[SOLD] Starlight Express MX5-c colour CCD

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

I have a Starlight Express MX5-c colour, cooled, single shot, 12 bit, CCD camera with power supply, cables, instructions and software for sale. This wasn't required by the buyer of my LX200 12in package that I sold recently. A USB adaptor may be required if you want to connect to modern PCs/laptops.

I never got round to using it after it came with the scope I bought 12 months ago. According to specs it can image and autoguide at the same time. Would make a great stand alone autoguider if using a newer CCD for imaging or a good first CCD.

Software can also be downloaded at: http://www.starlight-xpress.co.uk/pa...t_software.htm

$225 ono + shipping.


The MX5-C camera specification:

CCD type: Sony ICX055CK HyperHAD CCD secondary colour matrix with ultra low dark current and vertical anti-blooming
CCD pixel data: Pixel size: 9.8 x 12.6uM, Image format: 500 x 290 pixels
CCD size: Imaging area: 4.9mm (horizontal) x 3.6mm (vertical).
Spectral response Peak response at 520nM (Green), 50% at 400nM (Violet) and 670nM (Near
infra-red)
Readout noise: Approx. 25 electrons RMS.
Full-well capacity: Approx. 120,000 e-.
Anti-blooming: Overload margin greater than 800x
Dark current: Dark frame saturation time greater than 5 hours
A-D Converter: 12 bit, 10uS conversion time, serial output.
Computer interface: 8 bit unidirectional parallel port with bidirectional status lines (Standard Centronics interface). 25 pin ADS style plug for LPT1, 2 or 3, via a 5 metre x 6mm diameter cable.
Image download time Typically: 20 seconds with a 66MHz 486 PC, 8 seconds when using a port accelerator module.
Power requirements: 115VAC / 240VAC @ 12VA, or 12VDC @ 700 milliamps max.
Cooling system: Regulated constant-current cooling supply built-in. Single-stage thermoelectric cooler to give a CCD temperature of approximately -30C below ambient.
Size: 50 x 100mm black anodised aluminium barrel with M42 thread at CCD window end and 15 way 'D' style input plug at rear.
Weight: 200g.

[jeff@sa]

PM Sent 07:55 27/01/2011

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

Item is still available. Price drop as well.

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

Thanks. Sending PM.

Originally Posted by roddz

Hi AdelAstro

I'll take it if its still available

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

Sale fell through.... item still available.

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

Price drop to $225 + shipping

[Largamus (John)]

will this camera do deep sky and planetary photo's

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

Hi John,

It will image anything you point your telescope at basically! There are better cameras around for planetry imaging I understand, just as there are better newer cameras for deep sky stuff, but this one is much cheaper being a bit older, and as such, is a compromise I guess. I never got to use it myself but I understand it was quite a good camera when it was first released. I was always going to use this one as a guide camera for something else, but it will be fine for imaging, especially if you're starting out.

This link I found on google seems to sum it up quite well.

http://www.astromag.co.uk/pdfs/mx5c.pdf

And here is a discussion about them and trying to fix a problem connecting to a computer. As they quote, the MX5c seems to go on forever....

http://stargazerslounge.com/equipmen...ress-mx5c.html

Hope that helps,
Wayne

Originally Posted by Largamus

will this camera do deep sky and planetary photo's

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

Price drop to $200 + shipping

[Adelastro1 (Wayne England)]

Still for sale...