Me photoshopping a bit :)

Heheh... Tutorial eh

? First of all, create a starfield with this PHP code: (requires GD)

<?php
$xsize = 1600;
$ysize = 1200;
$im = imagecreatetruecolor($xsize, $ysize);
$grey = imagecolorallocate($im, 132, 132, 132);
$white = imagecolorallocate($im, 255, 255, 255);

// Create the less bright stars
for($i=0; $i<=7500; $i+=1)
{
    @$x = mt_rand(0, $xsize);
    @$y = mt_rand(0, $ysize);
    imagesetpixel($im, $x, $y, $grey);
}

// Create bright stars
for($i=0; $i<=3000; $i+=1)
{
    @$x = mt_rand(0, $xsize);
    @$y = mt_rand(0, $xsize);
    imagesetpixel($im, $x, $y, $white);
}

header('Content-Type: Image/PNG');
imagepng($im);
imagedestroy($im);
?>

Change the values to whatever you like

? Save the created image to disk, as starfield.png
? Now load this image in photoshop
? Create a new layer
? Use the ellipse select tool (right-click on the square select tool and select the ellipse one) to create a circle the size you want your planet to be
? Select a background and foreground colour.
? Go to Filter > Generate > Clouds.
? Go to Filter > Distort > Spherise, use 100% as value
? Repeat this step with a value of 50%
You now have a basic planet. We'll add an athmosphere to it:
? Right-click on your planet layer and select Blending Options
? Go to the Outer Glow tab
? Use something similar to these values, but adjust as you like:
Blend mode: Screen
Colour: pick one
Spread: 2%
Size: 38px
? Go to the Inner Glow tab
? Use something similar to these values, but adjust as you like:
Blend mode: Screen
Colour: pick one
Choke: 4%
Size: 10px
Range: 50%
Jitter: 8%

This will give you a planet on a starfield background with a nice atmosphere, much like the ones I posted above

-- Bekko

What? A nice random starfield

Or, you could go the more artistic route: http://gallery.artofgregmartin.com/tuts … field.html

Cool beans, elbekko. Nice work.

except you're using the width for x and y.

so where is the star drawn when y's random value is 1201?

You don't get the (mt_)rand function, now do you?

int mt_rand ( [int min, int max] )

The smallest coordinate is 0, biggest coordinate is your x/y size. This way a pixel cannot be drawn outside of your image.