How to Photograph the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter

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How to Photograph the Conjunction of Saturn and
Jupiter
The 2020 Great Conjunction of Saturn and
Jupiter is the closest these planets will appear
in the sky since 1623 just after Galileo first
observed them with his telescope. They are easy
to see without special equipment, and can be
photographed easily on DSLR cameras and many cell
phone cameras. Here are a few tips to keep in
mind when photographing the sky during December.
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General Tips

• Jupiter and Saturn will appear brighter than
  nearly every star. They can be seen easily from
  large cities, and dark sites.
• Dark skies will allow you to see fainter stars,
  but Jupiter and Saturn are bright enough that you
  dont necessarily need to go to a dark site to
  take compelling photos of them. If you have a
  clear view toward the southwest, you have the
  chance to take some great photos.
• Think about composition. Jupiter and Saturn will
  just appear as points of light. To make your
  photo more interesting, try to frame the planets
  with something the silhouette of a tree, an
  outdoor landscape, the arch of a building, or
  even a neon sign.

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• Experiment with both wide-angle and telephoto
  shots. In early December, the two planets will be
  about 2 degrees apart, and will get progressively
  close toward December 21. In order to show them
  clearly in your photos, you might use a
  wide-angle composition early in December, and
  zoom in later in the month as they get closer.
• Be sure to go outside on a few different nights,
  and see how their separation changes.
• Using a tripod will help you hold your camera
  steady while taking longer exposures. If you
  dont have a tripod, brace your camera against
  something a tree, a fence, or a car can all
  serve as a tripod for a several-second exposure.

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Tips If Using A Cell Phone Camera

• Jupiter and Saturn will be bright enough to
  detect in many cell phone cameras. You wont see
  additional detail by zooming in, but you can
  frame Jupiter and Saturn creatively.
• Some recent cell phones have a night mode,
  which will automatically stabilize a
  long-exposure, even without using a tripod. This
  can be great for capturing the dark foreground of
  your photo. Some phones will let you use night
  mode on exposures up to 30 seconds, if you also
  use a tripod.

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• Many cell phones have a wide-angle lens. Try
  using this to place a subject in the foreground,
  with Jupiter and Saturn above them.
• At the time of conjunction on December 21,
  Jupiter and Saturn may be too close to separate
  clearly in your photos. Images taken a few days
  before or after the conjunction may show them
  more clearly.

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Tips If Using A DSLR Camera

• Set your focus to Infinity (Manual Focus mode),
  so the planets will be sharp. Set your aperture
  wide open, to let in the maximum amount of light.
• If you have a tripod, it will help you take long
  exposures. If not, you can still take some great
  pictures with a short shutter speed (lt 1/4
  second). If your camera or lens has an image
  stabilizer, be sure it is turned on.
• If you use a 200 mm telephoto lens, you should be
  able to see Jupiter's four bright moons in a
  short exposure. Saturns rings will usually need
  a longer lens or a telescope in order to resolve
  clearly.