How to shoot Jupiter AND moons

[ChrisThePuma]

Hi All

I have been trying to capture Jupiter and the 4 moons but i can either get Jupiter with detail and no moons, or the moons with Jupiter as a white blob. I assume i have to combine these imaces to get both in the same image but i cant work out how.

I am using an SPC900 webcam with SharpCap to capture and Registax to process.

Any advice/suggestions muchly appreciated so i can get decent shots of the whole Jovian family (my favourite night sky target)

Thanks

chris

[AllanJ]

Hi Chris, one way to do it is to process your image sets separately - the Jupiter and the blob+moons, then bring them both into Photoshop. Assuming that you have taken the images without changing orientation etc, copy the blob+moons into the planet image, with blend mode Difference, then move that layer around till they overlap exactly. Then erase the blob so that Jupiter shows through.

Allan

[Space Cowboy]

If you capture at no more than f25 and have the exposure histogram on sharpcap at about 70% you should be able to capture both Jupiter and moons on the same shot.

[The Sailor]

I took this one a couple of weeks ago, not good but I had not realised I had also captured two of the moons until it was pointed out.

121011 0021 - Jupiter, Ganymede & Callisto with a Canon EOS 450D @ 1/125 sec - ISO-1600

Jim

[Atlas]

Hi All

I have been trying to capture Jupiter and the 4 moons but i can either get Jupiter with detail and no moons, or the moons with Jupiter as a white blob. I assume i have to combine these imaces to get both in the same image but i cant work out how.

I am using an SPC900 webcam with SharpCap to capture and Registax to process.

Any advice/suggestions muchly appreciated so i can get decent shots of the whole Jovian family (my favourite night sky target)

Thanks

chris

Allan speaks the truth.

This image of mine is two separate images. One with Jupiter over exposed (to show the moons) and one with a detailed Jupiter. I aligned and merged the images so only the detailed Jupiter can be seen in the shot.

[ChrisThePuma]

Thanks for the useful tips - i will try them all and see what i get...

For the photoshop one, is there a tutoruial on here that shows how to combine 2 pics (and erase part of one)? I am not very good with photoshop so any help gratefully received (I have PS elements)

Also - just thought i would show you one i took the other night, you can actually see Ganymede right next to Jupiter (bottom right). I am quite happy with this shot, just need to get the moons in properly now.

thanks

chris

[Atlas]

That's a great image there.