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Post process - Workflow IC405 Flaming Star - recombining with Bill Blanshan's Star Reduction.

Roger Smith
in PixInsight
HI Adam,
After processing the 481sub provided of Anthony Quintile's super data, I went on to post processing basically following NGC1333. After using Russ Croman's StarXterminator I could enhance the starless nebula using a combination of tools including game mask to protect the white area of the nebula while I processed the background. I say that because I want you to know I am not a push this button, then this button type of guy!

I used Bill Blanshan's Version 3, but the 5-6 very bright stars got hit pretty hard. In your Youtube video reviewing the PixelMath of Bill's method you mentioned this near the end. 

To solve this for my image I made a gradient game mask over each of these brightest stars, and applied it to the stars image, and the result not so good. So I also applied the mask to the starless image and ran V3 again. The result was quite good. Does needing to apply the game mask to both make sense?

Roger

Comments

  • BlockHeadBlockHead
    Yeah...I think so. When you use SXT, some fraction of the star profile will exist in both the stars image and the starless one as well. This probably wouldn't be as much of an issue for fainter stars.. but I can see how bright ones would pose this problem. I assume there was a residual glow in the starless image... even a low level one. 

    -the Blockhead
  • BlockHeadBlockHead
    Although... re-reading your message.
    You are creating a new starless image for Bill's method right?
    You would need to recombine your enhanced starless image... to make a full image. Then you would 
    create another starless... I *think* this might be necessary. Otherwise, I fear there could be a multiplicative affect of the MTF adjustment that Bill's stuff does. 

    I am not certain though.

    -the Blockhead
  • Roger Smith
    Hi Adam,
    I need to go back through my history and check out what I did exactly.  I did use the StarXterminator starless image with game masks with Bill's Ver 3. All stars were reduced except the bright game mask ones. I did Bill's Ver 3 with and without the game masks for comparison.

    After StarXterminator I had residuals in the starless which I knocked down with MMT (I think) and reduced color saturation, all protecting the non-residuals areas with inverted game masks. Basically it smudged the background and matched the background color.

    I submitted my original integrated image, the starless and stars images to Russ Crowman for his next run of training. 

    Roger
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