Starnet

[SyedT]

I've been doing some testing using Starnet's Pixinsight module for creating starless images for processing, and I'm nothing short of blown away. Free, just a single click needed, with incredible results. It can only be used on non-linear images, but the results are so impressive that I might just get rid of my linear processing routine (deconvolution, MLT) as it recommends for untouched stretched images to be used; can use both colour and grayscale images. Created by Nikita Misiura, it can also be obtained free as an executable for Windows and Mac: https://sourceforge.net/projects/starnet/files/. 

4 hours of IC 1396 (Elephant's Trunk Nebula) in Ha:

   

 

18.5 hours of IC 1805 (Heart Nebula) in Ha:

   

 

IC 1396 Bicolour (Ha 4h & O3 6h):

   

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by SyedT

[old_eyes]

Impressive! Will give it a try.

thanks for the heads up.

[fwm891]

Impressive. Are there any idiot starting guides for this. I've got it to load but not had a chance to play yet  - just had a play - superb!

Edited August 1, 2019 by fwm891
text added

[Freddie]

Are you referring to the PI version or the Windows batch file version?

[SyedT]

3 hours ago, old_eyes said:

Impressive! Will give it a try.

thanks for the heads up.

No problem! 

2 hours ago, fwm891 said:

Impressive. Are there any idiot starting guides for this. I've got it to load but not had a chance to play yet 

Depends if it's in pixinsight. Once installed, it's as easy as clicking it in processes and letting it run. You can even generate a star mask from it instead (although it won't do both at the same time). Not sure about the executable as I haven't used it.

Edit:As Freddie has mentioned below, there is a readme file which talks you through what to do, both for the Pixinsight and executable versions.

Edited August 1, 2019 by SyedT

[SyedT]

Just now, Freddie said:

Are you referring to the PI version or the Windows batch file version?

I'm using the Pixinsight version.

[Freddie]

Sorry, I wasn’t too clear there as I was replying to the request from fwm891. If using the Windows version, there is a text file in the download that explains all.

Edited August 1, 2019 by Freddie

[fwm891]

I have the PI version. Tried it last night on a couple of old image files it really is superb. Star masks are much cleaner (and simpler) too.

[upahill]

Wow thats impressive, I love this look on astro-images will have to give it a go - the most ive braved is slight star reduction in PI but always lose quality when I do.

[daz]

Can't access this from work ( 🙄 ) - but can you extract the stars, process them separately and then recombine?

[SyedT]

14 minutes ago, daz said:

Can't access this from work ( 🙄 ) - but can you extract the stars, process them separately and then recombine?

Yes, there's an option in the module which can extract stars.

[daz]

Awesome!

Will add this to PI when I get home

 

[fwm891]

1 hour ago, SyedT said:

Yes, there's an option in the module which can extract stars.

I only get the Stide or Star mask options when I open in PI or am I missing something?

[SyedT]

47 minutes ago, fwm891 said:

I only get the Stide or Star mask options when I open in PI or am I missing something?

Not sure about that as I've only used the PI version myself!

[SyedT]

4 hours ago, upahill said:

Wow thats impressive, I love this look on astro-images will have to give it a go - the most ive braved is slight star reduction in PI but always lose quality when I do.

Definitely worth a look. There are some artefacts with larger and brighter stars but that's to be expected. I've not seen any loss of quality so far.

[MarsG76]

Thats pretty cool, makes the nebulae look a bit weird but cool.... 

 

[vlaiv]

This is actually great tool.

Many people struggle to combine NB images for example, ending up with very colorful stars. Above program allows one to do the stretch on each wavelength, remove stars, combine nebula and adjust palette and then paste in stars in pure white (or maybe do RGB star color if data is available). It also lets us choose which wavelength stars to add to final image - for example Ha only stars if Ha has the least FWHM - stars will be tight in final image, that increases perception of sharpness.

[Demonperformer]

As others have said, the results are really impressive. I'd been looking for a way of sorting out the stars in my NB images ...

[fireballxl5]

Hi all, I'm just trying to use this in anger after a previously successful test but now it throws up an error...PI version in use here. Any ideas?

CS, Andy

[SyedT]

4 hours ago, fireballxl5 said:

Hi all, I'm just trying to use this in anger after a previously successful test but now it throws up an error...PI version in use here. Any ideas?

CS, Andy

It did that to me after I exited Pixinsight using task manager. Just remove and replace the files, reinstall the module and try again. I did that, restarted the computer and it worked fine after that.

Edited August 4, 2019 by SyedT

[simmo39]

Hi, I have down loaded the PI version but cant seem to get PI to recognise it. Is there someting else needed or is it my fingers?

[wornish]

1 hour ago, simmo39 said:

Hi, I have down loaded the PI version but cant seem to get PI to recognise it. Is there someting else needed or is it my fingers?

Are you running PI on a Windows machine or on a Mac ?  The current version only works on Windows.

If you are one Windows then the Readme.txt file included with the download gives some help if PI doesn't recognise it.

[simmo39]

Just now, wornish said:

Are you running PI on a Windows machine or on a Mac ?  The current version only works on Windows.

If you are one Windows then the Readme.txt file included with the download gives some help if PI doesn't recognise it.

Hi its ta windows machine, thanks will have a look but feel defeated if i have to use instructions! lol.

[swag72]

Having chanced upon this thread I decided to install Starnet myself and give it a go. I downloaded the zip file, then put all of the individual files from the folder into the PI bin folder. Then go to processes > Modules > Install modules then hit search. Mine installed from there straightaway.

Hope that helps

[simmo39]

17 minutes ago, swag72 said:

Having chanced upon this thread I decided to install Starnet myself and give it a go. I downloaded the zip file, then put all of the individual files from the folder into the PI bin folder. Then go to processes > Modules > Install modules then hit search. Mine installed from there straightaway.

Hope that helps

Nope cant get it to run. Keeping getting fail msg. oh well  never mind Thanks for the help though.