Thread: Stupid Question
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Old June 9th 04, 12:25 AM
David Nakamoto
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Default Stupid Question

You don't see the stars because even now CCD cameras don't have the dynamic
range of the eye. Being an avid imager of planets for almost the past year,
I can tell you that recording stars and planets clearly in the same image is
nearly impossible unless the star is of the nearly the same brightness as
the planet.

The only advantage CCDs have over the eye is to save light over longer
periods of time, minutes instead of seconds, but this is not necessary for
the planets due to their high brightness.
--
Sincerely,
--- Dave

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A man is a god in ruins.
--- Duke Ellington
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"LSL" wrote in message
m...
Hello All,
Not really an amateur - more like a casual observer with an interest -
please forgive the intrusion.

I've been watching the Cassini stuff, and something struck me that
I've never really thought too much about before, so I'm hoping this
isn't the proverbial stupid question!

When I see these images of planets within our solar system, why do I
never see stars in the backdrop (at least that I can remember?)

I've seen images of Pluto at distance, shown as a smudge in a
starfield, so that one's obvious. But when I see pictures of the moon,
for instance, I can't remember ever really seeing stars adjacent.

Do they just crop them out, is the light too great, do they just
happen to choose photographs that have no stars in them for
aesthetics, etc.

Or, if I'm wrong, and just haven't seen the right pictures (I'm
getting your National Geographic and Mars Rovers and Cassini type
images - stuff from NASA and friends), could someone maybe direct me
to a good site?

TIA
Steve