The best planetary camera available to amateurs is not some expensive camera costing thousands of dollars but a $150 webcam made originally for videoconferencing. With the Philips ToUcam Pro and special processing techniques it is possible to capture images that amateurs only dreamed of before.
Location: Tucson, AZ (110d55'W 32d15'N)
Time: 2352MST 5Nov2005 (0652UT 6Nov2005)
Conditions: Seeing moderate (5/10) with high frequency blurring of the image
Optics: 11" Celestron @ f/20 (2x barlow or 5600mm EFL)
Camera: Philips ToUCam Pro w/IR blocking filter
Processing: 600 of 1000 frames stacked with Registax
Mars longitude 255°, south is up, note the blue haze of morning clouds over Syria, the south polar cap is just a speck.
Location: Tucson, AZ (110d55'W 32d15'N)
Time: 23Oct2005 (0747UT 23Oct2005)
Conditions: Seeing good (7/10)
Optics: 11" Celestron @ f/20 (2x barlow or 5600mm EFL)
Camera: Philips ToUCam Pro w/IR blocking filter
Processing: 400 of 1000 frames stacked with Registax
Mars longitude 50°, south is up, dust storms over Syria and across Argyre clearly visible
Location: Tucson, AZ (110d55'W 32d15'N)
Time: 24Feb2004
Conditions: Seeing good (8/10)
Optics: 11" Celestron @ f/20 (2x barlow or 5600mm EFL)
Camera: Philips ToUCam Pro w/IR blocking filter
Processing: A single image captured both Jupter and the bright moons.
Visible are the moons Ganymede (left) and Europa (right)
Location: Tucson, AZ (110d55'W 32d15'N)
Time: 15Feb2004
Conditions: Seeing good (7/10)
Optics: 11" Celestron @ f/20 (2x barlow or 5600mm EFL)
Camera: Philips ToUCam Pro w/IR blocking filter
Processing: Two separate images taken sequentially, one exposed for the planet and another for the moons, layer back together in Photoshop
Visible are the moons (left-right) Mimas, Enceladus, Dione, Tethys, Rhea and Titan
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