Handbook for the TRIUS SX-825 Issue 1 January 2015
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The TRIUS SX-825 mono CCD camera
The TRIUS SX-825 is an advanced, high resolution, cooled CCD camera, especially designed for
astronomical imaging. It uses a second generation version of the very popular Sony ‘EXview II’ CCDs
that offer very high QE and extremely low thermal noise. It is a substantial upgrade on the SXVR
camera range and incorporates several new features, such as an internal USB hub with 3 external ports
and a dry argon CCD chamber fill. The USB hub permits several other devices to share the single USB
connection and greatly reduces the number of cables required in a typical set-up. For example, a
Lodestar or Superstar guide camera and an SX filter wheel could use two of the USB ports and the
third might connect to an electric focuser, or similar peripheral. The argon fill, along with other
improvements to the cooler stack, has improved the delta T to about -42 degrees C.
As per the SXVR range, this camera also includes a CCD temperature monitoring circuit that provides
regulated set-point cooling of the chip, adjustable chip alignment and a very compact overall size.
The TRIUS SX-825 uses a Sony ICX825AL ‘EXview II’ progressive scan CCD, with 1392 x 1040 x
6.45uM pixels in a 8.8 x 6.3mm active area. This EXview II device has an excellent quantum
efficiency, with a broad spectral response peaking at around 77% in yellow light, and an extremely low
dark current, well below that of any comparable CCD currently available. While this device also has an
excellent blue light sensitivity, it has a strong infra-red response, which makes it ideal for all aspects of
