Contents

• Wide field imaging at f/1 - an introduction
• General properties of the Thomson CCD
  • Chip image area description
  • Dark current and power-on cleanout
  • Horizontal charge transfer efficiency
  • Fast cleanout
  • Bias level estimation
  • Mains noise injection
  • Readout noise, gain, saturation and linearity
  • Cosmic ray counts
  • Quantum efficiency
  • Saturation vs readout speed
  • Residuals
  • Histograms of data values
  • Non-recurring hot pixels
  • Recurring hot pixel summary
  • Trapping sites and intensities
• Observing with the f/1 system
  • Special precautions with the Thomson CCD
  • Preparing for a run
  • A caution on disk space and archiving
  • Communicating with the CCD - the OBSERVER software system
  • The Large External Memory (XMEM)
  • Setting up the f/1 system
  • Filling the dewar
  • Selecting filters
  • Shutter timing
  • Focus techniques
  • Flat fields
  • Calculating exposure times
  • Photometric transformations
  • Astrometry with the f/1 system
• Preparing a data catalogue
  • Format of data catalogue file
  • Example file
• Filter transmission curves
• Vignetting profiles
• Standard stars
• Quantum efficiencies of CCDs currently available at AAO
• About this document ...