Quick try with Blur-Terminator on old subs

[fwm891]

Lots around on BXT, here on this forum and elsewhere.

I've just downloaded the trial (21 days left) and decided to go back to some older files. These images are of IC5146 (Cocoon neb) from 2019. There are 14x 300s captured on an ASI533 MC Pro Cooled, IDAS NB-1 filter, Altair 115 EDT-APO refractor.

Images: A single sub frame (linear data), Stack of 14 subs (linear data), the BXT applied and colour processes to final and a luminance mask used as part of the colour processes.

Method:

Blink, to select the sub frames to use

Debayer, RGB combined channels not split

Star Align, 14 subs aligned against a reference

Integration, 14 subs stacked to form initial RGB image. (Integration_Orig.png)

STF and Histogram Transform used to give linear image (no alterations to any sliders either within STF or HT). (images ic5146_300s_1x1, Integration_Orig.png)

BXT applied to stack of 14 subs, (BXT settings used: auto PSF and Non Stellar then Stellar selected. Sharpen Stars: 0.25, Star halos 0.00)

All images saved at this point.

The integration_BXT image was then further processed:

SCNR, to remove green

Luminance mask generated and levels via Histogram Transform and scripts/dark structure enhance.

Luminance mask applied, mask switched to apply initially a small desaturation to the background, then reversed to apply a general saturation increase to stars/ic5146, Curves transform switching mask to darken background and enhance RGB colour separately. Dark Structure enhance applied again low levels (0.4)

Image then saved: integration BXT_Fin.png

All saved as: XISF (32 bit), TIFF (16 bit), and PNG (16 bit)

 

IC5146_300s_1x1  (single sub frame)

 

integration_Orig (14 subs stacked)

 

integration_BXT_Fin (Final image

 

Luminance Mask (luminance extraction from 14 frame stack image)

Edited December 28, 2022 by fwm891
Captions added