Help with "Blue Moon" processing rgb mosaic

[assouptro]

Hi Lunatics!

I have been trying my hand at Lunar mosaic photography with my Meade 12" SCT and my BlackFly bfly-u3-23s6m which is a mono Camera. I have filters and planned to create a lunar mosaic in RGB but as I have to refocus with each filter and it takes about 30 images to create each mosaic I chose to image with each filter, refocus, change filter then image etc choosing Blue last as the moon was reaching the zenith. 

I processed each filter as a batch with Autostakert then used photoshop to automatically align the individual stacks with photomerge. The individual RGB photomerged images all look good but when I try to align them as an RGB image the red and green images are pretty close but the blue image is distorted and impossible to align.

Can anyone suggest software or technique to "reshape" the Blue Moon.

I'll attach Jpeg versions for anyone who is interested 

Thanks in advance 

Bryan

 

[Yawning Angel]

Hello Bryan! Wow, that looks like some cracking data!

My process would be to stack as you have, then use Microsoft ICE to mosaic the images. From there imPPG should align them so you can combine it 

[assouptro]

12 minutes ago, Yawning Angel said:

Hello Bryan! Wow, that looks like some cracking data!

My process would be to stack as you have, then use Microsoft ICE to mosaic the images. From there imPPG should align them so you can combine it 

Thanks Alex for your comments and trying to help 

I don't have Microsoft ICE an it doesn't seem to be available for download anymore from Microsoft? however, the images were stitched together with Photoshops Mosaic Photomerge and I am not sure ICE could do a better job? 

I don't know imPPG but will research it 

Thanks again 

Bryan

[Yawning Angel]

I have ICE backed up Google Drive link 

It does a good job - and I’ll be trying Photoshops tool, as I’ve never tried that

[assouptro]

51 minutes ago, Yawning Angel said:

I have ICE backed up Google Drive link 

It does a good job - and I’ll be trying Photoshops tool, as I’ve never tried that

That’s very kind Alex

thank you for the link, I am having to work this morning but I will download it later and see if it can create a better shaped moon 

the photomerge option in photoshop is under file, automate, photomerge

cheers! 
Bryan 

[Yawning Angel]

1 hour ago, assouptro said:

photomerge option

Thanks! I’ll try that later too, and we can compare our experiences 👍🏻

[Yawning Angel]

Humm, so I took the data from my last 49 panel mosaic (full version here) and threw it at Photoshop...

Photoshop:

 

Microsoft ICE:

I freely admit to never having tried this in PS before now, so I might be missing the ways to finesse it

[assouptro]

4 hours ago, Yawning Angel said:

Humm, so I took the data from my last 49 panel mosaic (full version here) and threw it at Photoshop...

Photoshop:

 

Microsoft ICE:

I freely admit to never having tried this in PS before now, so I might be missing the ways to finesse it

Hi Alex

ICE is the winner!!

I have finally got around to trying ICE and I have to admit I like it!

It has done a much better job of creating similar shaped lunar mosaic images from my individual RGB Data and I have just about aligned them in Photoshop to create an image I would be happy with!

This is a relief as the imaging session took me about 3 hours and I started it at 11pm and I was at work the next day after 5 hours sleep so it's nice to see something for my sacrifice!

ICE is definitely the way forward for me, and I will post my image when I am finished with it.

I am so glad I posted the question and very grateful you responded sharing not only your experience but also a lovely piece of legacy software that adds to my Astrophotography arsenal!

Thanks again

Bryan

[Yawning Angel]

Happy to help, Bryan! I'm looking forward to seeing the final image!

[assouptro]

11 hours ago, Yawning Angel said:

Happy to help, Bryan! I'm looking forward to seeing the final image!

Hi

I'm not convinced this is going to be the final version of this image but here is an aligned version of my RGB results.

I have learned a lot with this image, I have discovered a couple of really useful new software programs (new to me)

The final result was very green so I ended up using HLVG to dampen the overbearing green hue.

Thank you Alex for your help!

Here is the Jpg..

The Tif is below for anyone who wants to look 

 

Cheers 

Bryan

Imppg aligned rgb hlvg.tif

[assouptro]

Here is the "Denoised" version

[Yawning Angel]

I downloaded your tif data and had a play.

-Inverted and removed green, then inverted back (effectively removes magenta)
-Boosted the exposure and the saturation, slightly
-Selectively dropped the saturation on the orange / yellow crater highlights and similar with the blue - these where most visible is the bottom left crater fields

[assouptro]

2 hours ago, Yawning Angel said:

-Inverted and removed green, then inverted back (effectively removes magenta)

Hi Alex

when you say invert, are you using photoshop? 
I want to have a go! 
😊

Thanks 

Bryan

[Yawning Angel]

5 hours ago, assouptro said:

when you say invert, are you using photoshop

I'm using PIxInsight and PS, depending on what I'm doing. In PS it's Image -> Adjustments - Invert (CRTL+I)

If you're treating the fringing in PS, then you can use Camera Raw to reduce it (Filters -> Camera Raw Filter. Then look for the Optics, Defringe) That's in the latest version, but it's been in for a while

[assouptro]

12 minutes ago, Yawning Angel said:

I'm using PIxInsight and PS, depending on what I'm doing. In PS it's Image -> Adjustments - Invert (CRTL+I)

If you're treating the fringing in PS, then you can use Camera Raw to reduce it (Filters -> Camera Raw Filter. Then look for the Optics, Defringe) That's in the latest version, but it's been in for a while

Thanks for the reply 

 

 

I'm sorry if this is a rookie question but when you invert in PS how do you remove green? 

I normally Image DSO's and Lunar processing is yet another learning curve but I am enjoying the challenge.

I don't use pixinsight, I have opted for Astropixelprocessor for my DSO work

Thanks 

Bryan

[Yawning Angel]

10 hours ago, assouptro said:

how do you remove green

I'd have a play with HLVG, otherwise you skip inverting it and tune it with the colour channels or defringe in Camera Raw Filter