M33 - 290 minutes of DSLR Data with 130P-DS

[Stub Mandrel]

I've downloaded paint.net to take a look.

I use astra for denoise and sharpening, but sometimes the denoise seems to introduce jpeg-like artefacts which is very annoying.

I'm beginning to get sick of this image, but I've tried to do a low noise version but still with a good dose of detail and colour:

[Tommohawk]

The background looks heaps cleaner to my eye - maybe too clean, while the DSO is still a bit noisy - but that's probably inevitable given the amount the basic data has been stretched.

When I process the background separately I usually try and blend things a bit by either feathering the selection edge, or blurring the mask, depending on which method is being used.

All in the eye of the beholder.... plus you can faff about forever with this if you're not careful!

[Stub Mandrel]

<Bangs Head on Wall>

I discovered I can get much better detail out of DSOs by pre-stretching them in DSS. I've just done a couple of re-rprocessings using temperature-matched darks and they were worse than my originals - lots of noise around the faint edges of the DSO.

I've realised I'm being too clever trying to maximise DSO dynamic range while reducing it for the dark areas, this has resulted in poor dynamic range around their faint edges so the 'stop' rather than fade out., giving the 'surrounded by speckles' appearance.

I've just got much better results on a run for the Wizard so I will have one last attempt on Mount M33 later.