Ngc 3372

PKay (Peter) · #1 21-10-2017, 04:48 PM

The processing learning curve is horrendous...

This time not a single pixel was left standing.

Bring PhotoShop into the mix with PixInsight and I can almost turn anything into anything...

I am getting so lost in what is real and what isn't.

multiweb (Marc) · #2 21-10-2017, 04:52 PM

It's all real but you need to watch out for black clipping. When you stretch your data make sure you don't clip the lower end of the histogram. In your shot you're missing all the faint parts in the black areas. Other than that it's all good.

jimmyh1555 (James) · #3 21-10-2017, 11:45 PM

Stretching?, clipping? It's all a foreign language....... I thought stretching was to do with cropping an image, but how do you stretch? Star tools talks about stretching, but doesn't explain how to do it. Could somebody give us a blow by blow commentary on how to stretch - say - in Star Tools. ie "click mouse on LH top button, put cursor on star, drag gismo across screen etc., etc....." I'm just a stoopid newbie trying to learn a new language/hobby/technique/ skill/procedure/technology.... AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHH

multiweb (Marc) · #4 21-10-2017, 11:48 PM

In startools it's called develop I think. The ? Button explains every process in details.

LostInSp_ce · #5 22-10-2017, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PKay

The processing learning curve is horrendous...

This time not a single pixel was left standing.

Bring PhotoShop into the mix with PixInsight and I can almost turn anything into anything...

I am getting so lost in what is real and what isn't.

You're right. You can process something for an eternity and get a variety of results. Sometimes it can be difficult to know when enough is enough but that's all part of the fun. Processing is a very subjective thing and what one person likes another may not. Without trying to hijack your thread I thought I'd share an example of how I processed Carina, using the same data to produce two different looking images.

PKay (Peter) · #6 22-10-2017, 07:56 AM

Thanks Guys

Lost: No hijack, this is exactly what I need. Your second image is my favourite and it is really really well done.
It is even better than any I have seen at Astrobin.

Mullti: I can see that now about the black clipping, there has to be a balance.

I have a long way to go to reach that standard.

Jimmy1555: Research what a histogram graph means. It is fundamental knowledge for photo processing. Also what is the difference between LINEAR and NON LINEAR data will help. Then go back to star tools.
Like me, you have a long road to travel...

doppler (Rick) · #7 22-10-2017, 08:51 AM

Hi, just going through this processing mind field myself lol. Here are a couple of links that I found useful.

The histogram http://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/201...age-histogram/

And a basic stretch https://www.awesomeastronomy.com/tut...s-in-photoshop

Cheers

LostInSp_ce · #8 22-10-2017, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PKay

Lost: No hijack, this is exactly what I need. Your second image is my favourite and it is really really well done.
It is even better than any I have seen at Astrobin.

Thanks for the kind words but like yourself I'm only a beginner still trying to learn and make sense of this wonderfully complicated yet fun hobby.
The gods were very kind that evening providing almost perfect seeing conditions otherwise it would not have been possible. However I would really like to target this again, at a darksite and with a dedicated astrophotography camera (There's still plenty of unfinished business here) but life keeps interrupting.