CCDs are incredible devices. At the merest excuse they will, with great efficiency, gobble photons that have travelled the vastness of space. Unfortunately, their Achilles heel is to also accept spurious signals from the immediate vicinity — within their own traitorous circuitry, in fact. This self-induced sabotage is a testy thorn in the imager’s side, but it can be minimised.
Physics comes to the rescue. Just like humans on a cold winter’s day, the unwanted noise within a camera becomes more sluggish with a fall in temperature. For the camera, this induces an increase in efficiency, although for the human, alas, this is rarely so.
The fan operates quietly and without vibration, delivering a drop of eight or nine degrees Celsius. This is a welcome effect that will reduce camera noise for both daytime and nocturnal imaging.
The cooling chamber is 77mm by 77mm by 80mm, capable of offering a chilly home for most CCDs. It works off a 12-volt supply and a cigarette lighter lead is included.
Price: £55.99
For more information: rothervalleyoptics.co.uk
