This picture is one that I rendered using 3D Studio Max. The planets are Spheres textured using maps made with the Flaming Pear/Lunar Cell plugin/filter in Adobe CS5/PS
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maps for the planet CS5 work
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In 3D Max the setup to render.Background although not visible in the finished picture is an image taken by the Hubble telescope, Credit NASA. It was placed on a plane to be used as a backdrop.
Pieces placed, the little planet was all I used from the Max render. Color layers , the fire lights is brush work with layer FX like outer glow and gradient overlay.