3 ms·
They arent very intersting. They are just grids of ccds, not fundimentally different than those in consumer devices. Rather than build bigger they just stack
by sandworm101 4y ago
They arent very intersting. They are just grids of ccds, not fundimentally different than those in consumer devices. Rather than build bigger they just stack them into arrays. It is far cheaper to adjust the camera's optical design to use a larger focal plane than create a bespoke sensor with higher resolution/density.
One visual difference would be that they dont have the rgb grid filters of consumer devices, which is why all astronomical images start off as black and white.
- DiogenesKynikos 4y agoThese are not off-the-shelf consumer CCDs. These are highly specialized CCDs designed expressly (at Brookhaven National Lab) for this camera - they're essentially unique.[0] They have to meet very challenging specifications, such as high quantum efficiency (what percentage of photons get detected) across a broad spectral range, fast readout with low noise, and minimal persistence across exposures (meaning that if you image a bright star, you don't see a faint trace of it in the next exposure). As I understand it, there was no single company that could even manufacture the required number of CCDs on time, so two different manufacturers had to be chosen. 0. https://www.bnl.gov/lsst/ccd.php https://www.bnl.gov/lsst/ccd.php