Solar System Imaging

I've tried capturing planetary images over the years using various techniques with digital cameras, but never really put a lot of effort into it.  I recently received an Orion StarShoot 5MP Planetary camera as a gift.  I've been experimenting with that camera using the image stacking techniques and tools that are popular with amateurs today.

Below are some of my planetary images from over the years.  Here you'll find a little bit of everything --- experiments that went well, experiments that went wrong, and more recent attempts at capturing something decent that is worth sharing.
Picture
Transit of Venus on June 5, 2012. 

  • Scope: Meade LX 200
  • Filter/Lens: Solar (light reduction)
  • Camera: Nikon D40
  • Exposure: 1/250
  • Seeing:  Daytime - Clear
  • Processing: Brightness/Contrast only
  • Thoughts:  Focus is a little soft, but overall not a bad attempt.
 Picture
Jupiter - February 21, 2014

  • Scope: CGE PRO 1400 HD
  • Filter/Lens: Celestron 2.5x Barlow
  • Camera: Orion StarShoot 5MP
  • Exposure: Sub-second, Half-Res
  • Seeing:  Fair to poor
  • Processing: RegiStax. 50 stacked images, Wavelet, Photoshop 
  • Thoughts:  Focus is soft and seeing wasn't great, but it was my first attempt
 Picture
Mars - May 7, 2014
  • Scope: CGE PRO 1400 HD
  • Filter/Lens: Celestron 2.5x Barlow
  • Camera: Orion StarShoot 5MP
  • Exposure: Sub-second, Half-Res
  • Seeing:  Fair to poor
  • Processing: RegiStax. 1000 stacked images, Wavelet, Photoshop 
  • Thoughts:  Focus is soft.  Barlow is not quite powerful enough to capture a larger image but I could boost resolution for next attempt.  A 5x barlow would be perfect.
Picture
Saturn - June 16, 2014

  • Scope: CGE PRO 1400HD
  • Filter/Lens: None
  • Camera: Orion StarShoot 5MP
  • Exposure: Sub-second, Full-Res
  • Seeing:  Fair - some haze
  • Processing: RegiStax. 200 stacked images, Wavelet, Photoshop
  • Thoughts:  Low in the sky and would be better if closer to zenith. 
 Picture
Saturn - June 16, 2014

  • Scope: CGE PRO 1400HD
  • Filter/Lens: None
  • Camera: Orion StarShoot 5MP
  • Exposure: Sub-second, Half-Res
  • Seeing:  Fair - some haze
  • Processing: RegiStax. 500 stacked images, Wavelet, Photoshop
  • Thoughts:  Low in the sky and would be better if closer to zenith. 
 Picture
Jupiter - March 30, 2015

  • Scope: CGE PRO 1400 HD
  • Filter/Lens: None
  • Camera: Orion StarShoot 5MP
  • Exposure: Sub-second, Half-Res
  • Seeing:  Good to Excellent
  • Processing: RegiStax. 500 stacked images, Wavelet, Photoshop 
  • Thoughts:  Near zenith.  Focus is pretty sharp
Picture
Jupiter - March 30, 2015

  • Scope: CGE PRO 1400 HD
  • Filter/Lens: Celestron 2.5x barlow
  • Camera: Orion StarShoot 5MP
  • Exposure: Sub-second, Half-Res
  • Seeing:  Good to Excellent
  • Processing: RegiStax. 500 stacked images, Wavelet, Photoshop 
  • Thoughts:  Near zenith.  Focus could be better.  Barlow increases focus difficulty.