MDM Facility CCD Information
Templeton on the 1.3m telescope, set up for direct imaging. Mounted to the OSU Buckeye Filter Wheel
Echelle on the 2.4m telescope, set up for spectroscopy. Mounted to the ModSpec spectrometer.
MDM Observatory currently has 4 “facility” CCDs available for general use: Templeton, Nellie Echelle and Wilbur. These CCDs can be used for direct imaging or spectroscopy, when mounted to ModSpec or the MkIII on either telescope. All are Leach Gen III controller systems operated by The Owl software package (from Astronomical Research Camera Inc.).
Below, you will find specifications for all 4 of these detectors, as well as information for the two 4K detectors and the Andor detector.
Echelle
Templeton
Nellie
Wilbur*
8K**
2048x2048
Format (pixels)
24
Pixel Size (µm)
24
21
15
15
15
13
15
SITe
Manufacturer
SITe
STIS
LORAL
ITL
LBNL
Andor
SITe
thinned
Type
thinned
thick
thick
thinned
thick
thinned
thinned
backside
Illumination
1.3/2.7
Gain (e-/DN)
3.47
2.94
2.25
2.2-2.4
2.0
-------------
1.2
7.90
Read Noise (e-)
5.30
4.40
6.00
5.00
3.00
3-10
5.9
0.28
2.4m f/7.5 Scale ("/pixel)
0.28
0.24
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.15
0.18
9.44
2.4m f/7.5 FOV (')
4.72
8.26
5.90
11.5
11.5
1.28
25
0.50
1.3m f/7.5 Scale ("/pixel)
0.50
0.44
0.31
0.315
0.315
0.27
0.34
16.98
1.3m f/7.5 FOV (')
8.49
14.85
10.61
21.3
21.3
2.3
46
1024x1024
2048x2048
2048x2048
4064x4064
4096x4096
512x512
8192x8192
backside
frontside
frontside
backside
frontside
backside
backside
*Wilbur is back at MDM but appears to have some issues. Not recommended for request as of 21May2018
**The 8K has been decommissioned as of late-2017 and should be considered out-of-service.
•Templeton and Echelle have the best overall response and are recommended for bluer wavelengths. Nellie and Wilbur have limited response at Johnson B and have a higher cosmic ray incidencedue to their thicker format.
•QE curves are available for Templeton and Echelle.
•Readout times are typically 28-30 seconds for the 1024x1024 devices (full chip, unbinned) and roughly 100 seconds for the 2048x2048 devices (full chip, unbinned). All detectors 2048^ or smaller employ single amplifier readouts. 4K detectors utilize 4 amplifiers.
•All CCDs produce 16-bit unsigned data: 0-65535 DN. Nominal values for gain and read noise have not been determined for over 15 years.
Owl Interface
Prospero Interface
