Meade Deep Sky Imager Pro - Monochrome CCD Astro-Imager The DSI PRO is a high-performance, easy-to-use monochrome CCD camera that allows every astronomer to shoot and process stunning deep sky photographs of galaxies, nebulae, star clusters and planets.

This CCD camera is designed with the intermediate to advanced amateur astrophotographer in mind. Purchase the new Deep Sky Imager PRO with our high quality RGB filter set and produce stunning RGB and LRGB images.See link for more images

High Sensitivity Monochrome CCD Sensor from Sony® - The Meade Deep Sky Imager utilizes Sony’s ExView HAD™ Monochrome CCD Image Sensor Technology for incredible low noise and higher dynamic range featuring a 16-Bit A/D converter.

USB 2.0 High Speed - Featuring a fast USB 2.0 High Speed connection. This will allow fast data transfer. The actual download time for daytime or planetary imaging is up to 5 frames per second. For longer exposures the download time is 1/2 a second in order to sustain a higher signal-to-noise ratio. There is virtually no delay between the time the image is taken and when it appears on your computer screen.

The Deep Sky Imager PRO is also backward compatible with USB 1.1.

NEW FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO DSI PRO:

Drizzle – Drizzle was developed by NASA for processing images from the Hubble Space Telescope. Drizzle will work on any AutoStar Controlled Telescope. There are 3 enhancements that drizzle adds:

*Increased resolution. By taking a series of course pixel grid images from the DSI and applying them to a fine pixel grid image we are able increase the effective resolution.

*Extended View. Images are added to a final image that is up to 2 times bigger horizontally and vertically. The Telescope is then guided to the 4 corners of the image giving a final image that is nearly 4 times larger.

*Field De-Rotation. By selecting 2 stars, the software will rotate each image before it is applied to the final image.

*Multiple Imager Operation - AutoStar Suite will now support any number of Deep Sky Imager and one LPI. You can now use a separate guide scope and Deep Sky Imager as well as have one for prime focus and wide field. Any of the imagers can be selected for guiding. The only limitation is computer speed and memory and available USB ports. A 2Ghz machine with 512 MBs of memory can easily run 3 Deep Sky Imagers.

*Convection Cooled - In order to draw heat away from the CCD sensor Meade uses a proprietary "Convection Cooling" design, allowing longer exposures with less noise.

CCD Color Filter Set

Bring vibrant color to your Deep Sky Imager Pro images with the Meade CCD Color Filter Set. This high quality Dichroic CCD color filter set comes with Red, Green, and Blue interference filters plus an IR blocking filter. Designed with multiple high transmission coatings and strong 3mm thick glass, these filters were designed specifically for the Deep Sky Imager PRO, although they will also perform perfectly well with standard filter wheels from other manufacturers.

Meade CCD Color Filters come in the standard 1.25" diameter with black anodized filter rings. Their parfocal design means you will not need to re-focus when switching between filters. These unsurpassed interference filters offer the ultimate in specific wavelength transmission for true color images.

AutoStar Suite™ Software - Autostar Suite includes Sky Software, Image Capture Software, and Image processing Software, including these features: Time Lapse photography tool Create movies of the rotation of Jupiter, moons transiting Jupiter, etc… Auto and Manual exposure settings Let Deep Sky Imager optimize the exposure, or set it manually.

New Stretch Options Auto-stretch automatically brings out dim objects at short exposures. Optimizes the contrast of objects, with adjustable contrast settings.

Automatic Dark Subtraction Dark frames are automatically stacked and averaged, then subtracted giving you a clean image.

Automatically align and stack images using state-of-the-art techniques. Magic Eye™ focus For super fast, no-hassle focusing. Live histogram Helps you optimize for the best exposure.

SPECIFICATIONS: CCD Sensor High Sensitivity Sony® ExView HAD™ Monochrome CCD Sensor Pixels 510 x 492 pixels (250,000 pixels)

Pixel Size (in microns) 9.6 microns (W) x 7.5 microns (H)

A/D Conversion 16-bit (greater image depth and contrast)

Min. – Max. Exposure Time 1/10,000 of a second to one hour

Housing Anodized die-cast aluminum

USB Compatibility High Speed 2.0 and 1.1

Size / Weight of product 3.25" x 3.25" x 1.25"/ 10 oz.