background image

6

7

• 

LED Status Indicator: Two LEDs on the Parsec indicate the camera 
power, exposure, image readout, and download (Figure 2)

A note about the Shutter

The Parsec’s leaf shutter moves freely when the camera is off. You may notice the 
shutter in an arbitrary position when removing the dust cap from the nosepiece 
(Figure 3.1). This is normal and does not affect operation in any way. Once the 
Parsec is powered on, current is applied to the shutter’s motor and the shutter 
position resets and firmly holds its place. (Figure 3.2)

2.  Getting Started

2.1. Parts list 

(Figure 4)

•  Parsec Astronomical Imaging Camera
•  2" nosepiece (camera ships with nosepiece attached)
•  USB cable
•  DC power cable with lighter plug
•  CD-ROM
•  Hard carrying case

2.2. System requirements

telescope

The Parsec can be used with most telescopes compatible with 2" format eyepiec-
es. The camera is simply inserted into a focuser in the same way as a standard 
eyepiece (Figure 5.1). The camera is also compatible with 1.25" focusers that 
include camera T-threads, although some vignetting (edge darkening) may occur.

Caution

: Be sure to always firmly tighten the thumbscrew(s) that secure the 

Parsec in the telescope focuser, or it could fall out and onto the ground!
If your telescope has T-threads for direct camera attachment, a more secure con-
nection can be made. First, unthread the nosepiece from the Parsec camera body. 
This exposes the camera’s T-threads. Then, simply thread the camera onto your 
telescope (Figure 5.2).

Figure 3.1. 

The shutter is free to move 

when the Parsec is off.

Figure 5.1. 

The Parsec fits into a 2" 

focuser, just like a standard 2" eyepiece. 
Firmly tighten the thumbscrew that secures 
the Parsec in the focuser.

Figure 3.2. 

The shutter resets its 

position and holds firmly in place when the 
Parsec is powered on.

Figure 5.2. 

If your telescope has 

T-threads, remove the nosepiece from the 
Parsec and thread the camera directly 
onto the telescope. This provides the most 
secure connection.

Figure 4. 

Parts list

Parsec 8300

2" nosepiece 
(camera ships with 
nosepiece attached)

USB cable

DC power cable 
with lighter plug

CD-ROM

Hard carrying case

Parsec lED Status Indicators
 

lED 1

lED 2

On/Idle

Solid

Blink

Exposing

Off

Blink

Reading

Solid

Solid

Downloading

Solid

Blink

Figure 2. 

The Parsec’s LED status indicators

Содержание PARSEC 10100C

Страница 1: ...ec 10100C Color 52078 instruction Manual Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 OrionTelescopes com Customer Support 800 676 1343 E mail support telescope com Corporate Offices 831...

Страница 2: ...eep Sky Objects 20 5 Image Processing 26 5 1 Image Calibration 26 5 2 Convert Raw to Color For Parsec 8300C and 10100 27 5 3 Stacking Combining Images 28 5 4 Filter 32 5 5 Color Balance 32 6 Multiple...

Страница 3: ...ludes 1x1 full resolution 2x2 3x3 and 4x4 This CCD chip offers the unique ability to image in color at 1x1 mode as well as 2x2 mode This is advantageous when imaging with different focal lengths In ge...

Страница 4: ...edge darkening may occur Caution Be sure to always firmly tighten the thumbscrew s that secure the Parsec in the telescope focuser or it could fall out and onto the ground If your telescope has T thr...

Страница 5: ...plorer 4 or higher required to display on line help High speed USB 2 0 port Power The Parsec requires 12 volts DC 12VDC with approximately 2 amperes of cur rent Power to the entire camera including th...

Страница 6: ...he following section of the manual will walk you through the basic features mostly found in the Camera Control Window The Parsec includes a free 60 day trial of MaxIm DL 5 Pro Start by opening MaxIm D...

Страница 7: ...it a few seconds for the image to appear It may be over exposed or grossly out of focus Adjust the telescope s focus and adjust the exposure time as needed to get a focused image 4 Look at the Pixel v...

Страница 8: ...image has a different histogram depending on how much of the image is bright or dark Directly viewing the histogram of your image in the Screen Stretch Window provides an easy interface for making de...

Страница 9: ...se The camera will only download the area you previously selected which makes each image download significantly faster than the whole frame Note If the Parsec is grossly out of focus no object will ap...

Страница 10: ...quality of your focus Caution Once you have achieved focus be sure to click the Reset but ton in the Subframe box otherwise the camera will crop all your images into a small square 4 2 Setting the Coo...

Страница 11: ...eep sky object into the field of view of your eyepiece If you are using a mount with an accurate computerized go to system you can keep the camera installed in your telescope s focuser without using t...

Страница 12: ...iminate most of the camera noise you can take several dark frames average them then subtract them from your astro images also called light images Note Make sure the cooler set point and CCD temperatur...

Страница 13: ...flat frames it s a good idea to assign a preset such as F to better organize your different images 4 Set the Seconds to 0 1 for now and click OK then Expose You want the Max Pixel to read somewhere ar...

Страница 14: ...s appear in the window 3 Select the Source Folder where you saved your dark frames Figure 23 4 Click Auto Generate and MaxIm DL will automatically find all of your calibration images such as darks and...

Страница 15: ...ged into groups according to their FITS header You can open the groups to view the files by clicking on the sign If you would like to view an individual file right click it and select Display Image Al...

Страница 16: ...e Add Folder option calibration files are automatically ignored the other methods for adding files will include them Usually you don t want to stack the calibration files automatically since the Set C...

Страница 17: ...re a background level adjustment This is accomplished by bringing the background level or bias in each color plane down to zero Each of the Background Level values is subtracted from every image pixel...

Страница 18: ...ting of 10 means that the Parsec attempts to track out 100 of the motion whereas a setting of 1 means that the Parsec only tracks out 10 of the motion Usually a setting of around 8 or 9 provides the b...

Страница 19: ...mpensation in the mount is turned off On most telescopes the Right Ascension drive likes to have some load pushing against sidereal tracking If the mount is balanced such that it is pulling the mount...

Страница 20: ...drift and correct by moving the mount in the appropriate direction To perform the drift method of polar alignment 1 Do a rough polar alignment by pointing the R A axis of the mount at Polaris the Nor...

Страница 21: ...ng images of wide field deep sky objects such as the Andromeda Galaxy or the Pleadies star cluster Focal reducers will usually thread onto the nosepiece of the Parsec Barlow lenses increase the focal...

Страница 22: ...ith anti reflection coatings Backfocus Distance from T threads 29 24mm 1 15 Weight 900g 32 oz Autoguider capability Yes Mounting 2 nosepiece or T thread Parsec 10100C CCD Sensor Kodak KAI 10100 CXC CC...

Страница 23: ...wing two conditions 1 this device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation Changes of modifi...

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