StarTools - colour issues

[el_hop87]

Hi, 

I asked how to process stacked images of the Rosette Nebula in this forum recently and received v useful advice and support - members even attempted to process my image to demonstrate what could be done. 

One member used StarTools to process the image and I have attached the result to this message - I tried to copy the process they used in StarTools and I seem to be experiencing issues with colour, please see my image attached also. I had previously followed the programme to complete auto dev---crop---bin---wipe etc. I have watched several youtube vids but the same colour issue remains. 

Any help would be much appreciated as I would love to be able to process my images properly and to the extent that this kind member has. 

Many thanks

Elly

[The Lazy Astronomer]

@alacant can probably best answer this, being the one who did the processing on the image above.

I might suggest though, that wipe has not removed the gradient in the image so some further tweaking of the parameters should yield better results. 

Another thing you could try is creating an inverted star mask and clicking the sample button, then go back into mask, click clear and then invert and keep. This will then apply that sampled colour balance from the stars to the whole image and works on the assumption that the colour of all the different stars will average to white. It usually finds a pretty good colour balance for me. 

[alacant]

58 minutes ago, el_hop87 said:

stacked images of the Rosette Nebula

Hi

Please describe how you converted the file you posted in the original thread, the StarTools log and a screen record of your StarTools session.

Otherwise, we're just guessing.

Cheers

[bottletopburly]

In colour module launch mask >auto stars >do >shrink x1 growx2 keep > colour module blinks x3 now press sample >back to mask >clear>invert ,keep>back to colour module  ,image blinks x3 and applies balance to whole image ,use the RGB button to see where image is dominant especially green and adjust green if needed to reduce green channel ,post your fits file if you like and i will have a look.

 

[el_hop87]

Hi all

Thanks for your help. Please find the converted fits file attached. 

Alacant- in the original file, I just uploaded the TIFF file straight from DSS, and someone also requested a JPEG file- I myself hadn't converted any further files at this point. As you did such a good processing of the original image using StarTools, I then downloaded the trial version and tried to follow the steps in the quick guide and on online youtube vids I could find. I converted the original TIFF file to FITs using Siril. 

These were the general steps I followed: auto dev-- crop-- bin-- wipe-- auto dev- colour module. As I am knew to StarTools I tended just to stick to the automatic adjustments the software made after I pressed each module, and so didn't make many manual adjustments. 

The image was black and white at first, then in the colour module it turned to the colours noted above. 

Thanks

Elly

RN fits.fit

[happy-kat]

In DSS generally set the output to being auto-generated FIT file.

Jpg is just handy when sharing what you've got on the internet but not if wanting it processed.

Not all youtube videos are helpful though some are good.

It's correct that image is bw until colour module.

Edited March 14, 2021 by happy-kat

[alacant]

2 hours ago, el_hop87 said:

the colour module it turned to the colours noted above

OK, no use guessing;)

I uncompressed your Autosave.tif.

Here is the first stage of heavy lifting (the bit everyone gets wrong!) in StarTools, Ubuntu 20.04. Using the world's slowest device; any video editing would be painful. Sorry.

Can you see which bit you may have missed?

If not, record your own session and we'll take another look. The StarTools log would also help.

Cheers

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by alacant
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[el_hop87]

Alacant- I cannot thank you enough!!! This video is wonderful and I have now followed every step. I have the trial version of StarTools so was not able to properly save my image, but managed to screen shot the attached. 

I will definitely purchase StarTools as I find it easier to do the first part of processing following DSS, in here and then move on to photoshop/lightroom for final edits. 

THANK YOU so much again, really is invaluable help and hopefully i'll be able to follow this framework going forward with other images. 

[alacant]

27 minutes ago, el_hop87 said:

follow this framework

Hi

Glad it was useful. That's the hard part. What follows that is the easy bit.

As your data is held in a database, you can now go backwards and forwards as many times as you like through the -same and the extra goodies- modules (to make it look nice) as if the data was still linear. 

As a matter of interest (this issue comes up regularly) could you say what bit you were missing/got wrong?

You may want to move to Siril for your initial calibration and stacking;)

Cheers

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by alacant

[bottletopburly]

     seems ok to me ,I would say make sure intersection mode is used in DSS settings also read the best settings for startools details here https://www.startools.org/links--tutorials/starting-with-a-good-dataset

if using a dslr then try to dither between frames as that rids walking noise , always take flats on the night too very important and if you dither no need for darks just take Bias frames and load in DSS as Dark frames .

[el_hop87]

Thank you both very much! - that is a useful article re compatibility with StarTools. 

Alacant- I think the main issue was the file I was trying to edit, didn't seem v compatible with StarTools. The other issue was not quite understanding the sliding settings, so following your video I gained understanding on the changes these can make (still need to build this understanding!)

Thank you again, and for taking the time to teach me! - v grateful. 

Elly

[el_hop87]

Also, just to add- I did a 45% bin at the start of the process originally, and not a 25% bin - this seemed to help in the end too. 

[alacant]

4 hours ago, el_hop87 said:

not a 25% bin

For your image, absolutely not.

I used 25% as I was using a slow computer. It was however solely to demonstrate the process, not to produce a competition winner;)

Using the Bin module, aim for boosting the signal without losing detail. The 71% preset is a good place to start.

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by alacant

[shropshire lad]

23 hours ago, el_hop87 said:

Alacant- I cannot thank you enough!!! This video is wonderful and I have now followed every step. I have the trial version of StarTools so was not able to properly save my image, but managed to screen shot the attached. 

I will definitely purchase StarTools as I find it easier to do the first part of processing following DSS, in here and then move on to photoshop/lightroom for final edits. 

THANK YOU so much again, really is invaluable help and hopefully i'll be able to follow this framework going forward with other images. 

Can you tell me what video you watched please .

 

[besto1ernesto]

I would like to record the full process in a high speed, how can i do it?

[bottletopburly]

Windows 10 has a recover built in may be pro version though .

[EddieCaput]

On 14/07/2021 at 21:01, besto1ernesto said:

I would like to record the full process in a high speed, how can i do it?

U can use apps like Imovie, Movavi, OBS, etc. OBS is kinda difficult and Imovie works only on MacOS, that's why I would personally suggest Movavi video editor cuz it works on Windows, MacOS, and even there is a online editing option. It works great even on my old Pentium and gtx660 computer. In case you need, here is a link to it - https://www.movavi.com/videoeditor/

Edited July 27, 2021 by EddieCaput