The backyard telescope combined with modern CCD cameras is well-suited to capture high resolution images of the planets. Choose a planet(s) from the menu on the left to learn more about what can be seen on various planets and how to image them.

    Below are typical samples of planets that were imaged on a single evening.

Five planets imaged on the night of March 29, 2004 (March 30, 2004, UT). All were obtained with an 8" f/7 newtonian and a Philips ToUcam Pro webcam at about f/35 except for Mercury which was obtained with a 6" f/8 newtonian at a smaller image scale. Mercury was 7.7 arcseconds in diameter, Venus was 23.6 arcseconds in diameter, Mars was 4.9 arcseconds in diameter, Jupiter was 43.6 arcseconds in diameter with Europa and Io and their shadows in transit, and Saturn was 18.4 arcseconds in diameter. Seeing conditions were fair to average.

Four planets imaged on the night of December 5-6, 2002. All were obtained with an 8" f/7 newtonian and a Philips ToUcam Pro webcam at f/32. Jupiter was 41.1 arcseconds in diameter at the equator, Saturn was 21 arcseconds in diameter at the equator, Venus was 41 arcseconds in diameter and 26% illuminated, and Mars was 4.2 arcseconds in diameter.

    A compilation of four planets that I imaged soon after receiving my Philips ToUcam Pro Webcam. Upper left is Jupiter (with Io and Europa) from November 13, 2002; lower left is Saturn (with Tethys and Dione) from November 7, 2002; upper right is Venus from November 17, 2002; lower right is Uranus from October 26, 2002. All images have been reproduced to the same image scale.

Links

The Nine Planets