CCD for my telescope, but I have a low budget... and I know nothing about how CCDs are mounted or what... I don't know but I've found a CCD with a 2" thread (whatever that means), and my telescope's eyepiece is 1.25"...

What should I even be looking for? What is a good inexpensive CCD that will work with my Celestron NexStar 114? I don't even think there is one, and I am not exactly sure what I should be looking for. If I need a different telescope, what is a similar telescope that a CCD can work with?

Thanks for your help in advance.

[atomic7732]

I'm stupid, I didn't see the sticky. I'm gonna read it.

That didn't help. I'm sure it will when I can actually pay for a $3000 telescope that can probably virtually take any CCD ever made, but I'm probably limited to 1, or even none. So any help is appreciated.

[ollypenrice]

Do you mean a fast frame camera (essentially webcam) for capturing the planets/moon or a deep sky, long exposure camera? They are two different animals.

There is no point in getting a deep sky CCD camera until you have a very accurate mount, HEQ5 minmum, because for long exposures you need very very accurate tracking of the sky.

Olly

[atomic7732]

Well, I'm not really sure. After I found out a few ground-based transiting exoplanet searches used 4 in scopes... I thought maybe I could try to do some photometry and stuff, and then I'd have a CCD for doing other stuff too. Also supposedly a 2.5" scope caught XO-1 b (not sure on the exoplanet).