by Christian Buil, 6.00" by 9.00", 321 pages,hardbound, published 1991,
2 Lbs. ship wt., $29.95.
For almost 30 years Christian Buil the author of CCD Astronomy has been making and using astronomical CCD cameras. This book is based upon his experience and is written for both the builder and user of amateur CCD cameras. For those who choose to purchase their CCD camera ready-made it will provide valuable background information with which to judge the various commercial cameras. The builder will also find proven schematics, construction techniques and test procedures. Both the builder and user will find valuable information in the last two chapters which cover programming and use of the CCD camera once it is connected to a telescope and computer.
What the Reviewers said:
Journal of the British Astronomical Association
". . . CCD Astronomy) is a thorough and detailed description of the use of a home computer to drive a CCD imager and to process the pictures obtained for the most effective final result . . . this book is highly recommended to all observers with an interest in CCD astronomy, and is excellent value for the price. No serious electronic astronomer should be without a copy!"
Sky & Telescope magazine
". . . amateurs who already use a commercial CCD camera will also enjoy this book and find may parts quite valuable. For instance, the chapter on observing offers many hints and tricks to generate proper calibration data (dark and flat-field frames) — the key to successful image processing. Mixed in with the various discussions are many fine diagrams and graphs, along with excellent CCD images of various celestial objects to inspire us.
Chapter three, dedicated to CCD cooling, represents an oasis of information on a difficult topic covered only in obscure places. The technical discussions will be crucial to anyone building a CCD camera. By itself, this chapter is worth the cost of the book.
Overall, CCD Astronomy is well written and organized, and nicely garnished with the author's experiences and anecdotes. The text's information is extensive and clearly presented. Buil has produced a work that is destined to become a classic reference for the amateur astronomer interested in CCD camera construction and use. Anyone intrigued by today's hottest tool in astronomy will not want to miss this book."
Astronomy Now (England)
"This book purports to be by an amateur astronomer for amateur astronomers. However, Christian Buil is, by profession, an optical engineer with the French Space Agency and has written a fascinating book on the CCD.
. . . The book is well illustrated with the author's CCD images and is clearly written (and translated).
The purchase of the book can be justified for the wealth of observing ideas in the last three sections of the final chapter alone. Not only should it form a part of the library of the amateur astronomer with enough enthusiasm to exchange photography for digital recording, but it should be available to undergraduates making their first acquaintance with CCD cameras. It is a good investment."
Table of Contents
Foreword
1 Principles and Performance of the CCD
1.1 Introduction
1.2 The MOS Capacitor
1.3 The Charge Transfer Mechanism
1.3.1 The Three-phase Transfer
1.3.2 The Four-phase Transfer
1.3.3 The Two-phase Transfer
1.3.4 Transfer Quality
1.4 The Output Stage
1.5 The Photoelements
1.5.1 Frontside CCD's
1.5.2 Backside CCD's
1.6 General Organization of a CCD
1.6.1 Linear CCD's
1.6.2 Area Array CCD's
Interline Transfer
Frame Transfer
1.6.3 Color CCD's
1.6.4 The Dimensions of CCD's
1.7 Performance
1.7.1 Ruggedness
1.7.2 Quantum Efficiency
1.7.3 Spectral Sensitivity
1.7.4 Transfer Efficiency
1.7.5 Spatial Resolution
1.7.6 Linearity
1.7.7 Blooming
1.7.8 The Dark Current
1.7.9 Sensitivity to Cosmic Rays
1.7.10 Electroluminescence
1.7.11 Cosmetic Defects
1.7.12 Sources of Noise
1.7.13 Experimental Determination of Noise
1.7.14 Some Useful Equations
2 The Electronics of a CCD Camera
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Main Choices
2.2.1 CCD Selection
2.2.2 The Electronic Architecture
Architecture 1
Architecture 2
Architecture 3
2.2.3 Choosing a Computer
2.3 The Electronic Layout
2.3.1 The Thomson TH7852 CCD
2.3.2 The Clock Timing Sequence
2.3.3 The Video Signal
2.3.4 The Generation of Clocks
2.3.5 The Interface Board
The 8255 PIO
Programming the PIO
2.3.6 The Clock Board
2.3.7 The CCD Board
2.3.8 The Amplifier Board
2.3.9 The Analog-Digital Conversion Board
Clamping
Analog Double Sampling
Double integration
Digital Double Sampling
2.4 Setup
2.4.1 The PIO board
2.4.2 The Clock Board
2.4.3 The ADC board
2.4.4 The Amplifier Board
2.4.5 The CCD Board
2.4.6 Digitizing an Image
2.5 Towards an Ever Bigger CCD
3 Cooling the CCD
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Calculating the Thermal Charge
3.2.1 The CCD's Proper Heat
3.2.2 Conduction
3.2.3 Convection
3.2.4 Radiation
3.2.5 Calculation of the Thermal Charge
3.3 Methods of Temperature Reduction
3.3.1 Cooling with Cryogenic Liquid
3.3.2 Cooling with Dry Ice
3.3.3 Cooling by Mechanical Means
3.3.4 Thermoelectric Cooling
Calculating a One-level System
Calculating a Multi-level System
Mounting and Optimizing a Peltier Module
Cooling System
Powering Peltier Modules
3.3.5 Protection Against Frost
4 Image Processing
4.1 Organization of the Programs
4.2 The Acquisition Program
4.3 The Image Processing Program
4.4 Visualizing Images
4.4.1 Visualizing With Binary Graphics Boards
Reproduction With Predefined Patterns
Reproduction by the Adaptative Average Method
Reproduction by Dither Threshold Matrices
Reproduction by Error Diffusion
4.4.2 Visualizing With Graphics Boards and
Analog Monitors
4.4.3 VGA Boards for PC's
Other Visualizing Modes
Three-dimensional Visualizing
Isophotal Curves
Cross-sections
4.5 Image Processing
4.5.1 Low-pass Filtering
4.5.2 High-pass Filtering
4.5.3 Cross Convolution
4.5.4 Statistical Filters
4.5.5 Arithmetic Operations on Images
4.5.6 Contour Filters
4.5.7 Unsharp Masking
4.5.8 Changing the Histogram
4.5.9 Geometric Transformations
Transformation Equations
Resampling
Some Application Examples
4.5.10 Cosmetic Corrections
4.5.11 Image Processing in the Frequency Domain
4.5.12 The Fourier Transform
The Fourier Transform of a
Two-dimensional Image
A Program for Calculating an FFT
Convolution
Correlation
Deconvolution
5 Operating a CCD Camera
5.1 Radiometric Correction
5.1.1 Offset Correction
First Method
Second Method
Third Method
5.1.2 Correcting Differences in Sensitivity
5.1.3 Summary
5.2 The Measurement of Flux
5.2.1 Aperture Photometry
5.2.2 Mathematical Fitting of a Stellar Profile
5.3 Photometric Reduction
5.3.1 Photometric Systems
5.3.2 Atmospheric Extinction
5.3.3 Transformation to a Photometric System
5.3.4 A Speedy Reduction Method
5.3.5 A List of Standard Stars
5.4 Calculating the Radiometric Flux
5.5 Deep Sky Imaging
5.5.1 The Quality of the Observing Site
5.5.2 The Covered Field and the Resolution
5.5.3 Compositing
5.5.4 Color Imaging
5.5.5 Binning
5.5.6 Photometry
5.6 Planetary Imaging
5.7 But Still
Appendix A Linear Array CCD
A.1 Introduction
A.2 The TH7801 CCD
A.3 Setting up the Linear Array TH7801A
A.4 The Electronics
A.5 The Software
A.6 Some Application Examples
B Sources of Components
B.1 Filters
B.2 CCD's
B.3 Cooling
B.4 CCD Camera Manufacturers
Bibliography
Index