The original Lodestar used the ICX429 Exview chip from Sony and offered excellent sensitivity.

However, Sony have now upgraded the ICX429 to the ICX829, with considerably improved QE and read noise.

This new ‘Exview 2’ chip approximately doubles the Lodestar sensitivity and adds nearly a full star magnitude to the minimum guide star brightness.

We have also redesigned the boards so that a standard RJ12 guide socket can be used.

This will please many users who have found the small ‘ZH’ cable socket to be too delicate

Package includes case, camera, dust cap, user guide, software & drivers on CD, USB & guide cables.

Specifications:

• CCD type: ICX829 Sony Exview interline CCD with low dark current and vertical anti-blooming.
• CCD Full resolution Pixel data: Pixel size: 8.2uM x 8.4uM, Image format: 752 x 580 pixels
• CCD Image area: 6.4mm (Horizontal) x 4.75mm (Vertical).
• CCD quality: Grade 1
• Spectral Response: QE max at 620nM (~65%), 35% at 400nM and 770nM.
• Readout Noise: Less than 15 electrons RMS – typically only 10 electrons.
• Full-well capacity: Greater than 50,000 e- (unbinned)
• Anti-blooming: Overload margin greater than 1000x.
• Dark current: Dark frame saturation time greater than 1 hour. Less than 0.1 electrons/second @ + 10C ambient.
• Data format: 16 bits.
• System gain:  0.9 electrons per ADU
• Computer Interface: Built-in USB 2.0 compatible interface.
• Image download time: Typically 0.2 seconds at full resolution using USB 2.0.
• Power requirements: USB powered.
• Cooling system: Ambient air cooling.
• Size: 32 x 72mm black anodised aluminium barrel with 25 x 0.75mm ‘CS mount’ thread at the CCD window end & input/output plugs at rear. Back focal distance 12.5mm.
• Weight: approx. 50g.

Lodestar x2 Response Graph

10 second exposure of M31 with original Lodestar

10 seconds with Lodestar X2

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