Adam Block PI Fundamentals

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bradleybcraig
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Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#1

Post by bradleybcraig »


Greetings!

So I came across a few videos on YouTube from Adam Block. Looking further I found his Adam Block Studios website and subscribed to his PI Fundamentals (will add its expensive) video library.

First off he really does a great job of breaking down a lot of the tools in a way to help you understand what it’s actually doing. This way you will have better understanding of how to apply the tools to your images. I found this really helpful to grow my skills.

He has videos dedicated to the various tools, not all but certainly most of the important ones. He also has a few beginning to end workflow examples.

I learned many new things - both how a tool I’ve used for years is actually working to additional parameters on tools I had no idea existed or nerve to change.

As an example one of the biggest eye openers for me was his quite thorough examination of DynamicBackgroundExtraction including the use of the Symmetries parameters. I have been neglecting taking flats for a while on my narrowband images. Now I will probably never again unless I experience some really significant dust donuts.

Anyway if you are inclined to pay the cost I would recommend it.

Here’s an example of using some of the things I leaned. This image is by no means award winning nor is the amount of data captured that significant. However my initial attempt at the time I felt ok. Now that I’ve reprocessed the same data I can see how bad it was.

Initial:
0C3642AF-D858-4EE8-83FB-A0806D363622.jpeg
Reprocess:
7EE1CA80-1CC1-4E75-B210-B716F7D7423F.jpeg
-Brad

Hardware: Meade 8" ACF, Mallincam CF VRC-8 & 0.75 reducer w/ Moonlite 2" CS focuser & High Res Stepper, WO Star 71 w/ Moonlite High Res Stepper,
iOptron CEM60, Modified Canon 450D, Atik 383L+ mono, Lodestar X2, 2" Atik EFW2, Astrodon 36mm 3nm NB Ha/Sii/Oiii Filters, LRGB Gen2 E-Series Tru-Balance Filters, PoleMaster
Software: SkySafari Pro, Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, PixInsight
Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/a028964/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleycr ... roimaging/
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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#2

Post by bradleybcraig »


Meant to include this ...

Calibration->Integration:
- ImageCalibration
• flats
• master dark
• master bias
- CosmeticCorrection
• master dark
• auto detect
- StarAlignment
• lowest FWHM Luminance as reference
• Luminance w/ Pixel interpolation as Nearest Neighbor (AB)
RGB w/ Pixel interpolation as Auto
- ImageIntegration
• Average combination
• Additive with scaling
• Noise evaluation
• Winsorized Sigma Clipping
• Sigma low 3.0 (AB)
• Sigma high 2.2 (AB)
• Large-Scale Pixel Rejection (AB)

Luminance:
- DBE
• Tolerance 7.0 (AB)
• Smoothing factor 0.6 (AB)
• Symmetries
+ Axial 24pt where needed (AB)
• Varied sample size with manual placement avoiding any high signal objects
• Divide correction
- To non-linear
• apply STF adjusted to liking via HT (AB)
- HDRMT (AB)
• add Preview around high signal of galaxy
• create stand alone image of preview
• apply HDRMT to stand alone image of preview
• apply star mask to original image to protect stars and reveal background and galaxy
• use PixelMath to overlay stand alone image of preview back onto original image
- Noise reduction
• MMT with 1 layer and first layer disabled (AB)

RGB:
- ChannelCombination of integrated linear R,G, and B images
- DBE on combined linear RGB image
• Tolerance 7.0 (AB)
• Smoothing factor 0.6 (AB)
• Symmetries
+ Axial 24pt where needed (AB)
• Varied sample size with manual placement avoiding any high signal objects
• Divide correction
- SCNR
• ~60%
- To non-linear
• apply STF adjusted to liking via HT (AB)
- Color adjustments
• CurvesTransformation for levels, hue and saturation on galaxy, background and stars all with appropriate masking for protection
• ColorSaturation up and down at different hues on galaxy, background and stars all with appropriate masking for protection

LRGB:
- LRGBCombination
• Luminance on L
• Saturation ~0.4
- Color Adjustments
• CurvesTransformation for levels, hue and saturation on galaxy, background and stars all with appropriate masking for protection
• ColorSaturation up and down at different hues on galaxy, background and stars all with appropriate masking for protection
- Noise reduction
• MMT with 1 layer and first layer disabled applied to Chrominance with galaxy protected by mask (AB)
• TGVDNoise applied to Lightness and Chrominance with background and stars protected by mask
+ L*a*b mode (AB)
- Fine details
• UnsharpMask w/ mask protecting background and stars but only revealing highest signal of inner galaxy, arms and dust lanes
- Final
• cropping
• background level adjustment
-Brad

Hardware: Meade 8" ACF, Mallincam CF VRC-8 & 0.75 reducer w/ Moonlite 2" CS focuser & High Res Stepper, WO Star 71 w/ Moonlite High Res Stepper,
iOptron CEM60, Modified Canon 450D, Atik 383L+ mono, Lodestar X2, 2" Atik EFW2, Astrodon 36mm 3nm NB Ha/Sii/Oiii Filters, LRGB Gen2 E-Series Tru-Balance Filters, PoleMaster
Software: SkySafari Pro, Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, PixInsight
Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/a028964/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleycr ... roimaging/
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fatboy1271
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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#3

Post by fatboy1271 »


Hey Brad,

I too subscribed a few weeks ago. His way of teaching is pretty awesome; so much stuff he covers in what is a seemingly basic process. For the price I wish it had some of the things that are in PixInsight Horizons, I haven't paid for that, but it is what it is...

Wow, what a difference in your images!!! Now I'm really excited because DBE is the next section of videos for me to watch :) I hate taking Flats so if this can eliminate doing so then I will be incredibly happy.

fat
OTAs: Explore Scientific ED80 Essential Edition / The Little Guy (Celestron 90SLT)
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Gear: Canon 70D / Hutech LPS-D1-48 / ES 2" Field Flattener / QHY PoleMaster / Celestron GPS / ZWO ASI120MC / Orion 50mm Guide Scope / ZWO EAF
Software: CPWI / PHD2 / N.I.N.A / Stellarium/StellariumScope/Remote Control / PI / RegiStax 6 / AutoStakkert!2 / PIPP | Retired? BackyardEOS Premium
EPs: Stock Celestron 9mm and 24mm / Celestron Omni 32mm (I love this one!) / Celestron X-Cel LX 3x Barlow (I think 2X would have been smarter...)
Support Staff (Loved Ones!): CeCe, Ro, and Geno
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fatboy1271
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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#4

Post by fatboy1271 »


Thanks for including your Workflow!!!
OTAs: Explore Scientific ED80 Essential Edition / The Little Guy (Celestron 90SLT)
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Gear: Canon 70D / Hutech LPS-D1-48 / ES 2" Field Flattener / QHY PoleMaster / Celestron GPS / ZWO ASI120MC / Orion 50mm Guide Scope / ZWO EAF
Software: CPWI / PHD2 / N.I.N.A / Stellarium/StellariumScope/Remote Control / PI / RegiStax 6 / AutoStakkert!2 / PIPP | Retired? BackyardEOS Premium
EPs: Stock Celestron 9mm and 24mm / Celestron Omni 32mm (I love this one!) / Celestron X-Cel LX 3x Barlow (I think 2X would have been smarter...)
Support Staff (Loved Ones!): CeCe, Ro, and Geno
Let's Go Pens!!!
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bradleybcraig
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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#5

Post by bradleybcraig »


fatboy1271 wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 8:18 pm Hey Brad,

I too subscribed a few weeks ago. His way of teaching is pretty awesome; so much stuff he covers in what is a seemingly basic process. For the price I wish it had some of the things that are in PixInsight Horizons, I haven't paid for that, but it is what it is...

Wow, what a difference in your images!!! Now I'm really excited because DBE is the next section of videos for me to watch :) I hate taking Flats so if this can eliminate doing so then I will be incredibly happy.

fat
Hi FB,

Awesome! We can compare notes! I hear you on Horizons. I will eat from the Fundamentals trough for a while and see what he adds where. I notice he hasn’t dealt with any narrowband topics yet in either thread. If he does then I will bite.
-Brad

Hardware: Meade 8" ACF, Mallincam CF VRC-8 & 0.75 reducer w/ Moonlite 2" CS focuser & High Res Stepper, WO Star 71 w/ Moonlite High Res Stepper,
iOptron CEM60, Modified Canon 450D, Atik 383L+ mono, Lodestar X2, 2" Atik EFW2, Astrodon 36mm 3nm NB Ha/Sii/Oiii Filters, LRGB Gen2 E-Series Tru-Balance Filters, PoleMaster
Software: SkySafari Pro, Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, PixInsight
Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/a028964/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleycr ... roimaging/
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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#6

Post by fatboy1271 »


Sounds great! Yeah, I'd love for him to take my super LP data and show how to make it look like Hubble images... Haha! Seriously though, I've yet to see anything on heavy Light Pollution and that's a huge part of what I need.
OTAs: Explore Scientific ED80 Essential Edition / The Little Guy (Celestron 90SLT)
Mount: Celestron Advanced VX
Gear: Canon 70D / Hutech LPS-D1-48 / ES 2" Field Flattener / QHY PoleMaster / Celestron GPS / ZWO ASI120MC / Orion 50mm Guide Scope / ZWO EAF
Software: CPWI / PHD2 / N.I.N.A / Stellarium/StellariumScope/Remote Control / PI / RegiStax 6 / AutoStakkert!2 / PIPP | Retired? BackyardEOS Premium
EPs: Stock Celestron 9mm and 24mm / Celestron Omni 32mm (I love this one!) / Celestron X-Cel LX 3x Barlow (I think 2X would have been smarter...)
Support Staff (Loved Ones!): CeCe, Ro, and Geno
Let's Go Pens!!!
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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#7

Post by yobbo89 »


Wow, that's a long processing list you have, no deconvolution? The repro is a big improvement over your first, well done.
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .

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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#8

Post by bradleybcraig »


yobbo89 wrote: Sat Sep 21, 2019 12:34 am Wow, that's a long processing list you have, no deconvolution? The repro is a big improvement over your first, well done.

Thanks, yobbo89. Actually I did do a deconvolution I see now I forgot to add it to the flow ... good call out :text-thankyoublue:
-Brad

Hardware: Meade 8" ACF, Mallincam CF VRC-8 & 0.75 reducer w/ Moonlite 2" CS focuser & High Res Stepper, WO Star 71 w/ Moonlite High Res Stepper,
iOptron CEM60, Modified Canon 450D, Atik 383L+ mono, Lodestar X2, 2" Atik EFW2, Astrodon 36mm 3nm NB Ha/Sii/Oiii Filters, LRGB Gen2 E-Series Tru-Balance Filters, PoleMaster
Software: SkySafari Pro, Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, PixInsight
Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/a028964/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleycr ... roimaging/
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Stuart United States of America
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Re: Adam Block PI Fundamentals

#9

Post by Stuart »


Hi,
I also recommend Adam Block's tutorials. He's a good explainer, and by the time you're done with whatever thing you're looking at you'll understand what every button and knob does.
Personal equipment: TEC 140 F7 on Astro-Physics Mach 1 mount. Camera QSI 683ws7. Guide with Vario guiding scope
Shared equipment through Star Shadows Remote Observatory through PROMPT/ CTIO/Chile 16" RCOS 16803 chip
Shared equipment through San Diego Astronomy Society 14" RC with 16803 chip on a paramount
Software (for my stuff) PemPRO, SGP, PHD, Focus Boss, ASCOM, and Pixinsight on the other end.
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