Celestron Nightscape CCD Camera AstroFX Imaging Software Manual - Page 4

The CCC Tabs SNAP The Central Control Console of AstroFX defaults to the SNAP tab at far left (Figure 1). Note the little camera icon on top. This is where you begin to "snap" those great shots - "Say Cheese!" Camera Setting controls the speed of the cooling fan. Choose High, Medium or Low. • High quickly lowers the sensor's temperature to reach your desired setpoint. This should only be used prior to actually taking Light or Dark images when thermal equilibrium is not crucial. • Medium is the typical setting for imaging unless the setpoint cannot be maintained. • Low may be sufficient once Nightscape has reached its desired setpoint. Additionally, the Low setting should be used when the camera is in Fastar (f/2) configuration. With the camera in front of the telescope, this setting will provide a less turbulent, laminar airflow. Cooler turns the Peltier cooler on and off. You will want this enabled to control CCD "dark current" noise for deep sky imaging. Setpoint lets you choose the specific temperature you wish to cool the CCD sensor to. The Peltier will attempt to reach the setpoint and hold it steady. While the cooler is capable of reaching to -20 degrees below ambient temperature (expressed in Celsius), it will have a more difficult time achieving a low setpoint on hot summer nights. Temp. reports the sensor's current temperature in Celsius. Exposure type can be set to Focus Mode, Calibration Frames (Bias, Dark, and Flat) or Astro Image. Choosing the appropriate type will aid AstroFX during the STACK process. Exposure type also affects the behavior of Nightscape, as you will see. Focus Mode will begin a sequence of continuous exposures when the Start Imaging button is pressed. Exposures will continue until stopped by clicking the Abort button. Focus exposures are not saved to the Root Image Folder. See the Nightscape Setup Guide for more information. Focus Mode is also useful for any exposure which you do not want saved (i.e. centering a target on the sensor) Astro Image are your Light frames = your pictures. When Start Imaging is clicked, AFX will open Nightscape's shutter to acquire images and save them to the Root Image Folder. Calibration Frames are necessary to get the most from your Light frames. Capture them before or after your imaging sessions so you do not waste precious time under a dark sky. Calibration (Bias) frames are an electronic portrait of the camera and are produced by using an exposure time of '0'. When selected, Start Imaging will take Bias frames with Nightscape's shutter closed to prevent any light from falling on the sensor. Bias frames are most useful for producing master Flat Dark frames or for scaling back longer Dark frame exposures to match shorter Light frame exposures. Consider taking a minimum of 25 Bias frames when they are needed. Bias frames should match Flat frames in resolution (binning) and temperature. 3 www.celestron.com