TheSkySearchers

Before we begin, this material was developed by me for a class I have taught a number of times. This is only a discussion on AP software titles. I do not provide any techniques for use or recommendations as to which title may be better than another. Also, all freeware is listed first and the order in which the titles appear is arbitrary. Additionally, this primer does not include smartphone/tablet specific software -- that is for another post currently under development.

This post is for astrophotography (AP) beginners and as such will only cover DSLR/CMOS deep sky object imaging and DSLR/webcam planetary/lunar imaging software, keeping in mind that there is a huge overlap, in software features, between camera type specific approaches.

• • AP is a procedurally complex and detail oriented endeavor
  • AP software can be amazingly complex and has a very steep learning curve
  • This is one of the reasons why instruction vs. personal discovery is so important – there are just not enough hours in the day/week/year/your life to learn more than a handful of these titles

As of today, there are over 90 pieces of software that can be used in pursuit of that perfect astro image

• • Fortunately for us, a lot of them are FREE!!
  • Fortunately for us, I will not be covering them all!

In this post, I will try to break this endeavor down by category and by using flow charts so you get a feel of the flow for using different pieces of software

• • You will notice that there are quite a few multi-purpose titles and many with identical/overlapping features
  • The first section will show the categories and software that are at your disposal to plan, acquire, and process an image
  • The second part will be object specific (DSO vs. Planetary) and how the procedural flow will determine which software titles are used for that particular object

• • Planetarium Programs, Atlases, and Planners
  • Camera Control – DSLR and planetary imaging webcam control for this post
  • Software Assisted Focusing
  • Image Acquisition Automation
  • Image Calibration, Aligning and Stacking
  • Image Correction and Enhancement (Post-Processing)
  • Autoguiding Software
  • Photo Utilities
  • Photoshop Filters and Actions

Planetarium programs, planners, and atlases let you find out what is up in the sky and help you plan your observing and AP session. Many of these titles interact with your image acquisition software and your telescope mount.

• • Stellarium {$Free}
  • Cartes du Ciel {$Free}
  • SkyTechX {$Free}
  • Virtual Moon Atlas {$Free}
  • C2A (Computer Aided Astronomy) {$Free}
  • AstroPlanner – Aids in planning, visualization, and logging
  • SkyTools 3 – Mostly for visual use but definitely aids in planning
  • SkyMap Pro
  • The SkyX
  • Starry Night Pro 6/7/8

With camera control software, you can use your computer to control all of the functions and settings of your camera

• • N.I.N.A. (Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy) {$Free} – Camera and equipment control (color filters, auto-focusers, and mounts), Image acquisition
  • APT (Astro Photography Tool) - Camera control, focus, image acquisition automation, and mount control.
  • BackyardEOS & Backyard Nikon - Camera control, focus, image acquisition automation, drift alignment assist
  • Sequence Generator Pro – controls equipment - cameras, color filters, auto-focusers and mounts
  • Nebulosity 3/4 - Camera control, focus, image acquisition automation, image calibration, image processing
  • Images Plus Camera Control - DSLR control, focusing, image acquisition automation
  • Maxim DL - DSLR and CCD control and image processing

With webcam control software, you can use your computer to control all of the functions and settings of your guiding/planetary imaging webcam

• • AmCap - {$Free}
  • SharpCap - {$Free}
  • Fire Capture - {$Free}
  • Astro Snap - {$Free}
  • K3CCDTools - {$Free} version – Somewhat dated

Focusing the camera can be done by manual focusing and visual inspection of the Live-view image on the computer screen or the camera’s LCD; or using the acquisition software's automated process if you are equipped for that

• • Bahtinov Grabber - {$Free}
  • Focus Max {$Free} - Focusing software that automates focusing if you have a motorized focuser that works with Maxim DL
  • N.I.N.A. (Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy) {$Free} – Image acquisition, controls equipment - cameras, color filters, auto-focusers, and mounts
  • APT (Astro Photography Tool)
  • BackyardEOS/Nikon
  • Sequence Generator Pro
  • Nebulosity
  • Images Plus Camera Control
  • AstroArt
  • Maxim DSLR

This is where we have to break into two camps: deep sky object images and planetary/lunar images. We’ll start with deep sky object images using a DSLR.


This is where we use the camera control programs because long exposure deep-sky AP is best achieved by shooting many shorter duration exposures. Faint deep-sky objects may require several hours’ worth of 3-10 minute exposures that are later stacked (combined) during image processing. The following programs automate this potentially hours long (even all night) image acquisition process. To repeat:

• • DSLR Shutter {$Free} - image acquisition automation
  • N.I.N.A. (Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy) {$Free} – Image acquisition and plate solve
  • APT (Astro Photography Tool) - Image acquisition and plate solve
  • BackyardEOS
  • Sequence Generator Pro - Image acquisition and plate solve
  • Nebulosity
  • Images Plus Camera Control
  • AstroArt
  • Maxim DSLR

Advanced Astro Imaging requires the "calibration, aligning and stacking" of all the .raw images. Your calibration frames (darks, flats, bias) and your object image frames (what we call “lights”) are “stacked” (combined) into a single “master” image. In other words, “Stacking" means combining and aligning many individual short exposures; your “light” frames and your calibration frames into a single “master” image. These processes (calibration, aligning and stacking) used to be a done separately (and still can be if you want) but it’s not needed anymore as dedicated astro image stacking programs will do all these steps in route to producing that “master” single image.

• • Deepsky Stacker (DSS) {$Free} - Image calibration, alignment, and stacking
  • IRIS {$Free} - DSLR control, image acquisition automation
  • Regim {$Free} - Image calibration, alignment, and stacking
  • PixInsight – Advanced and very powerful image calibration, alignment, stacking, and post-processing
  • Nebulosity - Image calibration, alignment, and stacking
  • AIP (Astronomical Image Processing - Image calibration, correction, enhancement
  • Images Plus – Image processing
  • AstroArt - Image calibration, alignment, stacking
  • Maxim DL - Image calibration, alignment, and stacking

Planetary/Lunar AP is best achieved by shooting thousands of video frames this can be done with either a dedicated webcam or the video feature of your DSLR. The reason we use video files for this type of imaging is to take advantage of a phenomenon known as “lucky” imaging. Lucky imaging takes advantage of the fact that even a moving atmosphere has brief periods where the seeing is exceptionally calm. So if you take enough video frames, being captured at a reasonably high frame rate (>30 frames/second), then you will capture frames that occur during that brief lucky seeing period. This video file is later stacked (combined) during image processing into a single master image. The following programs automate this fast moving image acquisition process. To repeat:

• • AmCap - {$Free}
  • SharpCap - {$Free}
  • Fire Capture - {$Free}
  • Astro Snap - {$Free}
  • K3CCDTools - {$Free} version

Image stacking for Planetary/Lunar Images is a multi-step process for your video file. Let’s say your video file has 1,000 frames in it. We would like to review each frame and grade it based on how clear the image is. Fortunately, we don’t have to do this manually. The two main image stacking titles will automatically do this for you. Obviously, it will take your computer some time to work its way through all those frames. To make this lengthy process easier we use an additional title that pre-processes all those frames so a lot of the work is already done before we put it in the stacking software.

• • PIPP (Planetary Image Pre-Processing) {$Free} -- Crops each frame, selects only the best quality frames (you decide how many) to speed up the stacking software
  • AutoStakkert! 2 or 3 - {$Free} -- for stacking planetary images
  • RegiStax 6 {$Free} - for stacking planetary images

Once your images are calibrated, aligned and stacked giving you a Master Image, you will want to “stretch” the histogram to bring out faint detail. Then you can correct for things such as color balance, and increase the contrast and saturation to make faint details more pleasing artistically. You will probably also want to apply some type of noise reduction and sharpness, and you may want to apply even more sophisticated enhancement techniques.


Now that your stacking software has given you your single master image, it is time to apply some artistic enhancements (contrast, saturation, denoise, sharpen, etc). The following software titles apply to both types of images with a few exceptions.

• • IRIS {$Free}
  • GIMPshop {$Free}
  • Photoshop
  • Photoshop Elements
  • PixInsight
  • AIP (Astronomical Image Processing)
  • Nebulosity
  • Images Plus
  • AstroArt
  • StarTools - post-processing for noise reduction, fine detail enhancement, and color calibration
  • Maxim DSLR
  • Registax 6 {$Free} – used to enhance your planetary images with its “wavelets” function

By automatically following a star (tracking) and then making small corrections in right ascension and declination (guiding), higher tracking accuracy is obtained. This allows for long-exposure deep-sky AP.
Autoguiding involves using a separate CCD or Webcam attached to either a second smaller telescope or an off-axis guider connected to the focuser of your imaging scope. We do this to monitor a star's position within the guide camera’s field of view and the guiding software sends corrections to the telescope's mount to “guide” or hold that star motionless in that field of view. This higher accuracy compensates for inaccuracies in the mount's tracking abilities.

• • GuideDog {$Free}
  • PHD 2 {$Free}
  • Metaguide {$Free}
  • Guidemaster {$Free}
  • AstroArt
  • Maxim DSLR

These programs perform useful additional functions like allowing you to plate solve, open FITS format files, perform noise reduction, and create thumbnails for indexing and archiving, etc.

• • AstroTortilla {$FREE} – Plate solving freeware
  • Platesolve 2 {$FREE} – Plate solver
  • All Sky Plate Solver {$FREE} – Another plate solver
  • Dark Library {$Free} - Sort Dark frames by EXIF temperature data
  • EXIF Reader {$Free} - Reads EXIF data, also a thumbnail and image viewer
  • FITS Liberator {$Free} - FITS file format image handling software
  • Noiseware Community Edition {$Free} - Noise Reduction software
  • Background Subtraction Toolkit {$Free} - Remove gradients and vignetting
  • IrfanView {$Free} – Very powerful image viewer and manipulator
  • Picassa {$Free} - Thumbnail and Image Viewer and database
  • StarTrails - {$Free} - Stack individual frames to create a star-trail image – way cool!

These filters and actions work inside of Photoshop and perform specialty functions for astronomy, such as gradient and noise reduction

• • Astronomy Tools - Noel Carboni's Photoshop actions for various AP techniques
  • Annie's Astro Actions - Astrophotography specific Photoshop actions
  • Noise Ninja - Noise Reduction filter
  • GradientXTerminator - Removes vignetting and gradients
  • HLVG – Hasta La Vista Green – Removes the “green” tint a lot of images acquired during processing

The type of software and the order in which you use it is usually determined by what type of object you are imaging.
These are two major object categories - Deep Sky objects and Solar System objects. These two different categories highly influence the procedures you use from planning all the way to looking at YOUR pretty picture on the computer screen.


This presentation on software doesn’t even address the hundreds of websites that can aid in your efforts to image the night sky. All of the areas that we used in this post to categorize the software can also be used to categorize the websites that provide many similar functions. Additionally, the web has hundreds of tutorials for using just about every title mentioned. Final thoughts:

• • Remember – All software has a user interface that you may or may not like
  •  Experiment, see what fits your needs, abilities, and preferences
  •  Keeping in mind there are only so many hours in the day to learn new software

Lastly, when you do graduate up to a dedicated cooled Mono-CCD (and now the newest CMOS) camera, there are only a few extra titles that may interest you. By then you’ll already know what they are.

I hope this post has helped you gain a better understanding of not only the plethora of AP related software titles, clearing up the disarray and confusion this growing number of titles has caused, and their place in "flow" of creating an astro image.

Let's make this a living document because the titles are somewhat "perishable", so additions, subtractions, and suggestions are welcome.

Happy imaging,
JT

PS, I have now entered attachment hell!

JT,

Awesome post!
Man,you certainly have covered quite a bit!

Very helpful, JT. Thanks a bunch!

Jim

Wow, nice comprehensive list, JT! Nicely done!

Hi !
This is all I needed !
Arsène

Whew, JT. I have a lot more reading/research to do! Thanks for the synopsis.

Bob

Boy! That's all to it?
Geez...

I've never been very interested in AP, but I think I'm looking forward this.
My 'ol brain needs some new learning.

OMG - Thank you.

That seems to suggest there's more choice than anybody could want. I guess it's a case of picking one either by recommendation and trying, or pot luck until one fits your way of doing. The danger is, with this vast choice, is you could end up spending far too much time looking at each in turn, rather than spending dedicated time on one or two.

Some of those 'freebies' - have paid elements attached? Sharpcap springs to mind

I didn't see Genika64, is that because it's restrictive on camera?

This info is gold for a new AP guy. Thanks JT, this is a beautiful tome.

Is there any beginner who still dares to try AP after this?

The good news is that for those who just want to try AP with a DSLR without having to deal with software: You need no software at all. The firmware in your goto mount has everything you need to get started. The only exception is if you have an autoguider; you will need software to control your mount for that.

Personally I believe in manual labor to learn the basics. That way you can learn what it takes to get a good polar alignment, a good goto alignment and good focus, and you get a better understanding where software can make things easier.

BTW the above titles do not mention what software runs on Linux, Mac or Windows. If you decide on a Raspberry Pi for autoguiding you may want to use lin_guider instead of PHD2, for instance.

By the time you started thinking about this you probably have done enough internet searches already that you know what software to choose. JT's list is then a good reference to make sure you did not miss anything.

SkyTools3 Professional version has a number of tools designed for imaging, including mount control.
SkyTools4 has separate Image and Visual editions. The Imaging version has recently been released.
https://www.skyhound.com/skytools_imaging.html

Thanks for the list, JT!

If you're accepting additions, consider Astronomy Linux. It's a compilation of what feels like every free Linux-based Astronomy app out there (Stellarium, Sky Charts, all kinds of AP-related programs, etc.). It can be installed on a laptop or run inside of a virtual machine (VirtualBox, VMware) on Windows or Mac OS X.

https://astronomylinux.ap-i.net/en:start

Ohhh well I didn't even notice their was a thread already made for this. I think a better name would've been some thing like 'Astronomy Software'
I was building a thread on some thing like this because it didn't look like their was a thread for them. The title for this thread didn't sound like it was anything to do with a Astronomy Software List.

Very timely post, JT. Adapter kit for attaching Rebel T3 camera to my telescopes is arriving tomorrow (Monday 6/24). Yes, I am starting to wade into the AP pool. Will be a huge learning curve, but looking forward to it.
Thanks for the wealth of info.
ken

"My 'ol brain needs some new learning."

Yes, I do too. Getting a little soft in retirement, so stepping into AP. Ordered attachment kit yesterday.

CCDciel is similar to Sequence Generator Pro. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Best of all it's free.
https://www.ap-i.net/ccdciel/en/start
https://sourceforge.net/projects/ccdciel/

JT this is awesome! Thank you for this! I have a lot to experiment with now

Totally awesome, thanks JT! Got this post bookmarked and will be referring to it often!