astro_imager

A chilled CCD camera for astronomy

Introduction

Something I've been wanting to do for years! -- Build a CCD camera for astrophotography. The CAM86 project, originating from a group of keen Ukrainian amateurs, looked like the perfect challenge. However that group has moved on to improved designs and there seems little point in proceeding with my own CAM86 build. Perhaps we can build on their experience.

This project

In this project I'd like to investigate building a camera of my own design utilising the invaluable experience shared by those associated with CAM86. The key objectives are:

• minimum hardware footprint (do as much as possible in software)
• utilise a sensor that is readily available and fully documented by the manufacturer
• all design and software products to be fully open source
• GitHub as the repository for all project products

This repo

We are in the investigation stage so lets start with just a few directories:

• rnd -- documenting all research and development associated with the project
• Hardware -- the hardware design
• Software -- the software (including on board firmware, host drivers and utility programs)