Mars-M II

The Mars-M II Monochrome Camera is the highly anticipated latest addition to the planetary camera lineup, developed by Player One Astronomy. Designed to meet the demands of astronomy enthusiasts and professionals alike, this camera incorporates advanced features and cutting-edge technology to deliver exceptional performance for planetary imaging especially in NIR and UV imaging.

At the heart of the Mars-M II camera is the Sony IMX462 1/2.8" monochrome sensor, renowned for its outstanding sensitivity and image quality. With a pixel size of 2.9um, the camera boasts a generous well depth of 12ke, allowing for capturing intricate planetary details with incredible clarity. The resolution of 1944x1096 pixels and a diagonal of 6.46 mm ensure that every image is packed with stunning levels of precision.

Super AR Plus window:
One of the standout features of the Mars-M II camera is the implementation of the Super AR Plus window. This specialized window glass offers unparalleled transmittance from 310nm to 1100nm, making the camera excel in both Ultraviolet (UV) and Near-Infrared (NIR) imaging. With this significant improvement, you can expect outstanding performance across a wide range of astronomical observations.

256M DDR3:
Player One Astronomy has pioneered the use of 256M DDR3 Cache in planetary cameras, setting new industry standards. This innovative addition ensures stable and secure data transmission, effectively eliminating frame dropping and reducing read noise to a minimum. Remarkably, the Mars-M II camera retains excellent performance even when connected to a USB 2.0 port, eliminating the need for high computing requirements.

DPS technology:
Equipped with the advanced DPS (Dead Pixel Suppression) technology, our planetary cameras offer unparalleled image quality. Through the analysis of dark frames, the DPS technology identifies fixed abnormal pixels and creates a pixel map stored in the camera memory. During image capture, the Mars-M II camera assigns a median value to these dead pixels based on the surrounding active pixels, resulting in smooth and flawless images.

Overvoltage protection:
Mars-M II has built-in robust overvoltage and overcurrent protection mechanisms. Rest assured, your camera and other equipment will be safeguarded against unexpected power fluctuations, providing you with peace of mind during your astronomical endeavors.

High speed:
The Mars-M II camera is equipped with a high-speed data port, enabling seamless connectivity to your computer via USB 3.0 interface. In RAW8 mode (10-bit ADC), it achieves an impressive frame rate of up to 136 FPS for full-resolution previews, while RAW16 mode (12-bit ADC) offers a frame rate of 64 frames per second. It is recommended to use a high-quality solid-state drive to fully leverage the camera's performance during data recording, as the writing speed of the hard disk can impact the actual recording speed.

HCG:
Experience the unique HCG (High Conversion Gain) mode exclusive to the Mars-M II camera. This intelligent mode automatically activates when the camera gain setting is equal to or greater than 80. By significantly reducing readout noise, the HCG mode ensures exceptional image quality and retains the same high dynamic range as the low gain settings, allowing you to capture stunning details in your planetary images.

Impressive QE:
The QE (Quantum Efficiency) curve of the Mars-M II camera sets it apart from its predecessor, Mars-C. With sensitivity peaking between 650nm and 700nm, this camera delivers excellent performance in the visible spectrum. Additionally, it maintains high QE in the infrared range, making it ideal for capturing celestial objects beyond what the naked eye can perceive. The absolute QE peak reaches an impressive 90%, ensuring maximum light sensitivity and superior image quality.