Preface:
This tutorial was originally written as a thread on Cloudy Nights. The original thread is still available here:
My PixInsight Tutorial On Cloudy Nights:
This version leaves out the comments by others, makes some corrections, etc.
Introduction:
First, let me state flat out, I am NOT an expert in either PixInsight or Image Acquisition. This data we will be using is not perfect; it has significant warts. But in a way, that is a good thing since it will require techniques and such that better data might not. Likewise, the choices I make when processing this may not be optimum. But I'm pretty sure we will end up with a usable result. If you have an alternative you think is better, by all means speak up. I'm open to learning something new.
This is not an ideal format for this for at least two reasons. First, there is a limit of one picture per post. And secondly, the max size for a picture is 800x800. So I'll have to be reducing the size of some of the results/and or cropping them for display here.
The data itself was taken on the night of September 4th, 2013. A Celestron Powerstar III 8" SCT with a f/6.3 reducer flattener was used so the focal length is close to 1260mm. All subs were 5 minutes in length. Luminosity was unbinned (1x1). R, G, and B were all binned 2x2. Flats were taken for each of those 4 channels individually. Total exposure time for luminosity was 1 hour 55 minutes. Each color channel had 45 minutes of time. I can get by with less than that and sometimes go with just 30 minutes color. However, I like using 45 minutes when I can get it because Winsorized sigma clipping works better.
This tutorial is going to start with the stacked, calibrated images (darks, flats, flat darks). I happen to really like doing the calibration and stacking within PixInsight but I know others still use other tools like Deep Sky Stacker.
The channel stacks are available on DropBox here:
Messier 33 Channel Stacks on Dropbox
Here is another set of files you can play with for NGC 2170. This set is more advanced:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k56xua6l2b4zog9/AAC4nPk1MbrEDDp1bg1k3j2oa?dl=0
This tutorial was originally written as a thread on Cloudy Nights. The original thread is still available here:
My PixInsight Tutorial On Cloudy Nights:
This version leaves out the comments by others, makes some corrections, etc.
Introduction:
First, let me state flat out, I am NOT an expert in either PixInsight or Image Acquisition. This data we will be using is not perfect; it has significant warts. But in a way, that is a good thing since it will require techniques and such that better data might not. Likewise, the choices I make when processing this may not be optimum. But I'm pretty sure we will end up with a usable result. If you have an alternative you think is better, by all means speak up. I'm open to learning something new.
This is not an ideal format for this for at least two reasons. First, there is a limit of one picture per post. And secondly, the max size for a picture is 800x800. So I'll have to be reducing the size of some of the results/and or cropping them for display here.
The data itself was taken on the night of September 4th, 2013. A Celestron Powerstar III 8" SCT with a f/6.3 reducer flattener was used so the focal length is close to 1260mm. All subs were 5 minutes in length. Luminosity was unbinned (1x1). R, G, and B were all binned 2x2. Flats were taken for each of those 4 channels individually. Total exposure time for luminosity was 1 hour 55 minutes. Each color channel had 45 minutes of time. I can get by with less than that and sometimes go with just 30 minutes color. However, I like using 45 minutes when I can get it because Winsorized sigma clipping works better.
This tutorial is going to start with the stacked, calibrated images (darks, flats, flat darks). I happen to really like doing the calibration and stacking within PixInsight but I know others still use other tools like Deep Sky Stacker.
The channel stacks are available on DropBox here:
Messier 33 Channel Stacks on Dropbox
Here is another set of files you can play with for NGC 2170. This set is more advanced:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k56xua6l2b4zog9/AAC4nPk1MbrEDDp1bg1k3j2oa?dl=0
Navigating Through the Tutorial
If you hover over the button for the PixInsight Tutorial, there are selections for the various subpages. These occur in the order of the tutorial.
