Peaking at our planetary family
This is a collage of the images of the planets we got, from left to right: Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. The arrows coming from the later three planets direct you to a picture of the planets but are color calibrated to see the moons of the planets. NOTE: The images of all of the planets are stitched together. They are NOT observed right next to one another, as shown.
Astrophotography is a wonderful way to bring the beauty of space closer to us through photography. It's a challenging but rewarding experience to capture the planets through the lens of a camera, and the results can be breathtaking. To create the perfect balance of colors in astrophotography, there are two main methods that photographers use: Percentile and Photometrically Calibrated Color Balance. In this blog post, we will delve into these two methods and see how they can help us achieve the best possible results when taking pictures of planets.
In my previous two posts, we visited the Moon from two different perspectives— btw you should check those out!— but now we can journey out and look at some of our other celestial neighbors. In this post, we will be focusing on Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, and Uranus. Similarly to our other observations, we will use the Skynet Network telescopes. More specifically, we will be using the same one we used in the first blog post, PROMT-5.
Astronomers crayon box
As I mentioned, two main methods exist when creating colors in an image:
Percentile
Photometrically
Percentile Calibrated Color Balance
Percentile color balance is a popular method of balancing colors in astrophotography that involves adjusting the red, green, and blue channels to the same brightness level. It is a simple and straightforward technique commonly used for basic image processing and particularly useful when capturing images of bright objects like planets. However, using this method alone can lead to images that don't accurately represent the colors seen in real life. So, while it can be a quick and easy way to balance colors, it may not always produce the most accurate results.
Photometrically Calibrated Color Balance
Photometrically Calibrated Color Balance is a more sophisticated approach to color balancing in astrophotography. This technique utilizes the actual brightness levels of stars to calibrate the red, green, and blue channels. This results in images with colors that are more true to life and are akin to what the human eye would perceive. However, this method requires a bit more effort as the images need to be captured deeply enough to detect background stars, which serve as reference points for the color calibration process. Despite the additional effort required, photometrically calibrated color-balancing results are often worth it, as the resulting images can be truly breathtaking.
Mars
Mars has long fascinated astronomers and space enthusiasts, and it's not difficult to see why. From a picture of Mars taken with an optical telescope, one can observe the planet's distinct reddish hue, which has led to its nickname as the "Red Planet."
But there's much more to Mars than just its color. Mars is home of complex systems of canyons, valleys, and mountains. One of the most notable features of Mars is the massive Valles Marineris canyon system, which stretches over 4,000 kilometers across the planet's surface.
In addition to its striking geography, Mars is also home to some fascinating atmospheric phenomena. In the picture, we can see a thin layer of clouds hovering over the planet's surface. These clouds are composed of water vapor and carbon dioxide and are much thinner than the clouds we see on Earth.
Mars' thin atmosphere is one of the reasons why the planet is so cold. Despite being closer to the sun than Earth, Mars has an average temperature of around -63 degrees Celsius. The planet's atmosphere is also much less dense than Earth's, which means that it provides little protection from harmful solar radiation.
Despite the challenges presented by its harsh environment, Mars remains a popular target for exploration and study. In recent years, there have been several missions to the planet, including NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021. These missions are helping us to learn more about Mars' geology, atmosphere, and potential for supporting life.
Jupiter
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is a breathtaking sight when viewed through an optical telescope. From a picture of Jupiter taken with such a telescope, we can see the planet's distinct bands of clouds. Unfortunately, its iconic Great Red Spot was not in sight whenever observing the planet, a massive storm system that has raged on the planet's surface for centuries.
One of the most striking features visible in the image is the bands of clouds that encircle Jupiter. These bands are created by the planet's powerful jet streams, which move in opposite directions and create turbulence in the atmosphere. The different colors of the bands are caused by variations in the chemical composition of the clouds, with some containing more ammonia or sulfur than others.
Although it’s lack of presence in this image, Jupiter is also home to the iconic “Great Red Spot“, a storm system larger than Earth's size. This storm consists of a high-pressure system that creates winds of up to 400 miles per hour and has been raging for at least 350 years. Scientists still do not fully understand what causes the spot, but they believe it may be related to the planet's strong magnetic field.
Jupiter's immense size and mass make it a crucial part of our solar system. Scientists continue to study the planet and its moons to understand better their role in our cosmic neighborhood's formation and evolution. Future missions to Jupiter, such as NASA's Europa Clipper, are poised to reveal even more secrets about this fascinating planet and its system of moons.
Moons of Jupiter
Not only is Jupiter the largest planet in the solar system, but did you know that Jupiter also has more than 79 moons? Three of Jupiter's most fascinating moons are Io, Europa, and Ganymede. In this post, we'll explore some of the key features and interesting facts about these intriguing celestial bodies.
Io:
Io is the innermost of Jupiter's four largest moons and is known for its volcanic activity. In fact, Io is the most volcanically active object in our solar system, with hundreds of active volcanoes spewing sulfur and other materials into space. These volcanic eruptions create plumes that can reach heights of over 300 kilometers, making Io a fascinating and dynamic object to study.
Large mountains, vast plains, and colorful lava flow also mark Io's surface. These features are thought to be the result of Io's close proximity to Jupiter, which causes tidal forces that generate heat and energy within the moon's interior.
Europa:
Europa is the smallest of Jupiter's four largest moons but is arguably the most fascinating. This is because Europa is believed to have a subsurface ocean of liquid water, which could potentially support life. The presence of this ocean has been confirmed by observations from the Galileo spacecraft, which detected magnetic field variations consistent with a subsurface ocean.
Europa's surface is also marked by a network of ridges, cracks, and other features suggesting the moon's icy shell constantly shifts and changes. Scientists believe this activity is driven by the tidal forces of Jupiter's gravity.
Ganymede:
Ganymede is the largest moon in our solar system, even larger than the planet Mercury. Like Europa, Ganymede is believed to have a subsurface ocean of liquid water. This ocean is thought to be sandwiched between layers of ice, with a rocky core at the center.
Ganymede's surface is marked by craters, mountains, and valleys, as well as a unique system of grooves and ridges that scientists believe are the result of tectonic activity. Ganymede also has a thin atmosphere of oxygen, which is believed to be the result of radiation breaking down water molecules on the moon's surface.
In conclusion, a picture of Jupiter taken with an optical telescope offers a stunning view of the planet's bands of clouds, its Great Red Spot, and its four largest moons. These features provide insight into the planet's atmospheric dynamics, magnetic field, and role in the solar system. We hope to uncover even more about this awe-inspiring giant with ongoing study and exploration.
Uranus
Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, is an intriguing planet when viewed through an optical telescope. From a picture of Uranus taken with such a telescope, we can see the planet's distinct blue-green color caused by the presence of methane gas in its upper atmosphere.
One of the most noticeable features that are not visible in the image is the planet's tilted axis of rotation. Unlike most planets in our solar system, which have a relatively upright axis of rotation, Uranus is tilted at an angle of almost 98 degrees. This means that the planet essentially rolls around the Sun on its side, with its poles experiencing extended periods of daylight and darkness.
In addition to its unusual tilt, the image also fails to show the planet's faint rings, which are made up of small particles of dust and ice. There are a total of 13 rings around Uranus, with the brightest and widest being the epsilon ring.
Uranus is a planet that remains relatively unexplored, with only one spacecraft, NASA's Voyager 2, having flown by the planet in 1986. However, astronomers continue to study the planet and its moons from Earth and with space-based telescopes to understand better its unusual characteristics and place in our solar system.
Moons of Uranus
This ice giant is orbited by 27 known moons, five of which are the largest and most interesting: Titania, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, and Oberon. In this post, we'll explore some of the fascinating features and facts about these Uranian moons.
Titania:
Titania is the largest of Uranus's moons and the eighth-largest moon in the solar system. It has a heavily cratered surface but has some unique features, such as giant canyons and fault lines. Scientists believe that Titania's surface has been reshaped over time by tectonic activity and impacts from other objects in space.
Titania also has a thin atmosphere composed of nitrogen and methane. This atmosphere is thought to have been created by gases escaping from the moon's interior and being trapped by its weak gravity.
Miranda:
Miranda is one of the smallest and most mysterious of Uranus's moons. It has a chaotic and varied surface, with deep canyons, towering cliffs, and bizarre formations that scientists are still trying to explain. Some theories suggest that a series of impacts reshaped Miranda's surface, while others propose that tectonic activity played a role.
Despite its small size, Miranda also has a surprisingly diverse geological history, with evidence of past volcanic activity and an icy subsurface ocean.
Ariel:
Ariel is another of Uranus's largest moons and has a relatively smooth and uncratered surface. It also has a series of fault lines and valleys that suggest tectonic activity and a network of canyons and mountains.
Ariel's surface is made up of a mixture of water-ice, rock, and carbonaceous material. It also has a thin atmosphere composed of methane and traces of other gases.
Umbriel:
Umbriel is one of Uranus's darkest moons, with a surface covered in impact craters and lacking the prominent geological features of some of the other Uranian moons. Despite this, Umbriel is still a fascinating object to study, as its surface composition suggests that it is made up of a mixture of water-ice, rock, and carbonaceous material.
Oberon:
Oberon is the outermost of Uranus's largest moons and has a heavily cratered surface similar to that of Titania. It also has a network of ridges and valleys that suggest tectonic activity and a series of impact craters that hint at a violent past.
Oberon's surface is made up of a mixture of water-ice and rock and has a thin atmosphere composed of carbon dioxide.
In conclusion, these features offer insight into the planet's formation, evolution, and unique characteristics compared to the other planets in our solar system. We hope to uncover even more about this fascinating planet with continued study and exploration.
Neptune
Neptune, the eighth planet from the Sun, is striking when viewed through an optical telescope. From a picture of Neptune taken with such a telescope, we can see the planet's distinct blue color caused by the presence of methane gas in its atmosphere.
One of the most noticeable features that is unfortunately not visible in the image is the planet's Great Dark Spot, a massive storm system that was first observed by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989. The storm is similar in size to Jupiter's Great Red Spot and is thought to be a high-pressure system that creates winds of up to 1,500 miles per hour. The Great Dark Spot appears to have disappeared in more recent images, but other smaller storms can be seen on the planet's surface.
In addition to the Great Dark Spot, our furthest member of the family has the planet's faint rings, which were first discovered in 1984 by astronomers observing the planet from Earth. Neptune has five known rings, which are made up of small particles of dust and ice. The rings are much fainter than those of Uranus and are difficult to see from Earth.
Similarly to Uranus, Neptune is a planet that has only been visited by one spacecraft, NASA's Voyager 2, which flew by the planet in 1989.
Moons of Neptune
Neptune, the eighth planet from the Sun, is known for its vivid blue color and turbulent weather patterns. It is also home to the largest of its 14 known moons, Triton. In this post, we will explore some of the fascinating features and facts about this icy world.
Triton:
Triton is one of the most unique moons in the solar system. It is the only large moon in the solar system that orbits in the opposite direction of its planet's rotation, suggesting that Neptune likely captured it at some point in the past.
Triton's surface is covered in a thick layer of frozen nitrogen and has patches of water-ice and rock. A series of fractures, ridges, and impact craters also mark its surface.
One of the most remarkable features of Triton is its geysers. These geysers erupt nitrogen gas and dust particles into the moon's thin atmosphere, which is composed mostly of nitrogen and a small amount of methane. The geysers are thought to be caused by the heating of subsurface ice, which causes the nitrogen to boil and shoot up into the air.
Triton is also thought to have a subsurface ocean of liquid water kept warm by tidal forces generated by Neptune's gravity. This ocean is believed to be at least 100 km deep and may contain organic compounds that could support life.
In conclusion, Neptune’s distinct blue color, Great Dark Spot, faint rings, and system of moons offer insight into the planet's formation and evolution and its unique characteristics compared to the other planets in our solar system. With continued study and exploration, we can hope to uncover even more about this fascinating planet and its system of moons.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my Professor, Dr. Reichart, and my TA, Mae Dubay, for the opportunity to capture these amazing images and the opportunity to access the amazing telescopes within the Skynet Network! Also, special thanks to my group mates for all of their help and support throughout this process!
