M31 with new processing.

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Greenman Great Britain
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M31 with new processing.

#1

Post by Greenman »


I have struggled with PI, the interface and approach confuses and puts me off... So I had a go with Astro Pixel Processor, both for stacking and for limited processing - saving the image as linear and finishing in star tools and Affinity. I really like APP, the light pollution subtraction is very effective and although there is no finished manual a couple of video's and you are up and running.

ImageAstro Pixel Processor by Tony Boutle, on Flickr

This is a closer view of M31 with an Optolong CLS 1.25 on the Altair 72 EDF Deluxe and ASI533MC.

ImageM31_ Final 3 by Tony Boutle, on Flickr

Comments welcome.
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Re: M31 with new processing.

#2

Post by SkyHiker »


Nice image Tony! I feel the same way about PI, I am not (yet) buying into it. I like the color balance.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#3

Post by Mac »


Greenman wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 3:48 pm I have struggled with PI, the interface and approach confuses and puts me off...
Comments welcome.
Great image Tony…

PixInsight is very capable but confusing and it took me quite awhile to adjust to the workflow. I've been a software developer for 40+yrs and struggled with it.
Steve

Scopes : Explore Scientific ED102 Triplet APO - Radian Raptor Triplet APO - Orion 50mm
Mount : AVX EQ | Software : KStars - EKOS - Stellar OS | Cameras : ZWO ASI533MC ASI1600MM ASI120MM-mini
CPU : Mac Studio, iMac - Kstars-Ekos on Raspberry Rpi4/RPi5 | Misc : Thousand Oaks dew controller - DewNot straps - Optolong L-enhance - ZWO EAF
Image Processing : PixInsight - LightRoom - Photoshop - macOS 14 - Windows 11
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#4

Post by messier 111 »


very nice , thx .
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#5

Post by Greenman »


Mac wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 4:11 pm
Greenman wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 3:48 pm I have struggled with PI, the interface and approach confuses and puts me off...
Comments welcome.
Great image Tony…

PixInsight is very capable but confusing and it took me quite awhile to adjust to the workflow. I've been a software developer for 40+yrs and struggled with it.
That probably explains my issue :lol:
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Re: M31 with new processing.

#6

Post by ic_1101 »


Greenman wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 3:48 pm I have struggled with PI, the interface and approach confuses and puts me off... So I had a go with Astro Pixel Processor, both for stacking and for limited processing - saving the image as linear and finishing in star tools and Affinity. I really like APP, the light pollution subtraction is very effective and although there is no finished manual a couple of video's and you are up and running.
Very nice capture and processing, well done!

+1 for APP, I’ve been using it for stacking and limited processing for a couple of years. As you mentioned their light pollution removal tool is so much easier to use than PI’s DBE and the results are comparable.
Alex
Scope: SW Esprit 120ED, Askar FRA300
Mount: ZWO AM5
Cameras: QHY268M/C, QHY183M/C, ASI290MM
Software: Pixinsight, AstroPixelProcessor, SGP
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#7

Post by Juno16 »


Really nice M31 Tony!

Glad that you are finding the processing software that works for you.

I’ve been using Pixinsight for about a year. I decided to take it on as a lifelong learning experience. Got tons more to learn, but I made the right choice for me.
That said, I’ve never tried APP, but it is very well regarded.
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
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Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#8

Post by Greenman »


ic_1101 wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 4:58 pm
Greenman wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 3:48 pm I have struggled with PI, the interface and approach confuses and puts me off... So I had a go with Astro Pixel Processor, both for stacking and for limited processing - saving the image as linear and finishing in star tools and Affinity. I really like APP, the light pollution subtraction is very effective and although there is no finished manual a couple of video's and you are up and running.
Very nice capture and processing, well done!

+1 for APP, I’ve been using it for stacking and limited processing for a couple of years. As you mentioned their light pollution removal tool is so much easier to use than PI’s DBE and the results are comparable.
I agree Alex, thanks for the comments.
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Re: M31 with new processing.

#9

Post by Greenman »


Juno16 wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:01 pm Really nice M31 Tony!

Glad that you are finding the processing software that works for you.

I’ve been using Pixinsight for about a year. I decided to take it on as a lifelong learning experience. Got tons more to learn, but I made the right choice for me.
That said, I’ve never tried APP, but it is very well regarded.
Hi Jim, I will attempt to pick up PI as I go along, currently the time involved in picking it up is disproportionate for me. As you say different solutions fit different people as well. It would be a a good week for imaging, but with no Enhance my targets are limited by the moon.

Hope you are keeping well.
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Re: M31 with new processing.

#10

Post by Jockinireland »


Thats a really nice image. I used APP for quite a while and agree it is much easier to use than PI. When I first started on PI I continued to use APP for stacking as I found it easier than PI. Even now I still go back and stack in PI particularly when using my L-enhance because it has specific algorithms for extracting Ha and Oiii which I find really useful.

As said above, the gradient removal in APP is first rate and if I'm struggling to get a good result in PI I will often throw it at APP and it always does the job. I think it needs some more tools - I find adjusting the color to be really difficult and it really needs a noise reduction process. And a proper manual!!
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#11

Post by Greenman »


Hi David,

Agreed on all, I leave the colour up to Star tools and Affinity, those sliders are not intuitive, nor do I see too much change after I use them. As it is a paid for program I would expect a full manual. Just had an update at least the program is actively being worked on. L-Enhance is on the wish list. :D
Cheers,

Tony.

Image

Smart Scope: Dwarf II - Club and outreach work.

AP Refractor: Altair 72EDF Deluxe F6;1x & 0.8 Flatteners; Antares Versascope 60mm finder. ASIAir Pro.Li battery pack for grab & go.

Celestron AVX Mount; X-cel LX eyepieces & Barlows 2x 3x, ZWO 2” Filter holder,

Cameras: main DSO ASI533MC; DSO guide ASI120MM; Planetary ASI224MC; DSLR Canon EOS100 stock.

Filters: Astronomik IR cut; Optolong L-Pro; Optolong L-Enhance.

Binoculars: Celestron 15 x 70.

Latitude: 52.219853
Longitude: -1.034471
Accuracy: 5 m
Bortle 4 site. https://maps.google.com/?q=52.21985,-1.03447

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Re: M31 with new processing.

#12

Post by MariusD69 »


Looks great! Well done, Tony!
Marius
Mount: iOpton Cem60, HEQ5-for spare
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Cameras: ASI294MC Pro; ASI1600MM Pro; Atik 314L+mono; Canon 1100D; QHY5III-178m; QHY5L-II-m ; ASI224; Altair GPCAM 290M, GPCAM290C
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#13

Post by BABOafrica »


That's a classic capture of a classic target. Very nicely done.

BABO
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Williams Optics 66mm APO / DIY 8" f/4 Newtonian astrograph / Nikon 180mm f/2.8
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Re: M31 with new processing.

#14

Post by Ylem »


Very nice Tony!
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-Jeff :telescopewink:


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