Best imaging camera for Saturn, with C8 edge

[Flame Nebula]

Hi, 

I'm wondering what would be the best camera to pull out as much detail as a 8" sct scope can provide for Saturn's rings in particular, but obviously such a camera would be good for jupiter. 

Thanks 

Mark 

 

[Cosmic Geoff]

I doubt that there is any "best camera" and new models are constantly being introduced.   Newer ones have smaller pixels so you don't  have to use a Barlow lens or Powermate to match the camera to the SCT's focal length.  I started with a ASI120MC which worked quite well, then an ASI224MC, then an ASI462MC.  Somebody pointed out the ASI715MC to a SCT user asking a similar question.

[Kon]

What Geof said above (it was me who suggested the 715mc on the other post; you are looking 5x the pixel size of the camera and your telescope is f10 so the 715 will not need a barlow to get the correct sampling). You will also need an ADC as Saturn is fairly low in UK to cut through the atmosphere. Yes the camera will be good for all the planets (and moon) not just Saturn.

[Flame Nebula]

18 minutes ago, Kon said:

What Geof said above (it was me who suggested the 715mc on the other post; you are looking 5x the pixel size of the camera and your telescope is f10 so the 715 will not need a barlow to get the correct sampling). You will also need an ADC as Saturn is fairly low in UK to cut through the atmosphere. Yes the camera will be good for all the planets (and moon) not just Saturn.

Thanks Kon, 

Would the 715mc be useful for dso with an Ed80, (at F6)? 

Thanks 

Mark 

[Flame Nebula]

1 hour ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

I doubt that there is any "best camera" and new models are constantly being introduced.   Newer ones have smaller pixels so you don't  have to use a Barlow lens or Powermate to match the camera to the SCT's focal length.  I started with a ASI120MC which worked quite well, then an ASI224MC, then an ASI462MC.  Somebody pointed out the ASI715MC to a SCT user asking a similar question.

Thanks Geoff

Mark

[Kon]

18 minutes ago, Flame Nebula said:

Thanks Kon, 

Would the 715mc be useful for dso with an Ed80, (at F6)? 

Thanks 

Mark 

Sorry Mark, but I do not know as I do not do DSO imaging. You might want to ask the DSO experts.

[Flame Nebula]

3 minutes ago, Kon said:

Sorry Mark, but I do not know as I do not do DSO imaging. You might want to ask the DSO experts.

Thanks Kon, 

Mark

[IDM]

9 hours ago, Flame Nebula said:

715mc be useful for dso with an Ed80, (at F6

Whilst it will work it’s not great as you will be considerably over sampled. The easy way to check telescopes with different cameras is to use this online calculator:

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/ccd_suitability
 

It suggests the combination is not good also the lack of cooling doesn’t help. Though I do know some planetary camera are better than others with regard to long exposure DSO work, I am afraid I don’t know which would be best.

Ian

[Flame Nebula]

4 minutes ago, IDM said:

Whilst it will work it’s not great as you will be considerably over sampled. The easy way to check telescopes with different cameras is to use this online calculator:

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/ccd_suitability
 

It suggests the combination is not good also the lack of cooling doesn’t help. Though I do know some planetary camera are better than others with regard to long exposure DSO work, I am afraid I don’t know which would be best.

Ian

Thanks Ian

Mark 

[Elp]

The sensor is tiny, for this reason alone I wouldn't use it for DSO. The pixels are also very small so it'll take longer for them to saturate and you might find the camera "slow" because of this.

If you want a good planetary camera for DSO look to the 485 (has amp glow, not an issue if you calibrate your lights) or the newer 585. The latter is so useful there's now a cooled one coming out. It was designed for planetary but I've found it works very well for DSO imaging if you can put up with the wide-screen aspect ratio (you'll miss the height if you've used a different similar rectangular sensor).

The goto starter DSO camera nowadays is the 533 or the non zwo equivalent.

Edited March 27 by Elp