Camera for lunar imaging

[PatrickO]

I'm deciding on a camera for high resolution lunar imaging. I'm going to be using an 8" SCT.

I'm considering the ZWO ASI224MC and ASI120MM-S.

As my lunar images are really grey scale anyway would I be better with the mono camera?

Advice much appreciated.

[ONIKKINEN]

The typical advice for an "ideal" focal ratio for lucky imaging is in the range of pixel size in microns x 4-6. So for your f/10 scope, i think a 2 micron pixel camera like the 678MC would do nicely without a barlow.

You can image the Moon in RGB too, it just takes some effort in the colour processing part to make an image where the colours are nice and balanced enough to look at. With mono you can use filters like a solar continuum or an IR pass filter, so some choices to be made on what you really want. Although many OSC cameras also have decent sensitivity in IR so you can also use the IR pass filter with a colour camera to get a monochrome image - likewise with the solar continuum filter, although now only half the pixels are doing any work so half the sensitivity.

[bosun21]

A OSC camera works well for the moon. Any of the newer planetary cameras would be my choice. The ASI585MC is a good choice although being more expensive as the larger sensor allows you to capture a larger area of the moon. You can always do a mosaic to compensate the smaller sensors on planetary cameras. I would go for the 224 over the 120MM as if you are just starting out I would keep it simple and avoid mono(for now at least). You can always shoot in colour and convert to mono in the software.I do mainly planetary imaging and have only recently started doing lunar. Good luck.

[Kon]

Some good suggestions above. Not sure why you selected the 224c than newer ones but it has nice IR sensitivity and with an IR pass filter it effectively behaves like mono. I would go for it over the 120.

You will probably need a Barlow to bring it to 5x the pixel size of the camera.

[astrolulu]

Hi Patrick. The models you mentioned have definitely too large pixel size (3.75), which will prevent you from using the full resolution resulting from the 8" diameter of the telescope. In the case of SCT with a focal length of approximately 2 m, the 2.4 pixel, used in models such as the ASI 178, is much more optimal. To get closer to the optimum, you would have to use a Barlow lens, extending the focal length to an absurd size of 4 m.

Please have a look: http://www.wilmslowastro.com/software/formulae.htm#CCD_Sampling