I don't get it.... how do ya begin?

pwrhsepro

So, I have lots of gear, and produce terrible planetary images, I'm doing so-so using my DSO gear, but this planetary stuff is really out of this world!

So... is anyone game for divulging some of their secrets? Lets start with Mars or Jupiter as an object, an ASI120-MC because seeing here is generally not all that great (I also have the MM version)... I want to use my Edge C11 on my Atlas mount... no Barlow for now, (I have a 4X Powermate and a 2X on the way for this kind of work)...

So... next... what settings in Firecapture? Gamma... Exposures... Size... any of the other tweaks...? As far as stacking... what settings in Autostakke...?

I aopolgize if this is the wrong location for the post... I just joined up and still wandering around!

Clear Skies!

riklaunim

Gamma: not changed

Exposure/Gain: I use exposures to get 60-65 FPS on Mars and gain lowered for those exposures (some use much higher gain and shorter exposures). Jupiter gets slightly less FPS, Saturn gets 30-25 FPS.

Histogram: as high as possible, but sometimes, like on blue channel in mono cameras it's hard and not always "achievable".

I catch 3000-4000 frames per color channel, and 4000-5000 for luminance channels (for a mono camera). I stack 40-50% in Autostakkert.

f/20 is a lot for ASI120 small pixels. Saturn would want bit less. Mars likes it if the seeing is good. Also check things like scope collimation and thermal equilibrium (on a defocused star) - my C14 usually starts drifting after an hour and won't cool itself down without active cooling. Focus is also important.

pwrhsepro

Thank you for the tips!