Introducing the Ultrastar, the latest compact camera from Starlight Xpress
The Ultrastar is an excellent entry level imaging camera. It can be easily configured to take a series or continuous short exposures, automatically adding the images together as it goes, building up the image in front of your very eyes. This concept is perfect for public outreach programs where the images can be seen ‘developing’ in real time, ensuring that not only photons are captured, but also their imagination. Schools and curriculum based astronomy projects will also benefit greatly from this form of imaging.
The Ultrastar is incredibly compact in size. It is powered and driven through the mini-USB connection on the rear of the camera, which makes it perfect for mobile setups and remote field operation as well being easily transported. Combine all of these features with the free Starlight LIVE software, Live Viewing imaging is suddenly amazingly simple and very effective.
Conventional long-exposure imaging is also perfectly practical with the Ultrastar. The camera is uncooled, but its dark signal is very low and any warm pixels are easily removed by applying hot pixel filters, or by stacking ‘dithered’ images. Conventional dark frame subtraction can also be used. It is also supplied with original Starlight Xpress imaging software.
This compact camera is packed full of great features:
- Only 1,25” in diameter allows it to drop neatly into your 1,25” eyepiece holder - no additional adaptors required.
- Large Imaging Area giving you a wide field of view for framing galaxies or finding a suitable guide star.
- Sensitivity with an impressive 75% QE, and large pixels, the Ultrastar just sucks up those photons. Sensitivity is key, but combined with the incredibly low noise of the Ultrastar, images has just appear even easier.
- Full size RJ12 Autoguider Port: No need to run extra cables from your computer to control your mount corrections.
- Powered by the USB of your computer so no need to carry an extra power supply with you
The Ultrastar is also a formidable guide camera: For years, the Lodestar has been held in the highest regard as being the best autoguider on the market as well as having a following of astronomers using it as a Galaxy Imager. The Ultrastar takes this use to a whole new level with the new 2/3” format ExView II CCD from Sony - now with almost twice the imaging area and a progressive scan CCD, the Ultrastar is even better suited for this role.
