RedShift is pre-set to display realistic images of the planets and their satellites (moons). The surface of Mercury and many satellites have only ever been partially observed. Many of the smaller satellites display no detail even when observed through powerful telescopes. Where we don't have observations of surface detail, part or all of the surface of a body will be displayed as a simple sphere with no texture.
You can display planets and moons as images (the default), as disks, icons or hide them altogether. Use the buttons along the top of the left hand group of controls in the Sun & Planets filter dialog to control how the Sun and all the planets are displayed. You can control how the Sun and individual planets are displayed by clicking the buttons along side the planet names in the left hand group of buttons. Use the same procedure to control how satellites (moons) are displayed by using the Moons filter dialog (click the Moons tab in the Filters dialog box.
Note that if images are selected, the object will only be displayed if it is brighter than the limiting magnitude.
Displaying planets and satellites as discs speeds up RedShift.

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The actual sizes of planets and moons are negligible in comparison with the diameter of their orbits. It helps if you enlarge planets when you are viewing either the planet with its orbit or the whole Solar System. Enlarging moons can help when viewing them in orbit around their parent planet.
Use the central column of fields in the Sun & Planets and the Moons filter dialog to enlarge the images of planet and moons. You can only enlarge objects when they are represented as images or disks.
Drag the general magnification slider (at the top of the central column of buttons) to simultaneously enlarge all the objects listed in the filter dialog (all planets, or all moons of a selected planet).
Use the individual check-boxes (the column below the Active button) to select or exclude which objects should be enlarged (the default is all). Use the Active button at the top of the central the group of buttons to switch all the check boxes on or off (if you switch all of the check boxes off the magnification slider becomes inactive).

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Use the right-hand group of buttons in the filter dialogs to control the display of labels, orbits and paths. RedShift displays orbits as a solid line.
If you choose to display the Path for any object, its position at successive time steps will be plotted as a series of icons. The path is plotted to show the object's movement relative to the stars, so if the stars move in your view of the sky, the path icons will move too.
Labels, orbits and paths can be switched on and off for all objects listed in the filter dialog by using the buttons at the top of the right-hand group of buttons. Labels, orbits and paths can be switched on and off for individual objects using the right-hand bank of buttons.

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Use the check-boxes in the top right of the Sun & Planets filter dialog to control planet display options.
Use the Phases check-box to switch the display of phases (shadows) on and off.
Use the Atmosphere check-box to switch the display of cloud cover on and off (Earth and Venus only).
Use the rings check box to switch the display of rings on and off for Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. The ring systems for these planets are normally invisible in Earth-based observations. Saturn's rings are much more easily visible and are always displayed by RedShift (whether the rings check box is on or off).

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Use the Guides group check-box to activate the check boxes for poles, equator, grid zero meridian and features. Use the individual check boxes to switch the display of these guides on and off. Equators are shown in red. Zero meridians (such as the Greenwich meridian on Earth) are shown in green. The Features check box enables the display of cities and observatories on Earth, and landing sites and surface features on the Moon, Venus and Mars.

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