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For a start Maxim does everything . And very well I might add. I use it for my AO guiding. But for a beginner its interface is overwhelming. Coming from DSS it scared the hell out of me. I didn't know where to start.
That's why 4 years ago I bought a Licence of CCD Stack instead. I was looking for the next step in processing being a DSS user as all noobs start I guess. Monte Wilson, Rob Greaves already used CCD Stack so I was looking over their shoulder at Ilford and it was a natural progression for me having been exposed to it by these guys.
CCD Stack is a sacking program. That's all it does. IMHO it is THE stacking program out there once you truly understand what data rejection is really all about and don't cut corners any more. I'd say 99% of people out there capture very good data but a good 70% butcher it before it even makes it to the final.
Adam Block's tutorials are the way to get a foot in the door. My basic process (in order) is:
Bad Pixel/Default columns map applied. (sensor specific originally built from a darks stack)
Calibration (dark subtraction, flat fielding, bias)
Debayering (if needed) to Red, Green and Blue Channels
Then for each channel:
Reject Range and interpolate pixels 3 iterations (gets rid of hot pixels previously painted)
Registration to the sub with the lowest FWHM (measured in CCDIS)
Alignment algorithm is CCDIS star pattern then Quadratic B-Spline
Normalization to the sub with the best contrast (measured in CCDIS)
Select sub with best FWHM again.
Reject Hot pixels Algorithm apllied to whole stack
STD Sigma Reject 2 as a factor on the whole stack (cumulative to previous data rejection)
Combine Mean.
This is repeated for each channel that you then recombine to create your color or keep mono if you shoot Ha, etc...
This is the basic approach. Note how its flow is sequential. One step after the other, again and again. And you are in total control of (and understanding clearly) the parameters in each step.
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