Astro camera guiding and planetary photography 2.0 MP mono

Astrocamera guiding and planetary photography 2.0 MP mono: monochrome guiding camera with extra sensitivity

The monochrome version of the GUIDE 2000 lets every photon through. There is no color matrix for the pixels, allowing the camera to capture more light per pixel than the color version. This is exactly what you want for autoguiding.

For photography itself, mono means you decide which part of the spectrum you capture. With a narrowband filter, you photograph the sun in H-alpha; with an IR-pass filter, you reduce the influence of the atmosphere.

Sensor and image

The monochrome version of the Sony IMX290 measures 5.6 by 3.2 mm and has 1920 x 1080 pixels of 2.9 micrometers. The camera reads out at 12-bit and achieves up to 60 frames per second.

The window has an anti-reflective coating instead of a blocking filter. Therefore, ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light all reach the sensor.

Autoguiding with an ST4 port

The camera has a built-in ST4 port. You connect it directly to your mount's autoguider port and correct tracking during long exposures. A monochrome sensor will find a usable guide star faster than a color sensor of the same size.

PHD2 recognizes the camera natively. It also works with N.I.N.A., SharpCap, and similar programs via the ASCOM and INDI drivers.

Connect to your telescope

The housing has the shape and diameter of a 1.25-inch eyepiece. So you can slide the camera into almost any focuser. The flange distance is 12.5 mm; with the included extension tube, it becomes 17.5 mm.

The front CS-mount becomes a C-mount with the included adapter. The adapter with a 1.25-inch filter thread accepts narrowband and blocking filters.

Software and controls

Control is via the free Omegon capture software or via ASCOM and INDI. This allows the camera to work with N.I.N.A., SharpCap, FireCapture, PHD2, and AutoStakkert.

In addition to PHD2, the camera works with FireCapture and SharpCap for solar, lunar, and planetary imaging.

Included

• Camera in anodized aluminum housing
• Adapter with 1.25 inch filter thread (C-mount to M28.5)
• Extension piece with flange distance 17.5 mm
• USB cable
• ST4 cable

Featured accessories

A UV and IR blocking filter is not a luxury for mono imaging, but a necessity, especially with a refractor. For guiding, a Microspeed guidescope of 50 or 60 mm is suitable.

For whom yes and for whom no

• ✓ Autoguiding at long focal lengths
• ✓ Solar photography with a suitable narrowband filter
• ✓ For those who want to determine the transmission curve themselves
• ✗ Who wants color images immediately without a filter wheel
• ✗ Deep-sky imaging without cooling

Specifications

You can find more astrophotography accessories from merk at the Omegon merk Page.