QHY8L-C Instruction Manual 1/4/13 1
Table of Contents 1.Connection and Safety Instructions .............................. 3 2. Driver Installation and Software Quick Start Guide .....7 3. Set the GAIN and OFFSET ........................................... 13 4. Image Calibration ....................................................... 14 5. Camera Attachment ................................................... 17 6. Camera Parameters ................................................... 20 7. Accessories and Interface Specification ..............
Chapter 1. Connection and Safety Instructions 1. The larger surface area of the CCD chip and cooling system make it more fragile than a small or medium sized CCD. Take extra care when transporting and using the device. 2. Do not block the cooling vents. 3. Connection Sequence: • • • Connect USB cable from camera to PC Connect 9-pin cable from camera to DC201, with EMC filter on DC201 end Connect 12V power to DC201 4.
exposure time for both frames, the QHY8L uses two exposure modes: Single frame exposure and double frames exposure. When exposure time is short (high speed readout mode less than 1.4sec, slow mode less than 3.47 sec), the QHY8L will select double frames exposure mode automatically. It will expose twice with the same exposure time. It will readout the first frame pixels after the first exposure, and it will readout the second frame pixels after the second exposure.
Infrared cut-off glass window moisture If the cooling temperature is too low in a high humidity environment, the infrared cutoff glass window may collect dew. This is due to the temperature of the window being too low. Please use the following method if you encounter this problem. • Install M42 to M42 heater which produced by the QHYCCD. The heater can raise the glass window's temperature to avoid dew forming. • Reduce the cooling power, the best temperature range for the QHY8L is from 5°C to -15°C.
work, please reduce the power gradually if the cooler power is high, and turn off the power of the camera. 12. Clean the surface of CCD If dust particles impact your images, you can open the front of the camera to clean the surface of the CCD. We suggest using the flat field calibration method to process the images for small dust particles so as to avoid the need to open the front cover. To open the front cover, proceed as follows: • Screw the front cover of CCD counterclockwise.
Chapter 2. Driver Installation and Software Quick Start Guide Quick Start and Driver Installation • Please download the latest version driver for the QHY8L, double click the driver installation program, and wait for it complete. • Using USB cable to connect the camera and your computer (do not connect the 9-pin cable), waiting patiently for a system report to prompt you complete the installation of new hardware. • If the driver installation is successful, the camera's LED light will flash.
• Click live button, Click the area of the image to get a more precise target. At this point, it will show the analytic curve in the screen view column and a 5X zoom focus image. While it is exposing, the FWHM column will show the width of star and the peak intensity of the star. Generally, the smaller FWHM and the larger the peak intensity the better the focus. • When you finish focusing, open the capture column and start to shooting. Set the appropriate value of GAIN, OFFSET and exposure time.
• Set exposure time at the bottom of the CCD control window, click START button to shoot one picture. Nebulosity • Please download the latest version of the ASCOM platform. If it has the latest UPDATE, please download it together. Install ASCOM and UPDATE. • Download and install the ASCOM driver of the QHY8L. • Start Nebulosity program. In the drop-down box under “Capture Control”, select QHY8L. • Set gain, offset as usual (0, 125). • Click EDIT on top bar, then “Preferences”.
• Click “Live View” for focusing and framing. Click Shoot to capture an image or use the Plan function. Note that for single exposures, time information is to be entered in the box to the lower right. Be aware that focusing with this program is a bit difficult because of the long time between image refreshes on the screen when in live view mode. ImagesPlus Camera Control • Please download the latest version of the ASCOM platform. If it has the latest UPDATE, please download it together.
• Select Guide column in the Camera Control window. Set the exposure time, the unit is second. • Click "Settings", open the "Guider Settings" window, click "Reset" in "Exposure Settings" area, which will restore maximum viewing area, click "OK" to save. • Click START button to shoot one picture. • The image will be shown when the camera finishes shooting. You can use the Screen Stretch tool to adjust the stretching of image.
below). Separate color layers (R,G,B) can also be created as separate FITS files using the File, Save Color Components command. • In AstroArt, load FITS image from camera, select “Color” from top menu, then “CCD color synthesis”. Make sure XY Offset values are both set to 0. Then click OK. Color image will appear. AstroArt does a nice job of balancing the color, as well. To save the separate color components, select “Color” from top menu, then “Split RGB”.
Chapter 3 Set the GAIN and OFFSET GAIN is the pre-ADC (analog-to-digital converter) programmable gain amplifier setting. OFFSET is the ADC voltage offset setting. The correct setting of OFFSET and GAIN can change the CCD's system gain, to make the CCD output signal range match the ADC quantization range, so as to get the best dynamic range. Suitable for most GAIN and OFFSET Settings: 1. Set the gain=0, set the exposure time to 0, cover the lens, then shoot a BIAS frame. 2.
Chapter 4 Image Calibration Images of stars, nebulae, etc. taken by the camera are called “light images”. Image calibration means calibrating the CCD with a BIAS field, a DARK field, and a FLAT field so to remove artifacts and nonuniformities from the light images. This includes removing thermal noise of the CCD, dark spots caused by dust on the surface of the CCD and elsewhere in the optical train, and variations in brightness caused by vignetting.
DARK DARK image refers to the image in which exposure time is the same as the light images. You need to avoid any light entering into CCD when you are shooting. Therefore, you need to cover the lens cap of camera. The exposure time is set to be the same with formal shooting time, and then use the low speed, 1*1 shooting mode to shoot 10~50 DARK images. Save them, and then use stack software to get a DARK master image, and save this image.
Type Length Temp Optical train N/A Lights Any Low Darks Same as lights Bias Shortest possible Same as Lights Any Binning same as lights Binning same as lights Flats Long enough to get white level 20-30K Any Same as lights, including binning Typical histogram Similar to bias 16
Chapter 5 Camera Attachment The QHY8L can be used with both telescopes and lenses. The methods of attaching the camera to telescopes and lenses are given below. 1. Direct attachment to telescope. Simply insert the image end of the camera into a 2” draw tube, press it firmly against the drawtube end, and tighten the retaining screw. Figure 1 shows the two before insertion, and Figure 2 shows the camera inserted into the draw tube. Figure 1. Camera and drawtube Figure 2.
2. Attachment using drawtube adapter. If desired, an adapter can be screwed into the camera, and then inserted into the drawtube. The adapter shown in Figure 3 has 42mm threads that mate with those in the camera, and is 5 cm long. It fits into a standard 2” drawtube. Figure 4 shows it attached to the camera. Figure 5 shows the drawtube adapter by itself (not included with the camera but available from astronomy equipment retailers). Figure 3. Camera and drawtube adapter Figure 4.
shows a 50mm Canon lens attached to the lens adapter, prior to attachment to the camera. Figure 7 shows the camera with the lens attached. Figure 8 shows the lens adapter (not included with the QHY8L camera but available from astronomy equipment retailers). The adapter has 42mm threads that screw into the camera. It will take standard Canon EOS lenses. The adapter shown has a 7mm spacer, which gives approximately the same distance from lens to focal plane as a DSLR. Figure 6.
Chapter 6 Camera Parameters 6.0 mega pixel APS One shot COLOR CCD Main Features • • • • • • • • • • • Total pixels: 3110 x 2030 Active pixels: 3032 x 2016 Pixel Size: 7. 8um x 7. 8um square Color method: RGB BAYER film on CCD Effective sensor area: 28. 4 mm diagonal Readout noise: 6-10 e @600K pixel/s QE: 60% at Green (Peak), 50% at Blue and H.
• • • • • USB2. 0 High Speed interface Build in temperature sensor DC201 with TEC controller/Regular Ultra small size suitable for primary focus imaging and Hyperstar Weight: 400g Difference Between QHY8L and QHY8L CCD sensor ICX413AQ Max Cooling -35 CCD readout Type Two field Readout QHY8PRO QHY8PRO ICX453AQ -45 Progressive Scan How to select QHY8L/8PRO the QHY8L has a low price than QHY8PRO. The major difference is the CCD sensor. the QHY8L using a Two field readout sensor.
Chapter 7 Accessories and Interface Specification Accessories (included with camera): 22
QHY8L Interface Specification: 23
Chapter 8 QHY8L Mechanical Dimensions 24
Chapter 9 Clip Installation 1.
2. Before installing the clip 3.
4. Screw two M3*8 copper cylinders to the camera 5.
6. The front of the clip 7.
8. Install the clip Note:You should use the standard Belkin USB cable, otherwise the clip cannot be installed or USB cable cannot be attached.
