Player One Uranus-M

Player One Uranus-M (IMX585) - my do-it-all mono camera for planetary, EAA and lucky imaging

The Uranus-M is the monochrome version based on the Sony IMX585 sensor in 1/1.2″ format. It's a rare combo: highly sensitive modern STARVIS 2 sensor, 8.3 useful MP (3856×2180), 2.9 µm pixels, very deep charge well (~47 ke-) and above all a dark perfectly clean (zero amp-glow). In practice: it's fluid for high-frame-rate planetary, formidable in EAA, and surprisingly comfortable for fast deep-sky lucky imaging.

Why I recommend it

• Sensitivity + dynamics STARVIS 2 in back-illuminated, 47 ke- well and peak QE around ~91 % to make the most of your narrow filters.
• No amp-glow clean sky background, simpler stacking and shorter processing times.
• High speed up to ~47 FPS at full resolution (RAW8), and much more in ROI to freeze turbulence.
• 256 MB DDR3 buffer stable transfers, fewer lost images, even over USB 2.0 if required.
• Meticulous mechanical control : 2ᵉ generation tilt plate (front/rear) to round out stars on the field and integrated blackout foam against lateral leakage.
• Intelligent thermal management The latest technology: body with passive dissipation (PCS) and the option of adding ACS (active air cooling) to stabilize temperature during long sessions.
• Integrated safety overvoltage/overcurrent protection to protect the camera and the rest of the setup.

Usage scenarios (concrete)

• Planetary/high-resolution Tight ROI on Jupiter/Saturn/Moon, frame rates >100 FPS at 2560×1440 and much higher at smaller ROI.
• EAA live stacking of short exposures, clean background without amp-glow, fine stars thanks to 2.9 µm pixels.
• Lucky imaging deep sky 1-10 s exposure bursts on globular clusters, bright NPs, compact galaxies.
• Solar/Hα (with suitable filtration) High sensitivity for high flow rates and contrast of protuberances.

What this means for treatment

• Less time spent correcting gradients and amp-glow artifacts; "cleaner" stacks right out of pre-processing.
• More latitude to push the stretch thanks to a high load well and very low reading noise (down to ~0.7 e-).
• The tilt plate reduces perceived field curvature: stars are better held in corners with fast optics.

Key features

Recommended accessories (in my experience)

• ACS - Active Cooling System air-cooling module to be added to the PCS to stabilize temperature (useful for solar, EAA or deep-sky lucky imaging).
• 1.25″ / 31 mm unmounted filters 2.9 µm fine sampling enhances the value of high-quality narrow SHO/LRGB filters.
• Compact filter wheel/drawer rapid L/Ha/OIII/SII shift to planetary HR lunar and NP.
• Fast SSD for high-speed RAW recording.

Software & driver compatibility

Drivers and software are supplied by Player One; the camera works with popular capture suites via dedicated drivers (see "Drivers & Software" page). Always install the latest versions before using the camera for the first time.

Start-up tips

• Activate HCG mode (~gain 210) to minimize playback noise while maintaining usable dynamics.
• Use ROIs adapted to the apparent size of the target: smaller = faster = more "clean" images to sort.
• On tripod/light mount, keep the optical train compact: 1.25″ nosepiece, short filter drawer and thin rings to stay close to 12.5 mm backfocus.
• In EAA, avoid saturation: wells of 47 ke- = margin, but keep a balanced histogram for colours/contrast specific to the live stack.

What's delivered (typical)

• Uranus-M (IMX585) mono camera
• USB 3.0 cable
• Standard plugs & adapters (1.25″ / T2)
• Documentation (driver & manual links)

In a nutshell

If you're looking for a modern, fast, sensitive, amp-glow-free mono, the Uranus-M ticks all the boxes. It simplifies processing, delivers impressive frame rates and offers rare flexibility: pure planetary, comfortable EAA and lucky deep-sky imaging... all with the same camera. It's exactly the kind of product I like to offer: high-performance, consistent and designed for real nights.