JeffPo's Planetary Page

Last update:  04/17/14

My planetary images leave a lot to be desired, but they do document my progress.  I hope to have better images in the future as I hone my technique and enhance my equipment.


Mars

Mars, 08/24/03I snapped this image of Mars through my 8" f/10 SCT using the afocal method with my Nikon 995 digital camera using an 8mm eyepiece.  Image taken on 08/24/03 at around 11:30pm.  I'm sure some proper processing could really bring out some of the details.


Venus

Crescent VenusNope, that isn't the moon.  It's the planet Venus.  Image was taken via afocal method (i.e. sticking the camera up to the eyepiece) on my 80mm refractor, in March 2001.


Jupiter

Jupiter with comet impactThis washed out and blurry image of Jupiter was taken during July of 1994.  You can just make out the two equatorial belts across the planet.  The dark patch on the bottom left is an impact site from a fragment of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.  The photographic method was eyepiece projection through my 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain.  The view through the scope was spectacular!!!

Jupiter2Here's another blurry image of Jupiter taken via eyepiece projection through the 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain.

I'm not sure how I got this image.  Found it in my files.  Thought it might be a version of the one below, but the red spot doesn't line up, so it was taken at a different time.  This image actually shows just how subtle the red spot can be.

Jupiter via Nikon 995, afocalHere's proof I'm getting better (or using better equipment).  This image of Jupiter was taken on the night of 02/04/03 (south is at top).  The method was afocal with my Nikon 995 digital camera attached to the 8" f/10 SCT scope, using an 11mm eyepiece.  Exposure time was 1/8 sec.  Processing done by Michael King.


Saturn

Saturn with thin ringsThis blurry image of Saturn was taken during the Fall of 1996.  The method was eyepiece projection through my 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain.  Saturn's rings were quite thin.

SaturnHere's another blurry, yet a little bit better picture of Saturn. Taken with via eyepiece projection with the 8" SCT.

Saturn via Nikon 995, afocalHere's proof I'm getting better (or using better equipment).  This image of Saturn was taken on the night of 02/04/03 (south is at top).  The method was afocal with my Nikon 995 digital camera attached to the 8" f/10 SCT scope, using an 11mm eyepiece.  Exposure time was 1/4 sec.  Processing done by Michael King.

Saturn (April 3, 2005)Took this image of Saturn via afocal with my Nikon 995 digital camera attached to the 8" f/6.3 (focal reducer) SCT scope, using an 8mm eyepiece.  I took 62 images and stacked and processed them using Registax.  I don't have a clue how to do processing, so I just clicked on buttons until I got this image.  Pretty amazing and it gives me hope.


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