The worlds fastest and most sensitive OCam camera is set to click the galaxy as a result of a collaborative effort between ESO and three French laboratories from the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers (CNRS/INSU). This ultra fast camera is capable of taking 1500 finely exposed pictures per second and produces 240X240 pixel images. OCan can be a key component of the next generation of adaptive optics instruments of Europe's ground-based astronomy flagship facility will definitely help astronomers who have been trying to capture clear images of the stars.

OCam will enable great leaps forward in many areas of the study of the Universe, which is not possible by ground-based telescopes as they suffer from the blurring effect induced by atmospheric turbulence. This adaptive technique will certainly help overcome this issue and produce sharp pictures similar to the ones taken in space. OCam is the result of five years work, financed by the European commission, ESO and CNRS-INSU, within the OPTICON project of the 6th Research and Development Framework Programme of the European Union.

[ScienceDaily]