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SBIG AO-8 Adaptive Optics

by SBIG
SKU DL-AO-8A
$1,019.00 USD - $1,019.00 USD
$1,019.00 USD
$1,019.00 USD - $1,019.00 USD
$1,019.00 USD
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  • Makes rapid, sub-second guiding corrections
  • Reduces star FWHM for sharper images
  • Corrects for atmospheric seeing and mount errors
  • Connects via M42x0.75 T-threads
  • Designed for SBIG Aluma, STC, and STT cameras
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  • Description
  • FAQ
  • Specifications
  • Warranty

  • SBIG AO-8 Adaptative Optics

    The SBIG AO-8 Adaptive Optics unit uses a standard M42x0.75 T-thread to connect to your telescope, providing high-speed corrections for atmospheric seeing and mount tracking errors. Designed in dedicated AO-8A and AO-8T versions for specific SBIG cameras, this system is supported by a 1-year manufacturer warranty.

    High-Frequency Corrections Beyond the Mount's Limits

    While your telescope mount can correct for periodic error and slow drifts, it is too massive to respond to the rapid, high-frequency image motion caused by atmospheric turbulence, or "seeing." The SBIG AO-8 operates on a completely different principle by making tiny, sub-second tip-tilt adjustments to a small optical element within the device itself, actively stabilizing the guide star (and your image) in real time.

    By correcting image wander up to 10 times per second, much faster than a mount can, the AO-8 can significantly tighten star profiles, improving the full width at half maximum (FWHM) and image resolution under the right conditions.

    M42x0.75 Integration with SBIG Camera Systems

    The AO-8 is engineered as an integral part of the SBIG imaging ecosystem. It attaches to your optical train via a standard M42x0.75 T2-thread on the telescope side. Two distinct versions ensure proper mechanical and electronic integration with specific camera lines.

    • SBIG AO-8A: This version is designed for SBIG Aluma CCD and STC series cameras. It bolts directly to the front of the required StarChaser SC-4C off-axis guider, which connects to it with the StarChaser to AO-X/AO-8T adapter cable (11066).
    • SBIG AO-8T: This version is built for the larger SBIG STT series cameras. Its bottom plate features a hole pattern that matches the STT camera body and the FW8G-STT self-guiding filter wheel.

    Because the AO-8 contains the corrective optics, it requires a separate off-axis guider placed behind it in the light path. The modern solution is the StarChaser SC-4C, though the unit also supports legacy self-guiding filter wheels like the FW8G-Aluma and FW8G-STT.

  • What does the SBIG AO-8 Adaptive Optics unit actually do?

    The SBIG AO-8 is a high-speed guider that makes tiny optical adjustments many times per second to counteract the effects of atmospheric turbulence (seeing) and rapid mount tracking errors. By stabilizing the image before it reaches the sensor, it can produce sharper, rounder stars and higher-resolution images than mount-only guiding, under the right conditions.

    How is the SBIG AO-8 different from just guiding with my mount?

    A telescope mount is a large, heavy mechanical system that can only respond to guide corrections about once per second at best. The AO-8 uses a small tip-tilt optical element that can move much faster, allowing it to correct for high-frequency image jitter that the mount is too slow to catch. The mount handles the large, slow corrections, while the AO-8 handles the fast, small ones.

    Which version of the SBIG AO-8 do I need for my camera?

    The correct version depends on your SBIG camera model.

    • Use the AO-8A if you have an SBIG Aluma CCD or STC series camera, which will be used with a StarChaser SC-4C guider.
    • Use the AO-8T if you have an older, larger SBIG STT series camera.

    What else do I need to use the SBIG AO-8?

    The SBIG AO-8 is a corrective device and requires a separate guide camera to function. It is designed to work with an off-axis guider placed behind it, such as the SBIG StarChaser SC-4C. You will also need an adapter cable to connect the StarChaser to the AO-8. The AO-8 itself connects to the telescope via standard M42x0.75 T-threads.

    I have an SBIG Aluma CCD camera. How will the SBIG AO-8A help?

    The AO-8A works with Aluma CCD cameras together with the StarChaser SC-4C autoguider. It can correct star motion 10 times per second, which can mitigate slow seeing as well as wind gusts, tracking errors and other guiding issues, giving tighter star images in long exposures under the right conditions.

    Will the SBIG AO-8 improve my long-exposure images of faint galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101)?

    Yes. While primarily known for countering seeing, the SBIG AO-8 also corrects for rapid, non-periodic mount errors, such as wind gusts and tracking errors, faster than regular autoguiding through the mount can. For long exposures of targets like M101, this results in tighter, rounder stars across the field, which improves the overall sharpness and contrast of the final stacked image.

  • Telescope-side connection M42x0.75 (T2)
    Camera-side connection bolts to front of StarChaser SC-4C (AO-8A); AO-8T bottom plate matches STT camera / FW8G-STT hole pattern
    Guide camera port None; requires an off-axis guide camera behind it (StarChaser SC-4C, or legacy FW8G-Aluma / FW8G-STT self-guiding wheels)
    Warranty 1 year
    Versions AO-8A for Aluma cameras (DL-AO-8A); AO-8T for STT cameras (DL-AO-8T)
  • Diffraction Limited 1-Year Warranty