RGB images are grey after stack pixinsight

[TheMan]

I recently stacked my exposures in pixinsight, But now they are rgb images without colour. (I made sure they aren't grey scale). Does anyone know why this is happening? Any help is appreciated.

[RadekK]

Could you describe your workflow? At what step you do debayering?

[TheMan]

I calibrated my images, aligned with star alignment, integrated them and then debayered the image. 

[Oddsocks]

2 hours ago, TheMan said:

I calibrated my images, aligned with star alignment, integrated them and then debayered the image. 

The sequence is wrong and that is why the colour is lost, you should calibrate first, then debayer, followed by star alignment and integration.

What happened in your original sequence is that carrying out star alignment and integration on bayered images results in red pixels being overlaid and combined with green pixels or blue pixels etc as the reference star(s) being used for aligning each frame in the integration stack moves slightly between each image, either accidentally or purposely (dithering). The result will be a grey, monochrome image in most cases as you will have averaged the three colour pixels together from each individual sub in the stack.

If you had a perfect mount with no dithering and perfect seeing so that the star stayed in exactly the same location for each of the subs then you would produce a colour image because each red, green and blue pixel would overlay exactly the same colour pixels throughout all the subs in the integration stack but in the real world this never happens and the reference star(s) used for alignment and integration will always wobble a little (or a lot) between each individual sub frame. 

Re-run your processing steps starting with calibration, then debayer, follow with star alignment and integration and you should have a colour image.

HTH.

William.

[TheMan]

1 minute ago, Oddsocks said:

The sequence is wrong and that is why the colour is lost, you should calibrate first, then debayer, followed by star alignment and integration.

Thanks man, you're a life saver

[MarsG76]

I had a similar issue with nebulosity in the distant past. If you're using a DSLR than you need to convert the RAW CR2/NEF files to 16 bit TIFFs..