Meade Deep Sky Imager Pro CCD Camera and Software Package.

• The Deep Sky Imager Pro (DSI Pro) is a high-performance, easy-to-use black and white (monochrome) electronic camera and software package that allows every astronomer to shoot and process stunning images of galaxies, nebulas, star clusters, and planets their first night out. Adding an optional color filter set allows highly detailed tri-color imaging, as well.
• While the active array of the imaging sensor measures 510 x 492 pixels in size, the NASA-developed Drizzle technology included in the camera s software displays a 640 x 480 pixel image on your computer screen, with the true resolution of a 640 x 480 camera (not merely a stretched version of the 510 x 492 array).
• The Drizzle technology can actually produce a full resolution 2560 x 1920 pixel image from the 510 x 492 imaging sensor, as explained below.
• The Drizzle program also corrects field rotation, among other advanced features, eliminating the need to polar align the telescope. The DSI Pro camera itself works with any telescope, but the Drizzle software works only with an AutoStar-controlled Meade telescope. The DSI Pro is the first commercially available CCD camera to include Drizzle Technology in its software.
• Multiple camera control - The AutoStar Suite supplied with the DSI Pro supports multiple Deep Sky Imagers and one LPI. This lets you control one imager that is autoguiding through a photoguide scope, for example, while a second Deep Sky Imager simultaneously records images at prime focus.
• You can also have one imager take pictures at prime focus while a second simultaneously takes wide field photos through a separate piggybacked scope. You can select any of the connected imagers for guiding. The only limitations are computer speed, memory, and the number of available USB ports. A 2Ghz machine with 512 Meg of memory can easily run three Deep Sky Imagers simultaneously.
• Drizzle Technology - Originally developed by NASA for the Hubble Space Telescope, the included Drizzle software program (which works only with Meade AutoStar-controlled telescopes) corrects field rotation, eliminating the need to polar align the telescope. Instead of just tracking and stacking images by following the movements of one star, the Deep Sky Imager Pro's Envisage Software with Drizzle tracks and stacks images locked on two stars.
• This corrects for the image rotation that streaks the star images during conventional imaging if the telescope is tracking in the Altazimuth mode, or you have only roughly polar aligned your telescope in the Equatorial mode. Using this feature, you can do a quick alignment of your Meade telescope in Altaz, turn on the Deep Sky Imager Pro, select Drizzle, and draw a box around each of two stars in the field.