Signal-to-noise calculator for CCD photometry

Modified 3/7/2001 to include extinction. MWR

This form allows you to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio for a star observed with a telescope and CCD. You can vary the parameters and find out what sort of results to expect.

Assumptions:

• the star has the same spectrum as Vega, so it will give inaccurate results for very cool, red stars.
• the sky has the same spectrum as Vega
• the extinction coefficients are typical for sea-level sites; unfiltered observations are given the V-band extinction coefficient

If you want to see the calculations themselves, try reading the Perl source code to the calculator.

Last updated Sep 30, 2003 by Michael Richmond.