PICTURES TAKEN AT WINFREE OBSERVATORY

These pictures were taken with an ST-6 CCD camera. Images form within the camera on the light-sensitive surface of a silicon chip measuring 8.6 by 6.5 millimeters. (This is about the size of your "pinky" fingernail!) The chip is divided into 90,750 light-sensitive photosites. Brightness levels are electronically recorded in each of the photosites. The computer displays an image by commanding 90,750 spots on your computer monitor to glow with the correct brightness.

For the first five images listed, an f/7 focal reducer/corrector was attached to the 14-inch telescope. The telescope then became a 2490 mm telephoto lens for the camera! This combination produces an 11 by 9 arcminute picture size. (60 arcminutes make one degree.) The last image of the Orion Nebula was taken through a smaller 80 mm, f/11 guide telescope. The guidescope produces a larger 32 by 25 arcminute picture size.

The following pictures were taken with the ST1001E CCD camera installed in December, 2002. It features a 1024 by 1024 pixel light sensitive chip. Each square pixel is 24 microns on a side. The chip contains 1,048,576 pixels and measures 24.6 mm on a side.

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