Astronomy CCD & CMOS Cameras for Telescopes

Astronomy cameras take pictures of celestial objects in the night sky. There are many different brands and types of telescope cameras on the market today, but they all work in the same basic way. When the camera is pointed at the subject and the shutter is open, light enters the opening and an image of the subject is recorded on some form of light-sensitive material. Once the image has been taken, the shutter is closed and the photographer goes about processing that image. Most astronomy cameras on the market today use a CCD or CMOS light sensor instead of photographic film, and that means the image is processed digitally, either in the camera itself, which is the case with a smartphone, point and shoot or DSLR camera, or on a computer. When a telescope imaging camera is designed for astronomy, the raw image collected on the CCD or CMOS sensor is electronically moved off the camera to the astrophotographer's computer for processing.

Telescope cameras for astronomy are available in a wide price range, and the price difference is driven by two things; the size of the CCD or CMOS sensor and the features of the camera body itself. Small, simple imaging cameras meant for taking pictures of bright objects, such as the Moon and planets, are very economical and a great way to jump into astrophotography. Telescope cameras with larger sensors are capable of capturing the faint light from distant galaxies and other far-off celestial objects. Imaging sensors that are physically bigger also cover a wider swath of sky and are therefore capable of imaging very large objects. Astronomy camera sensors come in color and monochrome (black and white), and the camera bodies can have features such as cooling, built-in color filter wheels, autoguiders, and more. Contact High Point Scientific today for any questions about astrophotography CCD cameras or CMOS cameras.