Player One Uranus-M Pro Mono IMX585 Cooled Astrophotography Camera

Sony IMX585 Sensor: An 8.3 MP, 12.85mm Diagonal Format

At the core of the Uranus-M Pro is Sony's IMX585, a back-illuminated monochrome sensor with a 3856 x 2180 pixel array. The pixels are 2.9µm. The sensor is based on Sony STARVIS 2 back-illuminated pixel technology.

The sensor's 1/1.2" format, with a diagonal of 12.85 mm, measures 11.2mm × 6.3mm; this size is quite big for imaging. It can easily capture the full disk of the Sun and Moon with short focal length refractors, and it makes mosaic work more efficient.

47k e- Full Well, 0.7e- Read Noise and HCG at Gain 210

The Uranus-M Pro has a 47k e- full well, which is almost 3.6 times the 13k e- of the previous-generation IMX485, and readout noise from 6.5e- down to 0.7e-.

The camera features a High Conversion Gain (HCG) mode that automatically engages at a gain setting of 210. Only the HCG gain point is given for this camera, with no dynamic range figures. All readout noise values come from actual tests, and SharpCap 4's Sensor Analysis function lets you test them yourself.

12-bit ADC and ≈91% Peak Quantum Efficiency

Quantum Efficiency (QE) measures a sensor's effectiveness at converting incoming photons into a recordable electronic signal. The Uranus-M Pro has a peak QE of about 91%: at its peak wavelength, about nine in ten photons that reach the sensor are recorded. The relative QE curve is in the manual.

This high-sensitivity signal is then processed by a 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC). A 12-bit ADC can distinguish between 4,096 different levels of brightness for each pixel.

Two-Stage TEC Cooling: A 35-40°C Delta-T and Anti-Dew Heater

The Uranus-M Pro has a two-stage thermoelectric cooling (TEC) system with a standard delta T of 35-40°C below ambient at 30°C ambient with the fan at 100%. The recommended settings are 30-35°C below ambient, fan 50-70% and dew heater 10%, for a power consumption of 40 to 60%; the fan defaults to 50%. Dark current is 0.0004 e/s/pix at -20°C and 0.005 e/s/pix at 0°C.

An adjustable anti-dew heater is integrated at the front of the camera, in front of the D32x2mm AR Plus multi-coated window; dew is the biggest enemy in astro imaging, and many small cooled cameras ignore it. In the ASCOM window you set the target temperature, fan speed and anti-dew power.

512MB DDR3 Cache for 46 FPS Full-Resolution Capture

To ensure stable, high-speed data transfer without dropped frames, the Uranus-M Pro includes a 512MB DDR3 memory buffer. It stabilizes data transmission, effectively avoids frame dropping and greatly reduces readout noise.

Over USB 3.0 the camera reaches 46 FPS at 3856 x 2180, 47 FPS at 3840 x 2160 and 187 FPS at 1920 x 1080. With the cache the camera no longer needs a powerful computer and still performs very well on a USB 2.0 port. Recording speed also depends on your disk, and a good solid state drive is recommended.

Non-Amp-Glow

The Uranus-M Pro is a Non-Amp-Glow camera whose dark frame is totally dark, as a 300s dark frame (gain 0, offset 10, -10°C) shows.

This gives a very clean background, which makes high-quality images easier to get.

Dual Sensor Tilt Plates and 17.5mm Back Focus

A sensor tilt plate adjusts the sensor angle so the stars in the corners are rounder. The front 3-point tilt plate is fitted by default and works well in a lot of basic scenarios. The rear 4-point tilt plate is included as an alternate part; it is necessary with a filter wheel, filter drawer or OAG at a fixed angle, and convenient for RASA users. A built-in high-density sponge pad blocks light from the side slits.

The camera has a standard back focus distance of 17.5 mm from the front M42x0.75 female thread to the sensor. The manual shows recommended 55mm BFL solutions (some use 56mm to make up for filters), and the box includes 17.5mm and 20mm extenders and an M48-M42 adapter. The camera body also features a 6x M2.5 bolt pattern, allowing it to connect directly to Player One filter wheels and OAGs for a secure, threaded connection.

12V DC Power for Cooling and USB-Only Uncooled Operation

The Uranus-M Pro offers flexible power options. For deep-sky imaging, the two-stage TEC cooler is powered by a standard 12V DC input (5.5mm x 2.1mm). The cooler draws up to 3A at 12V. Player One builds in overvoltage and overcurrent protection.

If you don't need cooling, connect only the main Type-C port and the camera works as an uncooled camera.

Drivers and ASCOM

Player One provides its drivers, including the ASCOM driver, on its software download page. The manual mentions SharpCap 4.

The ASCOM window has three adjustable parameters: target temperature, fan speed and anti-dew power.

Uranus-M Pro vs. Color: The Monochrome Imaging Advantage

A colour camera records colour in one shot; a monochrome camera like the Uranus-M Pro records colour through filters.

• Maximum Resolution: A mono sensor records light at every one of its 8.3 million pixels through the chosen filter. A colour sensor has a Bayer filter, so each pixel records only red, green or blue.
• Narrowband Capability: With narrowband filters (H-alpha, OIII, SII) you can image emission nebulae such as the Veil (NGC 6960) or the Heart (IC 1805) one line at a time, using every pixel for each line.

The trade-off is a filter wheel, filters and extra processing steps.