TOP 10 Tips to PHOTOGRAPH the PLANETS with a TELESCOPE

In this overview/tutorial video, I share my TOP 10 tips to photograph the planets with a telescope. First, I'll discuss what telescopes, mounts, and cameras are best suited for imaging the planets.

Next, I'll talk about how to find the planets in the night sky and the best imaging times.

Finally, I get into some awesome free software to capture and process the planets. If you like (tutorial) videos on planetary imaging and astrophotography, please subscribe to my channel.

Clear skies!

Check out my blog on planetary imaging on my website:

Additional videos about telescopes, mounts, and cameras:

Link to opposition and elongation times of the planets:

Links to video capturing tools:

Links to video processing tools:

Link to COOLEST planet picture EVER taken:

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0:00 Intro
1:05 Tip 1: Best telescope to photograph planets
1:37 Tip 2: Best mount to image planets
3:01 Tip 3: Best Cameras to image planets
4:19 Tip 4: When to image the planets
5:13 Tip 5: How to find the planets in the night-sky
6:08 Tip 6: Collimation & finderscope
6:44 Tip 7: How to capture the planets
7:42 Tip 8: Best video settings for capturing planets
9:14 Tip 9: How to process pictures of planets (part 1: stacking)
10:17 Tip 10: How to process pictures of planets (part 2: sharpening)

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus

[KevinMcDaniel]

These were some very good tips. Thanks for sharing!

[avt_astro]

Great Tips Wido!! I have a 6 inch Newt and ZWO ASI 224mc Which I Use for Planetary Imaging! My Astrophotography Setup! Informative Video As Always!

[bazpearce]

I'd like to add an equipment tip if i may. Filters are a good way to enhance your pictures. An IR/UV cut can help with contrast and colour depth. An IR pass will help bring out more detail in Jupiter's bands. They can also help with low planets in a turbulent atmosphere, and give daylight Moon captures more contrast and fine detail.

[perry]

Thanks Wido. Still learning. Great content.

[fblin]

Thanks for sharing, it’s a great help!!

[martynh]

Nice and clear tutorial video Wido! All points that you made, I totally agree with you. Soon after getting my scope I made some okay planetary video’s and processed images last year. I used SharpCap, PPIP, AutoStakkert and Registax.

One issue I found was when doing a time lapse of Mars over a couple of hours to show its planetary rotation. The Celestron alt/Az mount tracked the planet well but each image (taken every 10 minutes) had to be manually rotated to compensate for the Earths rotation. I know an Eq mount would have not required that extra step.

[Mobiusc]

Hi Wido, in #6 where planets near the horizon I think it is worth mentioning using an atmospheric disperser corrector, ie an ADC device. They are useful.

[jiffijoff]

Hi Wido, thanks for providing such useful and greatly presented informations. I just recently got a tracking goto mount (Bresser Exos 2) and will start by using existing photogear. I'm especially curious what's possible with the m43 gear like a G9 + 150/2.8 (300mm equiv) or up to 400mm (800mm equiv).
In case you are planing to offer 1:1 workshops I'd be pretty interested. 👍🍻 (either remote, or who knows, face to face, once the current circumstances slowly fade off)

[indysbike]

Can the rolling shutter on a dslr be a problem for planets? I have a A6400 and the rolling shutter in 4K is pretty bad. When you pan or shake the camera the image gets wobbly (just like bad atmospheric conditions). The readout speed is 1/22s.

[GarnettLeary]

Alt-az field rotation is a nightmare for high detail work and time lapse. That’s a very important note regarding eq vs alt-az.

[markeddeath]

Im still trying to hold my phone camera up to eyepiece of my scope hahaha i have managed to get one...
ONE awesome pic of Jupiter and few of the moon

[tuccdo]

Firecapture download is being blocked by my browser and antivirus as "unsafe".