There is so much information out there, BluXterminator, StarXterminator, comet alignment and integration (starless or not- ), what is the best stretching process for a comet?, multiple scripts!, and so many useful YouTube tutorials. The processing sequence, when to remove stars and how to integrate them back (linear or not, unscreened or not??), when to denoise (linear or not!). This new topic is intended to share these experiences. Currently I am not sure whether or not is better to remove stars in linear stage or right after stretching (I have mixed results). Also, my experience with BluXterminator has NOT always produced good results if is applied in the non linear stage (which is the general recommendation). Furthermore, star reduction after using BluXterminator may result in a disaster….Same situation with NoiseXterminator, when applied to linear stage it may actually result in awful background (impossible to correct) after stretching. Oh well..I think you get the idea… Hopefully we will share these experiences here in a language that is understandable for all. Clear skies.
Processing experiences (PixInsight, scripts and more...)
Alicia Rossiter:
Also, my experience with BluXterminator has NOT always produced good results if is applied in the non linear stage (which is the general recommendation)
Hi,
Where are you getting that BlurXterminator should be applied in the nonlinear stage? BlurXterminator is a deconvolution algorithm. It is properly applied in the linear stage, after DBE. It may (or may not) work on nonlinear images, but that's not what it is designed for or trained on. Also, since the comet is moving with respect to the stars, I am not even sure how BlurXterminator would work, since the point spread function derived from the stars would not be correlated to the blur caused by the comet's motion.
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Sorry, I mean "linear"for BluXterminator. It has not always given me good results if I do a star reduction further down in the processing.
By the way, a few questions: when is the best time for NoiseXterminator?, and how aggressive it should be for a starless image?.
How far to process a starless image before adding stars back?
How far to process a starless image before adding stars back?
I posted my basic views on these tools today on Stargazers Lounge if you want to take a look:
https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/406250-first-attempts-at-using-pixinsight/?do=findComment&comment=4347516
Some good info in that thread.
https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/406250-first-attempts-at-using-pixinsight/?do=findComment&comment=4347516
Some good info in that thread.
Alicia Rossiter:
By the way, a few questions: when is the best time for NoiseXterminator?, and how aggressive it should be for a starless image?.
How far to process a starless image before adding stars back?
I don't use NoiseXterminator because I find that it does not give me the level of noise reduction control I need - so it is best someone else answer that question. I personally use TGV DeNoise for linear and ACDNR for non linear noise reduction.
With respect to your second question - different people take different approaches. For deep sky images, I will do a stretch of the complete image till I get the stars the way I want them, then separate out the stars, complete the processing on the starless image then add the stars back. Other people prefer to separate stars right at the linear stage even before the initial stretch. I think either approach works.
For my comet image (not yet posted), I actually tracked the comet, used starXterminator on the linear comet images to get rid of the stars, then comet aligned and processed the starless comet tracked images. I then took a separate set of images for the stars knowing the comet's trajectory, processed them to nonlinear, and added to the comet image.
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I am a newbie but I use blurxterminator in linear as recommended.
Starxterminator leaves a lot less artifacts if done in non linear for me so I use DBE and then Blurxterminator on the linear image and then go non linear and remove stars and then use noisexterminator.
Then finish stretching and processing before I put stars back in.
Why would I want to use denoise on stars?
Starxterminator leaves a lot less artifacts if done in non linear for me so I use DBE and then Blurxterminator on the linear image and then go non linear and remove stars and then use noisexterminator.
Then finish stretching and processing before I put stars back in.
Why would I want to use denoise on stars?
here is my general approach 1) Dyncrop, 2) DBE, 3) Image solver, 4) Color calibration (starting with autocolor scrip, followed by SPCC or PCC (whichever work best), 4) BlurXterminator, 5) NoiseXterminator, and then depending on the image : star removal and stretch OR stretch and star removal. I have done both depending on the image. The issue with removing stars on linear stage is that unscreening is not recommended for linear images, BUT at the same time unscreening would give much better and soft stars upon re-screening. I sill cannot figure what is the best result for NoiseXterminator (I have tried several combinations), eg: linear image, or stretched starless image.
For comet processing. 1) WBP for the initial integration (starts + untracked comet), 2) batch process of starXterminator on the already registered images from WBP (It takes FOREVER, about 2 min per sub) 3) align the starless comet images 4) integration of comet starless 5) processing Stars and comet separately 6) add comet to stars
For comet processing. 1) WBP for the initial integration (starts + untracked comet), 2) batch process of starXterminator on the already registered images from WBP (It takes FOREVER, about 2 min per sub) 3) align the starless comet images 4) integration of comet starless 5) processing Stars and comet separately 6) add comet to stars
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Dan Kearl:
I am a newbie but I use blurxterminator in linear as recommended.
Starxterminator leaves a lot less artifacts if done in non linear for me so I use DBE and then Blurxterminator on the linear image and then go non linear and remove stars and then use noisexterminator.
Then finish stretching and processing before I put stars back in.
Why would I want to use denoise on stars?
I am going to try this sequence in a galaxy I am currently processing (old and not so good data) and will let you know the results.
p.s: No news will be probably bad news.....
Alicia Rossiter:Dan Kearl:
I am a newbie but I use blurxterminator in linear as recommended.
Starxterminator leaves a lot less artifacts if done in non linear for me so I use DBE and then Blurxterminator on the linear image and then go non linear and remove stars and then use noisexterminator.
Then finish stretching and processing before I put stars back in.
Why would I want to use denoise on stars?
I am going to try this sequence in a galaxy I am currently processing (old and not so good data) and will let you know the results.
p.s: No news will be probably bad news.....
I take stars out before any real processing so they are only stretched the minimal amount and since they actually have so little noise (or none) I see zero reason to denoise stars. I take a lot out through simple curve adjustment anyway but like to keep them sharp and any noise reduction software softens them which I would rather do with convolution if I wanted that effect. I am so new to this that I may be completely off base.....
Dan Kearl:Alicia Rossiter:Dan Kearl:
I am a newbie but I use blurxterminator in linear as recommended.
Starxterminator leaves a lot less artifacts if done in non linear for me so I use DBE and then Blurxterminator on the linear image and then go non linear and remove stars and then use noisexterminator.
Then finish stretching and processing before I put stars back in.
Why would I want to use denoise on stars?
I am going to try this sequence in a galaxy I am currently processing (old and not so good data) and will let you know the results.
p.s: No news will be probably bad news.....
I take stars out before any real processing so they are only stretched the minimal amount and since they actually have so little noise (or none) I see zero reason to denoise stars. I take a lot out through simple curve adjustment anyway but like to keep them sharp and any noise reduction software softens them which I would rather do with convolution if I wanted that effect. I am so new to this that I may be completely off base.....
I am new too, and I do welcome any advice, I have also tried soften the stars with convolution and I have gotten good results.