PI / Starnet++ help?

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UlteriorModem
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PI / Starnet++ help?

#1

Post by UlteriorModem »


I finally got around to trying Starnet in PI. I got the process module to load fine. It 'seems' to be working as it takes a long time to crunch the numbers.

But all I have been able to do so far is create a fairly good star mask. But cannot seem to get it to actually remove the stars.

Will the process work on an xisf image? Does it need to be converted to .tiff first?

What does the 'stride' setting do?

Any hints or tips are appreciated!
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#2

Post by STEVE333 »


UlteriorModem wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 2:42 pm I finally got around to trying Starnet in PI. I got the process module to load fine. It 'seems' to be working as it takes a long time to crunch the numbers.

But all I have been able to do so far is create a fairly good star mask. But cannot seem to get it to actually remove the stars.

Will the process work on an xisf image? Does it need to be converted to .tiff first?

What does the 'stride' setting do?

Any hints or tips are appreciated!


Congratulations on getting it up and running UM.

When you open the process in PI you will see a checkbox named Create starmask. Make sure it is NOT checked if you want to create a starless image.

The process does work on xisf images, so, no need to convert to .tiff.

You shouldn't have to change the 'stride' setting. The program actually breaks the image up into a checkerboard of sub images and works on them. Increasing stride will increase the amount of time required to process the image. Reducing stride may reduce the quality of the final result. This explanation may not be exactly correct, but, the changes in processing time are real.

Hope this helps.
Steve
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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#3

Post by UlteriorModem »


Thanks for the input. Yes I understood about the star mask. It does make a pretty good star mask.

It only seems to work on the image itself once it has been stretched?
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#4

Post by KathyNS »


Yes, it only works on stretched images. And the Starmask checkbox needs to be unchecked.

My preferred procedure is to make a clone of the image. I apply Starnet to the clone, creating a starless image. Then I subtract the starless image from the original in PixelMath, giving me a stars-only image. That way, I can apply sharpening to the nebula without messing up stars, and I can apply Morphological Transformation to the stars without affecting the background. When I am done fiddling, I use PixelMath to add them back together again.
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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#5

Post by UlteriorModem »


Ah.... perfect! My thanks Kathy!
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#6

Post by STEVE333 »


UlteriorModem wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 7:20 pm Thanks for the input. Yes I understood about the star mask. It does make a pretty good star mask.

It only seems to work on the image itself once it has been stretched?
The author of Starnet suggests using it only on stretched images. That's what I normally do.

Some users have suggested it can be used on unstretched images.

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#7

Post by UlteriorModem »


It can create a star mask from unstretched data I know that :D

Hey Kathy, What formula do you use to remove the 'background' from the original? I tried -Bacground but ended up with a null image.
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#8

Post by STEVE333 »


UlteriorModem wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 7:47 pm It can create a star mask from unstretched data I know that :D
Good to know. Thanks.

Steve
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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#9

Post by UlteriorModem »


Well for whatever reason I changed the filenames to B and M for background and Master and a simple M-B worked?

It would not work before with the longer filenames... Might have something to do with spaces in the filename.
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#10

Post by KathyNS »


UlteriorModem wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 7:47 pm Hey Kathy, What formula do you use to remove the 'background' from the original? I tried -Bacground but ended up with a null image.
PixelMath uses the image names. Let's say my stretched image is called "Stretched". I will clone it, producing "Stretched_clone", which, for clarity, I will rename to "Starless". I then apply Starnet to "Starless" so it actually becomes starless.

In PixelMath, I will use the expression "Stretched-Starless", using the names of the relevant images. I have PixelMath create a new image with the results, which I rename "Stars_only". After doing whatever processing I want on the two images, I do a new PixelMath operation, using the expression "Starless+Stars_only". Done.

Note that you use image names, not file names in the PixelMath expression. Image names cannot contain any punctuation except the underscore character, "_".
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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#11

Post by UlteriorModem »


except the underscore character, "_".
It would seem the underscore is 'mandatory' because if you use spaces the pixel math doesn't know what to do.
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#12

Post by UlteriorModem »


Okay thanks for all the help, I think I have a handle on it. Few more things to try but this is not a bad result :D

ImagePac Man 3 by Tom Whit, on Flickr
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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#13

Post by KathyNS »


UlteriorModem wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 9:03 pm It would seem the underscore is 'mandatory' because if you use spaces the pixel math doesn't know what to do.
Not just PixelMath. PixInsight in general will not allow spaces in image names.
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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#14

Post by yobbo89 »


I don't know what results you are looking for tom,i see you're trying a different technique.

i ran that image with starnet of yours.
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scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#15

Post by UlteriorModem »


yobbo89 wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:26 pm I don't know what results you are looking for tom,i see you're trying a different technique.

i ran that image with starnet of yours.
Hrm I guess I did not make it clear. That image was after stripping out the stars, processing the nebula, then recombining the stars at 65%. A finished results if you will.

Here is the 'background' image.

ImageB by Tom Whit, on Flickr

And here is the star field.

ImageS by Tom Whit, on Flickr

Pretty amazing stuff! I hope that clears things up :D
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#16

Post by yobbo89 »


i see it took care of those bright stars.
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: PI / Starnet++ help?

#17

Post by yobbo89 »


now put the stars in another image and upload to astrometry.net for awesome plate solve fun :)
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: PI / Starnet++ help?

#18

Post by UlteriorModem »


yobbo89 wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:49 pm now put the stars in another image and upload to astrometry.net for awesome plate solve fun :)
It would probably solve it as it only looks at the 200 or so brightest stars ;)
i see it took care of those bright stars.
Right When I re-combined the two images I only used like 80% of the stars. B+S*.8 :D I could have done it the other way S+B*1.25
Tom

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Re: PI / Starnet++ help?

#19

Post by yobbo89 »


i added you to my foe list tom haha, i found the friends/ foe settings in the forum , keep your friends close and foe closer? :character-jestercolor:


edit: ohhh dang,. it makes all your post invisible . i better put you back i guess.
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: PI / Starnet++ help?

#20

Post by UlteriorModem »


Ah thanks for reminding me I need to update my sig :D
Tom

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Cam: ASI071mc-pro
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