The SBIG ST-10XME

I began the CCD imaging 6 years ago.  At this time I just bought a Meade 8" LX50. The ignorance in the polar alignment was very penalizing.  But some months later with the LX200 and the Field De-Rotater and later with the JMI EZ-Align polar scope, i resolved my problems and now I am specialized in altazimuth mode domain for CCD imaging and i used the polar mode too. And on this point I can attest the efficiency and the ingenious conception of the SBIG ST-10XME, it is very good in these 2 configurations.

THE TECHNICAL FEATURES

It is composed of a sensor with a large size for the amateurs (Kodak KAF-3200ME of 2184x1472 pixels of 6.8µm). It possesses an acceptable read noise of 11e RMS, of a 16 bits A/D converter , a electromechanical shutter, permitting  exposures of 0.11sec to 3600sec. One Peltier cooling stage, controlled by microprocessor, permits to achieve the pictures of the Dark an other days. They can cool the CCD sensor to -40C° in relation to the ambient temperature . USB reduces the download time at 8.5sec for the large full frame of the ST-10XME.

Except all these features, very interesting, the ST-10XME innovation is, with Kodak CCD sensor, in the same plan and in the same head of camera, another CCD sensor the TI TC-237 of 657x495 pixels of 7.4µm x 7.4µm (14.8µm in binning 2x2). The TC-237 replaces the old TC-211 for the selfguiding. If the Kodak is used to record the main picture of a faraway galaxy, the CCD sensor from Texas Instrument is used for the selfguiding on the motors of the telescope, as if the astronomer eye and an illuminated reticle eyepiece was replaced by this sensor.

After a short exposure of 1 or 2sec, the astronomer has only to choose on his computer a bright star in the field of the CCD tracking and to engage the procedure. The CCD is going to calculate the initial position of the star and going to calculate its shifting, then the CCD software will correct the shifting on the telescope motors. With a fine calibration, this function  is a real comfort. The exposure of the main picture and the selfguiding are simultaneous.

Today, telescopes possess a special connector : CCD or Autoguider. The ST-10XME is delivered  with a TIC cable permitting to connect it, directly, on the telescope relays.

The ST-10XME is connected to a PC by a USB cable. The transmission of a picture from the CCD to the computer is fast for this large sensor (about 8.5sec for the KAF-3200ME in full resolution).

As most CCD cameras, the ST-10XME permits, with the KAF-3200ME sensor, to have binning 1x1, 2x2, 3x3, what permits to have some bigger pixels therefore to receive more light but with a lower resolution. The High resolution mode is the binning 1x1 (pixels of 6.8µm). In binning 2x2, the pixels of 6.8µm are regrouped 2 by 2, we have some pixels of 13.6µm and in binning 3x3 we have pixels of 20.4µm.

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