Starlight Xpress Camera Ultrastar Color (48689)

The Ultrastar Color from Starlight Xpress is a compact and versatile camera, perfect for those starting out in astrophotography. It is designed to make imaging easy and interactive, especially for public outreach or educational projects. The camera can be set to take a series of short or continuous exposures, automatically stacking the images to build up the final picture in real time. This makes it ideal for demonstrations, as viewers can watch the image develop before their eyes.

The Ultrastar is powered and operated through a single mini-USB connection, making it highly portable and convenient for mobile or remote use. Its compact 1.25-inch diameter allows it to fit directly into standard eyepiece holders without the need for extra adapters. The camera is lightweight and made from durable aluminum, weighing only 85 grams.

Despite its small size, the Ultrastar offers a large imaging area of 8.98 x 6.71 mm, providing a wide field of view for capturing galaxies or finding guide stars. It uses a Sony ICX825AL color CCD sensor, which features large 6.45-micron pixels and a high quantum efficiency of 75% at 600 nm. This ensures excellent sensitivity and low noise, making it easier to capture faint details in your images.

The camera includes a full-size RJ12 autoguider port, so you can control your mount corrections without running extra cables from your computer. It is powered entirely by your computer’s USB port, so there is no need for an additional power supply. The Ultrastar comes with Starlight LIVE software, making live viewing, stacking, and image processing straightforward.

Although the Ultrastar is uncooled, its dark signal is very low. Warm pixels can be managed using hot pixel filters, stacking dithered images, or traditional dark frame subtraction. The camera is also supplied with original Starlight Xpress imaging software.

The Ultrastar is not only a capable imaging camera but also serves as an excellent autoguider. Its large sensor and high sensitivity make it effective for both guiding and imaging faint objects.

Key Features

• Compact 1.25-inch diameter fits directly into standard eyepiece holders

• Large imaging area for wide field views

• High sensitivity with 75% quantum efficiency at 600 nm

• Large 6.45-micron pixels for strong light gathering

• Full-size RJ12 autoguider port for direct mount control

• Powered and controlled by USB, no external power supply needed

• Durable aluminum construction

• Supplied with Starlight LIVE software for live viewing and stacking

Technical Specifications

• Sensor type: Sony ICX825AL color CCD

• Megapixels: 1.4

• Image resolution: 1392 x 1040 pixels

• Pixel size: 6.45 microns

• Imaging area: 8.98 x 6.71 mm

• Sensor diagonal: 11.2 mm

• Bit depth: 16 bits

• Read noise: 5 electrons

• Full well capacity: 23,000 electrons

• Dark current: 0.1 electrons/second

• Quantum efficiency: 75% at 600 nm

• Interfaces: USB 2.0, RJ12 autoguider port

• Images per second: 2 at full resolution

• Telescope connection: 1.25-inch barrel, C-mount thread

• Weight: 85 grams

• Diameter: 31.75 mm

• Length: 85 mm

• Outer material: Aluminum

• Active cooling: No

• Filter wheel: Not included

Applications

• Suitable as an autoguider

• Excellent for imaging the Moon and planets

• Ideal for capturing nebulae and galaxies

• Not intended for all-sky or meteor imaging