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Re: (meteorobs) Video Camera Data

Dave,
This is the same sort of security camera I mentioned with the same
results.  Depending on your intended purpose, it can be quite adequate.  I
use it on a all-sky mirror to TIME fireballs.  It has very limited
application for other meteor work without use in conjunction with an
intensifier.

Robert H. McNaught
rmn@aaocbn.aaodot gov.au

On Mon, 19 Jul 1999, Dave English wrote:

> I figured that a little more information is due so you can 
> estimate the bennifits and limitations of the camera Brian Hunter 
> wrote about for SeeSat. Here is the heart of his message;
> 
>        "As some of you know, my standard observing tool is an 80 mm. 
> f/5 refractor on a simple alt/az mount. I purchased a ccd-based low 
> light level televison camera and have it mounted on the end of the 
> elevation axis opposite the telescope. It is mounted on a 135 mm focal 
> length camera lens (48 mm aperature) and connected to a VCR. The two 
> 'telescopes' are pointed in the same direction so the VCR carries a 
> complete record of what I am looking at. The camera has a built in 
> microphone that picks up the clock ticks generated by the computer and 
> also any comments I make as I observe. 
> 
>        The camera is a P23C from Supercircuits Inc. in Leander Texas 
> (www.supercircuits.com), it sells for US$80 plus shipping.
> 
>        The remarkable thing about this camera is that it is rated a 
> 0.04 LUX (not a typo), and with a 48 mm aperture, I can see stars down 
> to 8th magnitude and satellites down to 7th magnitude and occasionally 
> fainter. The downside is that the ccd chip is only about 10 mm across 
> the diangonal and the field of view, even with the 135 mm focal 
> length, is only about 3 degrees. I'm playing with other optics to try 
> to find a combination that gives me a larger field of view and better 
> sensitivity.
> 
>        There are a couple of other minor problems. The resolution is 
> not great especially on bright objects, there appears to be blooming 
> from pixel to pixel and I don't ever get pinpoint or single pixel 
> images. The chip is not cooled and at high gain, the random background 
> noise is quite obvious."   Brian Hunter<bkh<@chem.QueensUdot ca>
> 
>        I hope that Bob and Ed and others who are interested in using 
> video to record their observing sessions can work out if this camera 
> is worth looking into. 
>                              Dave English
> 
> 
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