July 2016 • Astronomy.com

Astronomy Insights

Capture a GiantYour step-by-step guide

to imaging Jupiter

A Digital Supplement to Astronomy Magazine

© 2016 Kalmbach Publishing Co.

2 ASTRONOMY INSIGHTS • APRIL 2016

Celestron offers a wide array of high-quality and user-friendly planetary imagers allowing even novice astroimagers to capture high-resolution planetary, lunar, and solar images. Our NexImage 5 and Burst cameras have guided scores of imagers along the learning curve and now it’s time to level up.

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CELESTRON PREMIER SELECT DEALERS

W W W.ASTRONOMY.COM 3

Longtime photographer Christopher Go takes you step by step through the process of imaging this gas giant.

ASTROIMAGING

JUPITERJUPITERHow to image

esides Earth, Jupiter is the easiest planet to capture photographically. Its high surface brightness and large angular diameter make detailed imaging accessible to any telescope size. Even a small scope can resolve major features, like the Great Red Spot.

And now’s a great time to start shooting the gas giant because it lies high in the sky. Professional astronomers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are requesting amateur images to sup-port the Juno spacecraft, which will arrive at Jupiter in July.

As someone who has been imaging Jupiter for a decade, I’ve seen and tried a lot of equipment and many processing techniques. Because I have “been there, done that,” the tips and techniques I’ve developed can help you get started the right way. Take it slow, be sure you understand an idea before you move to the next one, join an online imaging forum, ask lots of questions, and then head out and shoot!

B

The author took this image of Jupiter on March 5, 2015, at 12h54m UT. It shows the main equatorial belts, the Great Red Spot, and a whole lot more detail. ALL IMAGES:

CHRISTOPHER GO

4 ASTRONOMY INSIGHTS • APRIL 2016

Lucky imagingCurrently, the method I and most other amateurs use to capture planets is called “lucky imaging.” This uses a small video camera attached to a telescope. You later process the video with software that lets you stack frames. The program has a routine to perform a check on each frame. It then arranges them in order of quality, letting you stack the best ones to pro-duce a final image.

Which camera?One of the most common ques-tions people ask is whether to get a monochrome or color camera. Color cameras are easy to use and less expensive overall because you don’t need additional accessories like fil-ters and filter wheels.

For beginners I always rec-ommend a color camera. And I have one other tip: When your target planet lies below an alti-tude of 70°, use an atmos-pheric dispersion corrector to offset the effects thicker layers of air have on images.

For the highest-quality images, amateur astronomers should use monochrome cam-eras because their pixels lie closer together than those in color cameras. Monochrome models also are more sensitive.

I use a Celestron Skyris 236M (pictured at lower right) for my monochrome imaging and the Celestron NexImage 5 for my color images.

Telescopeand mountAlmost any telescope can pro-duce decent images of Jupiter. That said, use the largest aper-ture you can. Long-focal-length telescopes are ideal for imag-ing Jupiter because they offer higher magnifications.

An optical tube is only as good as its mount, however. As much as it is up to you, choose a sturdy polar-aligned mount.

This necessity (I think it’s more than an accessory) will make your imaging easier.

Other accessoriesIf you select a monochrome camera, you’ll need a filter wheel with a red, green, and blue (RGB) filter set to produce color images. Beyond standard color shots, I often use a meth-ane-band filter, an ultraviolet filter, and an infrared filter. Each of these reveals different layers in Jupiter’s atmosphere. Note that the images you’ll get through these filters will not be as pleasing to the eye as your color shots.

I also suggest a motorized focuser. This accessory will allow fine focus, which is nec-essary to get the best image.

You also may want to use a Barlow lens to increase image size, but I can’t tell you which one exactly. Its magnification depends on the focal ratio of the scope, the pixel size of the camera, and your typical seeing conditions (how steady the air above your imaging site is). A variable Barlow, like the Astro-Physics Advanced Convertible Barlow, allows flexibility.

Imaging preparationThe most important step before you start to image is to make sure that the telescope is at ambient temperature. A telescope warmer than its surroundings will cause tube currents that negatively affect image quality. Also, avoid imaging close to asphalt that’s been in the Sun all day, a hot roof, or other such structures.

FOR THE HIGHEST-QUALITY IMAGES, AMATEUR

ASTRONOMERS SHOULD USE

MONOCHROME CAMERAS

BECAUSE THEIR PIXELS LIE CLOSER TOGETHER THAN

THOSE IN A COLOR CAMERA.

This image of the giant planet, which

the author captured April 9, 2015, at 10h59m UT, shows great detail and accurate color. The Great Red Spot at the left edge is just starting to rotate into view.

If you use a mono-chrome camera to

shoot Jupiter, you have to capture exposures through red, green, and blue filters to produce a color image.

Christopher Go has produced images of Jupiter nearly every clear night for a decade from Cebu, Philippines. Contact him at chris@cstoneind.com.

The most important factor in getting the best image is see-ing. This means the site you choose for capturing data is critical. If possible, try to image for three or four days straight from several locations, then pick the one with the highest-quality air. Selecting a site

FireCapture’s con-trol screen offers

numerous options for processing planetary images.

Many planetary imagers cut their

teeth on Registax, which came onto the amateur astronomy scene in May 2002.

If you use the “Wavelet” area in

Registax carefully, your images will dramatically improve.

based on seeing is far more important than selecting a dark site. After all, Jupiter usually ranks as the fourth-brightest object in the sky.

Image captureFireCapture is currently the standard image-capture soft-

ware. It supports different camera manufacturers and controls ASCOM (short for AStronomy Common Object Model) compliant mounts, filter wheels, and focus-ers. Also important to some people: This software is free. Here are some tips on using FireCapture:

1. In “Capture Settings,” make sure that the file name includes the object’s name, the date, and the Universal Time. Also, synchronize your com-puter’s clock with an atomic clock. When doing mono-chrome imaging, make sure you indicate the filter used.

2. Use “Region of Interest” (ROI) to reduce the capture frame size. Using ROI creates smaller files, increases the maximum frame rate, and

makes processing faster. You can do ROI by hold-pressing your mouse’s left button and outlining the area around Jupiter. Make sure you leave some space for inaccuracies in your mount’s drive.

Gain and exposure time controls

Exposure time limit

Histogram should be 80-90% by adjusting gain and exposure time.

W W W.ASTRONOMY.COM 5

Lucky imagingCurrently, the method I and most other amateurs use to capture planets is called “lucky imaging.” This uses a small video camera attached to a telescope. You later process the video with software that lets you stack frames. The program has a routine to perform a check on each frame. It then arranges them in order of quality, letting you stack the best ones to pro-duce a final image.

Which camera?One of the most common ques-tions people ask is whether to get a monochrome or color camera. Color cameras are easy to use and less expensive overall because you don’t need additional accessories like fil-ters and filter wheels.

For beginners I always rec-ommend a color camera. And I have one other tip: When your target planet lies below an alti-tude of 70°, use an atmos-pheric dispersion corrector to offset the effects thicker layers of air have on images.

For the highest-quality images, amateur astronomers should use monochrome cam-eras because their pixels lie closer together than those in color cameras. Monochrome models also are more sensitive.

I use a Celestron Skyris 236M (pictured at lower right) for my monochrome imaging and the Celestron NexImage 5 for my color images.

Telescopeand mountAlmost any telescope can pro-duce decent images of Jupiter. That said, use the largest aper-ture you can. Long-focal-length telescopes are ideal for imag-ing Jupiter because they offer higher magnifications.

An optical tube is only as good as its mount, however. As much as it is up to you, choose a sturdy polar-aligned mount.

This necessity (I think it’s more than an accessory) will make your imaging easier.

Other accessoriesIf you select a monochrome camera, you’ll need a filter wheel with a red, green, and blue (RGB) filter set to produce color images. Beyond standard color shots, I often use a meth-ane-band filter, an ultraviolet filter, and an infrared filter. Each of these reveals different layers in Jupiter’s atmosphere. Note that the images you’ll get through these filters will not be as pleasing to the eye as your color shots.

I also suggest a motorized focuser. This accessory will allow fine focus, which is nec-essary to get the best image.

You also may want to use a Barlow lens to increase image size, but I can’t tell you which one exactly. Its magnification depends on the focal ratio of the scope, the pixel size of the camera, and your typical seeing conditions (how steady the air above your imaging site is). A variable Barlow, like the Astro-Physics Advanced Convertible Barlow, allows flexibility.

Imaging preparationThe most important step before you start to image is to make sure that the telescope is at ambient temperature. A telescope warmer than its surroundings will cause tube currents that negatively affect image quality. Also, avoid imaging close to asphalt that’s been in the Sun all day, a hot roof, or other such structures.

FOR THE HIGHEST-QUALITY IMAGES, AMATEUR

ASTRONOMERS SHOULD USE

MONOCHROME CAMERAS

BECAUSE THEIR PIXELS LIE CLOSER TOGETHER THAN

THOSE IN A COLOR CAMERA.

This image of the giant planet, which

the author captured April 9, 2015, at 10h59m UT, shows great detail and accurate color. The Great Red Spot at the left edge is just starting to rotate into view.

If you use a mono-chrome camera to

shoot Jupiter, you have to capture exposures through red, green, and blue filters to produce a color image.

Christopher Go has produced images of Jupiter nearly every clear night for a decade from Cebu, Philippines. Contact him at chris@cstoneind.com.

The most important factor in getting the best image is see-ing. This means the site you choose for capturing data is critical. If possible, try to image for three or four days straight from several locations, then pick the one with the highest-quality air. Selecting a site

FireCapture’s con-trol screen offers

numerous options for processing planetary images.

Many planetary imagers cut their

teeth on Registax, which came onto the amateur astronomy scene in May 2002.

If you use the “Wavelet” area in

Registax carefully, your images will dramatically improve.

based on seeing is far more important than selecting a dark site. After all, Jupiter usually ranks as the fourth-brightest object in the sky.

Image captureFireCapture is currently the standard image-capture soft-

ware. It supports different camera manufacturers and controls ASCOM (short for AStronomy Common Object Model) compliant mounts, filter wheels, and focus-ers. Also important to some people: This software is free. Here are some tips on using FireCapture:

1. In “Capture Settings,” make sure that the file name includes the object’s name, the date, and the Universal Time. Also, synchronize your com-puter’s clock with an atomic clock. When doing mono-chrome imaging, make sure you indicate the filter used.

2. Use “Region of Interest” (ROI) to reduce the capture frame size. Using ROI creates smaller files, increases the maximum frame rate, and

makes processing faster. You can do ROI by hold-pressing your mouse’s left button and outlining the area around Jupiter. Make sure you leave some space for inaccuracies in your mount’s drive.

Gain and exposure time controls

Exposure time limit

Histogram should be 80-90% by adjusting gain and exposure time.

3. Set a time limit for cap-turing Jupiter. This is the “Limit” button on the control panel of FireCapture. Because of the planet’s fast rotation, there are constraints on how long an exposure can be for each frame. For apertures smaller than 8 inches, the length is around 60 seconds; 40 seconds for an 11-inch; and 30 seconds for a 14-inch scope.

4. Two controls affect the brightness of Jupiter. These are “Gain” and “Exposure Time.” A higher gain brightens Jupiter but will produce a grainy image. Faster exposure times would allow faster frame rates, but they will dim the object.

Use the image’s histogram as a guide for these two set-tings. When imaging Jupiter, the histogram should peak at around 80 to 90 percent.

One other thing to remem-ber is that the frame rate func-tions as the inverse of the exposure time. I recommend exposure times for Jupiter between ⁄- and ⅛ -second, then setting the gain to achieve the recommended histogram. But this is not a hard rule. Exposure times will depend on your seeing.

5. When imaging using the narrowband methane or ultra-violet filters, bin your images at 2x2. This technique allows the camera to use four pixels (in a 2x2 matrix) as though they were a single pixel. Exposure times for these filters vary from 0.25 second to 2 seconds.

StackingStacking software sorts video frames by quality. You then choose how many frames to stack for your final image. I recommend AutoStakkert!2 (AS!2). One nice feature is its ability to do batch processing by opening multiple files for stacking. Beginners find AS!2 easy to use. Here are the steps:

1. Open the file.2. Press the “Place AP on

Grid” button. I recommend alignment point (AP) sizes of

50 or 100 depending on the size of the image.

3. In the “Stack Options” section, use percentage for the amount of image you want to stack. When the seeing is good use 70 to 80 percent. For bad seeing, use 50 to 60 percent.

I normally use 1.5x drizzle for most of my images to increase their size. Test different drizzle settings, and find out which works best for your con-ditions and setup. AS!2 will save the resulting stacked images in a folder automatically.

Wavelet sharpeningRegistax was early stacking software that started the ama-teur planetary imaging revolu-tion. Its most powerful tool is the wavelet-sharpening func-tion, which I highly recom-mend. Here are some tips for using wavelet:

1. The “Layer” sliders con-trol sharpening. Slider 1 is for fine sharpening, and it gets coarser as the slider number increases. I normally use only sliders 1, 2, and 3 and leave sliders 4 through 6 set at 1.0.

Larger images require higher slider values. Don’t push too much or you will introduce more grain in the image.

2. Increasing the value of the “Initial Layer” and the “Step Increment” will help sharpen your image. Test dif-ferent settings to see which works best with your setup. Then save them when you find the sweet spot.

Color combineColor camera users can skip this step. Image processing

To derotate an image of the giant planet,

first open the “Image Measurement” window in WinJupos.

The second step is to open the “De-rotation

of images” window.

Align wire frame to image using F11.

Enter Universal Time as accurately as possible.

Load Image Measurement files

Reduce LD value to reduce edge artifacts

Start derotation

software like Photoshop and Gimp can be used to align colors. Note: Apply wavelets before you color combine. Here’s how to combine colors in Photoshop:

1. Open the wavelet-pro-cessed files.

2. Convert the images into gray scale (“Image,” then “Mode,” then “Grayscale”)

3. Next, at the “Channels” windows, use the “Merge Channels” function, and use the “RGB Color” option. Make sure each file corresponds to the correct color channel.

4. Use the “Move” tool to do alignment adjustment. I suggest you align the Red and Blue channels to the Green channel. Save your color image using the Green filter time.

DerotationThe fast rotation of Jupiter limits the exposure time. Fortunately, WinJupos software has added a feature called “De-rotation,” which allows exposure times beyond what was possible with a single image. Now, you can capture and derotate multiple image sets into an image, which will produce less noise than a single image.

For color, you capture mul-tiple consecutive images. But for monochrome, you must

capture three sets (R, G, and B) of sequences. Do not do con-secutive captures with the same filter, or the resulting image will have red and blue edges. You have to do an RGB set.

When seeing is good, three or four image sets are suffi-cient, but when atmospheric conditions are bad, capture more image sets. De-rotation is a two-stage process.

STAGE 1:1. Under “Recording,”

open the “Image Measurement” window.

2. Load the image. Enter the median observation time. For color images, this is the time on the file name plus half of your exposure time. For mono-chrome images, this should be the green start time plus half the time you exposed on one channel. Make sure you enter the time accurately.

3. Press F11 to automatically align the wire frame to the image. If there seems to be some offset on the auto-align, use the arrow keys to adjust the X and Y positions, the “N” and “P” keys to adjust rotation, and “Page Up” and “Page Down” to adjust the size of the wire frame. Save the image measure-ment. Repeat these procedures for the image set.

STAGE 2:1. Open the “De-rotation of

Images” window under “Tools.”2. Load the Image Meas-

urement (*.ims) files that you made in Stage 1.

3. Choose the output file type and orientation preference.

4. Compile the image. Your

result will carry the midtime of the component images.

Final processingUsing image-processing soft-ware, apply slight unsharp masking to improve the image. Some useful tools in Photoshop are the “Despeckle” and the “Dust and Scratches” filters, which remove noise and grain. You’ll find them in the “Filters,” then “Noise” menus.

Impact detectionSince June 2010, amateur imag-ers have detected four impact events. In response, program-mers developed Jupiter Impact Detection (JID) software to search for them automatically.

So be sure to run all of your captured video streams through JID. Who knows? You might get lucky and achieve your 15 minutes of fame.

Support researchFinally, you can help the cause of science by uploading your images to the Jupiter section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, the International Outer Planets Watch website, and the JPL Juno support website. This will allow professionals to use your images to give us all a better understanding of Jupiter.

When submitting images, include the date and time of capture, name of imager and location, and the three central meridian system timings of Jupiter. You’ll find them in WinJupos under “Tools,” then “Ephemerides.”

WHEN SEEING IS GOOD, THREE

OR FOUR IMAGE SETS

ARE SUFFICIENT, BUT WHEN

CONDITIONS ARE BAD,

CAPTURE MORE IMAGE SETS.

On June 3, 2010, the author imaged

an impact scar (arrow) in Jupiter’s atmosphere discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley.

MEET THE AUTHORImaging wizardChristopher Go has sent an astounding 977 sets of images of Jupiter to Astronomy maga-zine, starting in early 2007, and he carefully processes each shot before sending it. This amount of work alone places him in the top tier of planetary imagers. Recently, he began teaching others how to image Jupiter. Christopher Go

COU

RTES

Y CE

LEST

RON

W W W.ASTRONOMY.COM 7

3. Set a time limit for cap-turing Jupiter. This is the “Limit” button on the control panel of FireCapture. Because of the planet’s fast rotation, there are constraints on how long an exposure can be for each frame. For apertures smaller than 8 inches, the length is around 60 seconds; 40 seconds for an 11-inch; and 30 seconds for a 14-inch scope.

4. Two controls affect the brightness of Jupiter. These are “Gain” and “Exposure Time.” A higher gain brightens Jupiter but will produce a grainy image. Faster exposure times would allow faster frame rates, but they will dim the object.

Use the image’s histogram as a guide for these two set-tings. When imaging Jupiter, the histogram should peak at around 80 to 90 percent.

One other thing to remem-ber is that the frame rate func-tions as the inverse of the exposure time. I recommend exposure times for Jupiter between ⁄- and ⅛ -second, then setting the gain to achieve the recommended histogram. But this is not a hard rule. Exposure times will depend on your seeing.

5. When imaging using the narrowband methane or ultra-violet filters, bin your images at 2x2. This technique allows the camera to use four pixels (in a 2x2 matrix) as though they were a single pixel. Exposure times for these filters vary from 0.25 second to 2 seconds.

StackingStacking software sorts video frames by quality. You then choose how many frames to stack for your final image. I recommend AutoStakkert!2 (AS!2). One nice feature is its ability to do batch processing by opening multiple files for stacking. Beginners find AS!2 easy to use. Here are the steps:

1. Open the file.2. Press the “Place AP on

Grid” button. I recommend alignment point (AP) sizes of

50 or 100 depending on the size of the image.

3. In the “Stack Options” section, use percentage for the amount of image you want to stack. When the seeing is good use 70 to 80 percent. For bad seeing, use 50 to 60 percent.

I normally use 1.5x drizzle for most of my images to increase their size. Test different drizzle settings, and find out which works best for your con-ditions and setup. AS!2 will save the resulting stacked images in a folder automatically.

Wavelet sharpeningRegistax was early stacking software that started the ama-teur planetary imaging revolu-tion. Its most powerful tool is the wavelet-sharpening func-tion, which I highly recom-mend. Here are some tips for using wavelet:

1. The “Layer” sliders con-trol sharpening. Slider 1 is for fine sharpening, and it gets coarser as the slider number increases. I normally use only sliders 1, 2, and 3 and leave sliders 4 through 6 set at 1.0.

Larger images require higher slider values. Don’t push too much or you will introduce more grain in the image.

2. Increasing the value of the “Initial Layer” and the “Step Increment” will help sharpen your image. Test dif-ferent settings to see which works best with your setup. Then save them when you find the sweet spot.

Color combineColor camera users can skip this step. Image processing

To derotate an image of the giant planet,

first open the “Image Measurement” window in WinJupos.

The second step is to open the “De-rotation

of images” window.

Align wire frame to image using F11.

Enter Universal Time as accurately as possible.

Load Image Measurement files

Reduce LD value to reduce edge artifacts

Start derotation

software like Photoshop and Gimp can be used to align colors. Note: Apply wavelets before you color combine. Here’s how to combine colors in Photoshop:

1. Open the wavelet-pro-cessed files.

2. Convert the images into gray scale (“Image,” then “Mode,” then “Grayscale”)

3. Next, at the “Channels” windows, use the “Merge Channels” function, and use the “RGB Color” option. Make sure each file corresponds to the correct color channel.

4. Use the “Move” tool to do alignment adjustment. I suggest you align the Red and Blue channels to the Green channel. Save your color image using the Green filter time.

DerotationThe fast rotation of Jupiter limits the exposure time. Fortunately, WinJupos software has added a feature called “De-rotation,” which allows exposure times beyond what was possible with a single image. Now, you can capture and derotate multiple image sets into an image, which will produce less noise than a single image.

For color, you capture mul-tiple consecutive images. But for monochrome, you must

capture three sets (R, G, and B) of sequences. Do not do con-secutive captures with the same filter, or the resulting image will have red and blue edges. You have to do an RGB set.

When seeing is good, three or four image sets are suffi-cient, but when atmospheric conditions are bad, capture more image sets. De-rotation is a two-stage process.

STAGE 1:1. Under “Recording,”

open the “Image Measurement” window.

2. Load the image. Enter the median observation time. For color images, this is the time on the file name plus half of your exposure time. For mono-chrome images, this should be the green start time plus half the time you exposed on one channel. Make sure you enter the time accurately.

3. Press F11 to automatically align the wire frame to the image. If there seems to be some offset on the auto-align, use the arrow keys to adjust the X and Y positions, the “N” and “P” keys to adjust rotation, and “Page Up” and “Page Down” to adjust the size of the wire frame. Save the image measure-ment. Repeat these procedures for the image set.

STAGE 2:1. Open the “De-rotation of

Images” window under “Tools.”2. Load the Image Meas-

urement (*.ims) files that you made in Stage 1.

3. Choose the output file type and orientation preference.

4. Compile the image. Your

result will carry the midtime of the component images.

Final processingUsing image-processing soft-ware, apply slight unsharp masking to improve the image. Some useful tools in Photoshop are the “Despeckle” and the “Dust and Scratches” filters, which remove noise and grain. You’ll find them in the “Filters,” then “Noise” menus.

Impact detectionSince June 2010, amateur imag-ers have detected four impact events. In response, program-mers developed Jupiter Impact Detection (JID) software to search for them automatically.

So be sure to run all of your captured video streams through JID. Who knows? You might get lucky and achieve your 15 minutes of fame.

Support researchFinally, you can help the cause of science by uploading your images to the Jupiter section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, the International Outer Planets Watch website, and the JPL Juno support website. This will allow professionals to use your images to give us all a better understanding of Jupiter.

When submitting images, include the date and time of capture, name of imager and location, and the three central meridian system timings of Jupiter. You’ll find them in WinJupos under “Tools,” then “Ephemerides.”

WHEN SEEING IS GOOD, THREE

OR FOUR IMAGE SETS

ARE SUFFICIENT, BUT WHEN

CONDITIONS ARE BAD,

CAPTURE MORE IMAGE SETS.

On June 3, 2010, the author imaged

an impact scar (arrow) in Jupiter’s atmosphere discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley.

MEET THE AUTHORImaging wizardChristopher Go has sent an astounding 977 sets of images of Jupiter to Astronomy maga-zine, starting in early 2007, and he carefully processes each shot before sending it. This amount of work alone places him in the top tier of planetary imagers. Recently, he began teaching others how to image Jupiter. Christopher Go

COU

RTES

Y CE

LEST

RON

June 11, 2016 was a busy night for one of Team Celestron’s most prolific members and famed planetary imager Chris Go. Go spent the evening acquiring and processing imaging data from Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn captured through his C14 + Skyris setup from his home in Cebu, Philippines. With all three major planets reaching opposition sometime within the last 4 months, spring/summer 2016 has been especially generous to planetary imagers.

Here’s what Chris had to say about his June 11 imaging session (use the links to identify the various features he mentions):

MARS“The northern polar cap is getting smaller and the north polar hood has become larger and more prominent. Elysium is again clear today. The 3 Elysium volcanoes are resolved. Olympus Mons can be seen setting on the right. Sinus Gomer is the 2 finger like feature extending out of Mare Cimmerium. On the tip of the right finger is the Gale crater where the Mars rover Curiosity is currently located.”

SATURN“The sky was clear so I was able to get a better image with a lot less data. Note the dark spot on the N3TB. Is this the remnant of the similar feature last year? The polar hexagon is very prominent.”

JUPITER“Oval BA still has a strong orange color. The dark halo is gone. The wake of the Great Red Spot is very turbulent. There are a lot of complex rift activity on the NEB. The CH4 image is impressive.”

Backyard astroimaging, especially of the major planets and the Moon is now more accessible than ever leading to a surge among the younger generations who are quick to adapt to the new technology and share images on social media daily. With a relatively modest investment, you can get your own images published in magazines or shared online, win an APOD, help with citizen science projects, or just wow your friends on social media.

NASA Needs Your ImagesSpeaking of citizen science, Chris and Celestron were on hand at Mt. Wilson Observatory in California for the JUNO spacecraft orbital insertion event in early July. Chris was imaging the gas giant with a Celestron CGE Pro 1400 HD + Skyris camera for the press in an effort to raise awareness about the JUNOCam citizen science project with NASA that will use amateur astroimagers’ images of Jupiter to help plan out the future of the spacecraft’s mission. Submit your own images and help JUNO go!

All images courtesy of Chris Go and http://astro.christone.net/. All images taken with Chris’ classic orange-tube Celestron C14 OTA and Skyris prototype imaging camera. Learn more at http://www.celestron.com/team-celestron/christopher-go

Christopher GoPLANETARY ROUNDUP

celestron.com

W W W.ASTRONOMY.COM 9

Good sensitivity, high-quality construction, and a lightweight package make these CCD cameras must-have planetary imagers. by Damian Peach

Celestron’s Skyris

EQUIPMENT REVIEW

During the past year or so, amateur astronomers have seen quite an upturn in the number of new cameras geared toward the solar, lunar, and planetary imager hit-

ting the marketplace. Never before have we had so many terrific choices in equipment — and we can own many of them for a sur-prisingly modest price.

Celestron recently entered the market-place with its Skyris series. The design and engineering for these cameras came from The Imaging Source in Germany in col-laboration with Celestron’s engineers.

Unlike the company’s several basic models, such as the NexImage, the Skyris cameras target more serious solar system imagers. For this review, I tested two units

under the night sky — the Skyris 618C and the Skyris 445M.

Facts, figures, and useThe 618C contains a 640x480 array with 5.6-micron pixels based on the Sony EXview HAD ICX618AQA color CCD sen-sor. It operates via a high-speed USB 3.0 connection and can deliver frame rates up to 120 frames per second (fps) at full frame in 12-bit color mode. The camera comes with iCap capture software and a copy of RegiStax 6 for processing the captured images. The box also contains a 1¼" nose-piece for easy connection to any 1¼" focuser and an instruction manual.

The 445M camera is quite a different beast altogether. It has a larger 1280x960 array with 3.75-micron pixels based on the Sony EXview HAD ICX445ALA mono-chrome CCD sensor. This camera also operates via USB 3.0 but offers download speeds of 30 fps at full frame in 12-bit

monochrome mode. It comes with the same accessories as the 618C,

and, indeed, both cameras look identical on the out-

side. Both are

also well made, being of all metal construc-tion and anodized in black.

Installing both cameras was straight-forward, and the instructions in the small manual included are clear and concise. I quickly had both cameras up and running with the supplied iCap software. I ran both on a midrange laptop with an Intel core i5 processor. The system had no trouble run-ning either camera.

With some brief daytime testing com-pleted, I waited for a clear night to try the cameras under the night sky. The Moon and Jupiter were both available throughout the review period, so I seized the opportu-nity to point both cameras at these targets.

Under the night skyEach of these objects is challenging in dif-ferent ways, and I had high hopes for the performance of the Skyris cameras given the technical specifications.

Both cameras require different setups to achieve the correct image scale because of their noticeably different pixel size. (The 445M has pixels around 35 percent smaller

Image the solar system with

Damian Peach is one of the world’s top astro-imagers. He usually sets up and shoots from Hampshire, England.

Celestron and The Imaging Source designed the Skyris 618C and Skyris 445M to use the same body, although each contains a different chip. (Camera is actual size.) CELESTRON

The author captured the lunar crater Copernicus using the Skyris 445M camera. Its large chip makes it ideally suited for lunar and solar imaging where larger fields of view are desirable. DAMIAN PEACH

10 ASTRONOMY INSIGHTS • APRIL 2016

than the 618C.) The 618C is an especially convenient system for planetary imaging because it gives a true-color live view, meaning you don’t need filters. I was most impressed with this camera compared to competing color cameras I’ve used.

The USB 3.0 connection in both cam-eras allows high frame rates, so you can collect a large number of frames in a short time — vital for a fast-rotating object like Jupiter. In fact, you can get a decent result in as little as 60 seconds. With longer expo-sure times, you’ll produce smooth results. This is important for color cameras like the 618C because they tend to be noisier than their monochrome counterparts.

As stated above, the 445M’s smaller pixels require a different setup. This can prove awkward on long-focal-length tele-scopes such as Schmidt-Cassegrains using the typically available tools for image amplification such as 2x or 3x Barlow lenses. (The latter accessory, for example, boosts the apparent focal length all the way up to 6,000 millimeters.)

The 445M’s larger array and small pixel size made it a really wonderful camera for lunar and solar imaging. Where before, using other smaller-chipped cameras, I needed to do mosaics to cover large craters, now I could shoot them in one take using the 445M, which makes imaging the Moon a lot more enjoyable.

I’ve spent many years making lunar mosaics, so a camera like this is a pleasure to use. It performed well on both the Moon and Jupiter, although if you want to take color images with it, you’ll need filters.

Overall, both cameras delivered high-quality results. The 618C is a convenient planetary camera, and the 445M is well-adapted for wider targets like Moon craters

(though it also does a great job with Jupi-ter). Both cameras are sensitive, although the 445M is a little more so and less noisy.

The only slight negative is that the iCap software that comes with the cameras is not easy to come to grips with. It was not always clear where certain functions were. Compared to other packages available, it isn’t as slick in function or layout. On the other hand, it’s great to see Celestron including RegiStax 6 image-processing software with the camera — an especially nice touch for those just starting out.

Pick oneBoth of these cameras really impressed me. They are of high quality and perform well in the field. I especially liked the 618C. Finally we have a high-speed color CCD camera on the market capable of delivering

nice results, all through a simple USB 3.0 interface. I can see this camera becoming a popular choice among planetary imagers both old and new.

The 445M is also excellent. It is more flexible in its uses, but being a mono-chrome model, it’s more suited to the expe-rienced imager. It certainly will serve amateur astronomers well as their primary camera, and the larger array size makes it especially nice for lunar or solar work.

Based on my testing of the Skyris 618C and 445M, these cameras would make excellent choices for either a novice or experienced imager, and the 618C is prob-ably one of the best color cameras currently available. Both are worth checking out.

Celestron Skyris CCD camerasModel 618C 445MResolution: 640x480 1280x960Pixel size: 5.6 microns 3.75 micronsMounting: 1¼" barrel and C-threadExposure range: 0.0001 to 30 secondsPower: Powered by USBWeight: 3.6 ounces (102 grams)Included: 1¼" nosepiece, 10-foot USB 3.0

cable, Celestron iCap capture software, RegiStax 6 software

Price: $499.95 $649.95Contact: Celestron2835 Columbia StreetTorrance, CA 90503[t] 310.328.9560[w] www.celestron.com

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Celestron includes everything you need in the box with the Skyris 618C and 445M cameras. CELESTRON

The author captured Jupiter with the Skyris 445M (left) and 618C. Both cameras deliver impressive results, although of course the 445M requires filters to produce color images such as this. DAMIAN PEACH

Robert ReevesLUNAR LANDSCAPES

Celestron recently produced, published, and printed an eBook with veteran Team Celestron member Robert Reeves that chronicles his favorite features on the Moon. The book features exquisitely detailed monochrome images and a narrative account that is as much science and lunar geography as it is poetic and personal musings. Reeves is a true craftsman who has spent the last 60+ years imaging the Moon and learning the tricks of the trade.

FROM ROBERT: “I took my first lunar image in 1959 just as our space program was awakening to the possibilities of exploring our natural satellite. In the next decade, the Moon captured the world’s imagination as astronauts and cosmonauts pushed the boundary of humanity ever upward, culminating with Apollo 11 and Neil Armstrong’s epic first step onto another world.

By the 21st century, the steady progress in astro-photography equipment brought the Moon into the realm of the amateur astronomer. Superior telescopes and electronic cameras allow the amateur astronomer to image the Moon from their backyard in greater detail than the professional astronomer could in the heyday of the Apollo explorations.

I thus argue that NOW is the golden era of amateur lunar observation. We have the advantage of high performance, yet affordable equipment that allows us to image the Moon in stunning detail, even from a light polluted back yard.”

Readers are also treated to an overview of Robert’s acquisition and processing techniques. As with Go, Reeves achieves this level of staggering beauty with a surprisingly affordable setup, ample time, and attention to detail.

All images courtesy of Robert Reeves. All images taken with a Celestron 11” EDGEHD OTA and Skyris 132M planetary imaging camera. Learn more at http://www.celestron.com/team-celestron/robert-reeves

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Archimedes Sunset

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