RGB Filter Imaging

Install R, G, B astronomical filters in a filter wheel attached to a monochrome camera. Monochrome sensors have 2-3x higher resolution than color cameras because there is no Bayer matrix interpolation. Each filter isolates a specific wavelength band: Red (600-700nm), Green (500-580nm), Blue (400-500nm).

Capture a complete video through the Red filter first - this channel typically shows the sharpest detail because red light is less affected by atmospheric turbulence. Use your normal planetary capture settings (high fps, short exposure). Record 2000-5000+ frames per channel.

Switch to the Green filter and capture another full video of similar length. Green provides the best overall brightness balance and is often used as the reference for alignment. Keep the same camera settings as the Red capture.

Capture the Blue channel last - this is most affected by atmospheric dispersion and will often appear elongated vertically. You may need slightly longer exposure for Blue due to lower camera sensitivity and atmospheric absorption in this wavelength.

Optionally capture an IR-pass (685nm, 742nm, or 850nm) luminance channel for LRGB processing. IR cuts through atmospheric turbulence better than visible light, producing the sharpest possible detail layer on gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn.

Stack each color channel independently using your preferred algorithm (Weighted or Local Quality recommended). Each channel may require different stack percentages - Red often allows higher percentages than Blue.

Align the three RGB channels to compensate for atmospheric dispersion (chromatic shift). Blue will typically need to be shifted upward relative to Red. Use sub-pixel alignment for best results. ADC (Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector) during capture minimizes this shift.

Combine the aligned R, G, B channels into a single color image. Balance the channels so white features appear neutral. For LRGB: use the IR luminance for sharpness and RGB only for color information.

Apply wavelet sharpening to the final combined image. With LRGB, sharpen only the Luminance layer to avoid color noise amplification. The result will show significantly more detail than a one-shot color camera.