I always figured those super sharp Jupiter photos were just Photoshop magic.

Then a guy at the star party last month showed me his rig, a Celestron 8-inch scope with a dedicated planetary camera. Seeing the raw video feed of the Great Red Spot, wobbly but real, completely changed my mind. What's the most basic setup you've seen pull off a legit planetary shot?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery_lopez5d ago

That raw video feed moment is key. I've seen a cheap webcam taped to a small refractor do shockingly well on Saturn.

joelh645d ago

Yeah, @avery_lopez, that's the real magic trick. It's hilarious when a setup that looks like garage sale junk, some duct tape and a ten year old Logitech, pulls in a clear image of the rings. Really makes you question all the fancy gear ads. The best planetary views I've ever had came from a similar janky rig pointed through a bedroom window.