Canon’s 8-inch CMOS sensor could record SPACE at 60fps
TOKYO, September 15, 2011-Canon Inc. today announced that an ultra-large-scale, ultra-high-sensitivity CMOS sensor developed by the company has enabled the video recording the entire from a wide 3.3° x 3.3° field of view of meteors goes along with an equivalent apparent magnitude of 10.*1 The sensor, goes along with a chip the size measuring 202 x 205 mm, the world’s largest*2 surface area as for a CMOS sensor, was installed in the Schmidt telescope at the University of Tokyo’s Kiso Observatory, Institute of Astronomy, School of Science (Kiso-gun, Nagano prefecture).
With a chip the size of 202 x 205 mm, the ultra-large-scale, ultra-high-sensitivity CMOS sensor, developed by Canon last year, is between the largest that could be produced from an approximately 300-mm (12 inch) wafer.*2 The device is approximately 40 times the the size of Canon’s largest commercial CMOS sensor*3 as well as creates conceivable video recording in dark conditions goes along with as little as 0.3 lux*4 of illumination. In January this year, the CMOS sensor was installed over the focal plane of the Kiso Observatory’s 105 cm Schmidt telescope as well as utilized to record video at approximately 60 frames per second, resulting in the successful video recording of faint meteors goes along with an equivalent apparent magnitude of 10 the entire from a wide 3.3° x 3.3° field of view.
Detecting faint meteors goes along with apparent magnitudes greater than 7 has proven difficult utilizing conventional observation technologies, goes along with sightings of meteors goes along with an equivalent apparent magnitude of 10 limited to solely 10 per year. However, video recorded utilizing the ultra-large-scale, ultra-high-sensitivity CMOS sensor, combined goes along with the Schmidt telescope, that enables observation the entire from a wide field of view, yielded a overe-minute segment over that more meteors goes along with an equivalent apparent magnitude of 10 may be detected than may previously be identified over the span of a year.
Statistical analysis of the video data may lead to an increased belowstanding of the influence that meteors may have exerted over the development of life over Earth.
Additionally, since the combination of the CMOS sensor as well as Schmidt telescope facilitates the highly efficient investigation of objects traveling at high speeds the entire from the sky, it creates conceivable the detection of an increased number of celestial phenomena in addition to meteors, such that as space debris*5 as well as heavenly bodies moving in the solar cognitive system. Accordingly, the technology is expected to contribute to improved measuring accuracy in determining the position as well as speed of these objects.
Through the so over development of distinctive CMOS picture sensors, Canon is about to break fresh ground in the world of fresh picture expression, in the areas of still images as well as video.
The results of the abovementioned observations is about to be presented at the Astronomical Society of Japan’s autumn 2011 meeting, that is about to be held from September 19 (Mon.) to 22 (Thu.) at Kagoshima University in Kyushu, Japan.
*1
Apparent magnitude is a measure of a star’s clearness as ascertained by an observer over Earth. The clearer the celestial body appear to bes like to bes, the lower the monetary value of it is apparent magnitude. The darkest star visible to the naked eye has an apparent magnitude of approximately 6.
*2
As of September 12, 2011. Based over a Canon study.
*3
The approximately 21.1 megapixel 35 mm complete-frame CMOS sensor employed in the company’s EOS-1Ds Mark III as well as EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR arrivedras.
*4
The level of clearness over a complete moon.
*5
Refers to a variety of human-made debris in orbit around Earth, including artificial satellites as well as the rockets utilized to launch them into orbit.