Hey Bill, I’m not sure what planet you’re from but I want to thank you for sharing your obviously superior knowledge with us Earthlings! Your example of M31 is exactly what I’ve been struggling with and I can’t wait to try this out. Again, Thank You!
Wow you just keep knocking them out of the park! I've only just started using Pixinsight so haven't used half of the processing tools/scripts available but have tried some of yours and Mike Cranfield's and Russel Croman's and Adam Block's (sorry if missed anyone out) so far which I'm sure have made my first impressions and learning curve feel a lot easier than it would have been a few years ago. Thank you so much for your time and effort you all put into this. I'll be sure to buy you a coffee
Another awesome toolset! I've spent a lot of time trying to get my M33 and M31 data to pop with the Ha regions and they look much better after 1 round with this process than all of my previous efforts. I will share this video far and wide!
Dang, Bill! Another great explanation/process(es)/video. Thank you. You continue to make PI more user friendly and your explanations add more and more understanding of how PI works. The presentation of color spaces was fantastic.
I've been adding Ha into my RGB data the last few months with mixed results, usually to my dissatisfaction, and I am really excited to give this a try.
@@anotherastrochannel2173 So at first I wasn't having some funky results, but then I realized I did not have setting correct, like having it set to nebula instead of galaxy. I put it aside and went on to other projects until I could get back to your video and gave it another shot. This time I was more careful with settings and the images I was working with and was able to create a much cleaner RGB with Ha added image that I was expecting in the first place. I can see where preparing the images more carefully before combining will make for a much nicer final image. Thanks Bill
Absolutely marvelous. Excellent video, and outstanding tools. I have been learning PI by reprocessing my older data. Did Veil Nebula East and Fleming's triangle with new data, and then completed the bunch with the Western loop from 2014. Found I had taken Ha instead of L, along with RGB. This video and these tools not only made the processing possible, but the stars turned out much better than in the LRGB versions. So much to learn, so little time! Many thanks, Bill, for the help you have given us.
I just started learning PixInsight . I have to say it has been a lot to wrap my head around and hard to get started . I'll have to revisit this video when hopefully I'm further along in the learning process.
I hear ya Tim. There are plenty of beginner tutorials on RUclips on basic processing. Once you get there, you can follow this video but it should be pretty straight forward. Hope this helps later on for ya 🙂
Man , are you a math genius or something ? Amazing how you figured this out... BTW I found you through Luke ... Question , did you use an LGB camera or mono with filters , because your HA is Mono or looks mono. I neve have taken an HA image... Thankyou for doing what you are doing to make it easier on us math layman , and also taking the time for making these videos
If you image in Ha, when you bring the data into Pixinsight, just extract the Ha color data and rename the Red as HA. This will contain all of your Ha data when using an Ha filter.
@@anotherastrochannel2173 I have a light pollution filter but have only used that one. I have an L-extreme but have never used. I would like to combine the two one day
Great stuff Bill. I was hoping you would turn your expertise to this subject as it’s something I have struggled with for a while. Thanks for this and all your other really useful and informative videos.
Thank you! I've been struggling this for some time, and all the other "How To" videos I've found focus more on Nebulas, but I'm trying to add Ha to a Galaxy photo, and those other process often result in some weird artifacts in galaxies. The most success I've had so far is simple 0.5*Ha + 0.5*Red and then using curves to adjust. Really looking forward to trying your method!
@@anotherastrochannel2173 Hey Bill, I think I'd describe my first try as ending in "mixed" results. Any chance this can be done starless? The issue I ran into adding Ha to M81 Bode's Galaxy is that the Ha areas are much smaller than say, M31 Andromeda, so they act almost like stars. When I use StarXTerminator to remove stars from the HaRGB image so I can tweak sharpness and color, those points of enhanced Ha get removed as well, so they can't benefit from subsequent processing without also impacting all the real stars. Does that make sense?
@@anotherastrochannel2173 How about OneDrive (I'm a Microsoft Guy)? This is OSC data from a RASA, with one session using an IDAS LPS-D3 broadband filter, and the other using the IDAS NBZ UHS dual narrowband filter. I've got master lights for the R, G, and B channels from each filter, as well as the drizzled Combined RGB for each filter. I was working with the combined RGB drizzled masters, and then separating the channels in PixInsight. I'll drop them all into a OneDrive share and send the link via email. Thanks!
Bill, perhaps I am simply misunderstanding, but it sounds like you are saying that OSC camera's - DSLR's or Astro - have Ha within the picture and your scripts are bringing that color out ?? I've only recently gotten into Pixinsight and find it and your scripts simply brilliant ! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
Hi Bill, again thx for the good work. Wish to hear more of your processing skills. I have a question. If I have such a difficult target like the bat and squid nebula. There I have the Ha but with duo narrowband the OIII also. Means, how can I get the squid (mainly OIII) in the image. I have combined the RGB (in which you can not see the squid) with Ha, which looks good, but the OIII-Squid is missing (of course). Is there a chance to get it in somehow? By the way I got the OIII by just simply adding G and B channel (suggested by Bray Falls)
I get this question a lot. What I would do is; 1) Process the Dual NB data seperating using my Narrowband Normalization pixelmath, then you can add the RGB stars back into using my Add RGB Stars to NB pixelmath. I have videos on both. Let me know if that helps.
Great processes, Bill. Have you considered or developed a way to do the combination with linear data? I ask because with innovations like SPCC, it would be nice to color calibrate the combined image, as demonstrated in some of PI's latest official SPCC tutorials on HaRGB combinations.
No because you can't replace the lightness on a linear imagine which is important to see the Ha data, must be non linear. SPCC should work on non linear data too. If it doesn't, you can return your data back to linear using pixelmath using mtf function. Example. Combine ha / RGB non linear, then reverse stretch it using pixelmath mtf(0.005,$T), then SPCC, then reverse stretch with inverse math mtf(~0.005,$T)
I watched your video for a second time and probably have to watch it again but I am not sure of something . Are you using a broadband camera or mono camera . I only use broadband and was wondering if I can use HA on it. And is the L- Extreme an HA or is it a little different ? Don't worry about not being a youtuber your videos help so much as well as your development of tools so keep them coming. It is still a little confusing to try to remember everything like the terminology I think I need it dumbed down a little bit more but I guess I will manage .
Steve, thanks for the comment! If you are using a OSC, the RGB data is fine as is. if you are using a dual narrownband filter like the L-Xtreme, all you need to do it extract the red channel and use that for your mono "Ha" data
Great tool, Bill. Thanks for all your hard work. One request - I've seen other tutorials about adding Ha to RGB and some people recommend adding a small amount of the Ha signal into the blue channel to represent H-beta and H-gamma emission. This gives the Ha regions the slight pinkish tint that's closer to the color of a hydrogen discharge tube. Would it be possible to add this with an editable strength value to control the amount?
Hey Bill - awesome tool! I was trying it on some M31 data and noticed some "Ha" halos around M32 and M101 - is there a way to mask out certain areas so the effect isn't applied globally to the entire image? Or should I just rubber stamp out those areas from the Ha starless image before proceeding?
You can try and create a mask using Game Script on just M31, then apply the mask to your starry RGB image, then run the pixelmath script on it, this way the pixelmath will only apply to the unmasked areas. I am currently working on a beta version of this pixelmath script and will release within the next few days, in case you wanted to try it.
Bill, great work and explaining efforts for the astro community , thank you so much. I always do my lights with an OSC, the RGB with a UV/IR Cut Filter and HaO3 with the L-Extreme DualNB. When I now extract the red channel of the DualNB Data and rename it to Ha , does your PM work on my RGB in the same way? I`m asking, cause it can`t be the same brilliant Luminance that you have with a Mono Cam and a pure Ha-Filter. As I`m stacking every channel separatley in Drizzle Integration, it has to be better than simple VNG Integration, but it is enough for a good result? What about the O3 data in the B/G channels of my DualNB lights - if its useful (O3 regions in the picture), could it be used in the same way (small changes in your code)?
A v.good informative and useful video as usual. I have a request. Can you create a video about calibrating monitors for astro processing? I've been recently noticing substantial difference of how images look on my processing monitor vs other screens so there definitely should be a standard way of settings to ensure reasonable compliance of colors among different monitors.
I know there are devices you can buy that help you calibrate your monitor. The other issue is when posting to RUclips. My videos never color match that of my video display to that of the videos I post.
Hi Bill - if I am just processing starless images and want to add the Ha, do I need to screen stars back on for your advanced mode to work? I don't actually want stars in this image at all. Wondering how to go about adding Ha in Galaxy mode without stars. Cheers
Great video! Now, I have a dual narrowband (Ha & Oiii) filter and have used your HOO Normalization Process at it works quite well (I watched Lukomatico’s video). Is there a special procedure for using it on galaxies to bring out the Ha? Also, I will be imaging the Horsehead nebula next and want to keep the red color using my OSC camera (ZWO ASIAIR294MC Pro). Any recommendations (your videos?)? Thanks!!
Bill, for those with OSC cameras who collects RGB data and then supplements it with Ha signal out of images taken with dual band filters like L-eXtreme. Is it worth reusing G and B channels of dual band images and somehow add them into RGB as well? Or maybe reusing just G signal because B is too noisy? How would I need to modify your “Add HA to RGB” script to make it “Add O3 to RGB”. Does it even make sense and bring any improvements to the final image? Is there anything we can do with that signal instead of discarding? Would a script “Add dual band data (Ha+O3) to RGB” make sense? Thanks
The work you do seems incredible to me and this is no exception. Lately I have been doing HaRGB with the process that appears on the official Pixinsight youtube page... I don't know if you have been able to see it? I mean calibrating HaRGB with SPCC. I assume your process can be modified to include OIII in RGB. I mention it because I live in the hemisphere (latitude 53). Here I have year-round access to the Small Magellanic Cloud NGC292 and this galaxy has a large amount of OIII.
Will a similar technique work for OIII? I’m thinking of those of us using OSC with dual band as well as RGB. That would be more often with galaxies since you’d capture a lot of broadband but with a dual band you’d have both Ha and OIII you could add.
hello Bill, I downloaded all your processes and I am really happy! However, I ask you if this process can only be used if you have a monochrome camera or you can use Narrowband filters (L Ultimate for example) Thank you, George
For dual narrowband, you can extract the channels and rename the red to Ha. For this processing, you would just toss the green and blue. This process will result in HaRGB, but if you wanted to go for more of a Hubble-y look with the dual narrowband, you could use his other video on Narrowband normalization. I've used that process for nebulas and it is really awesome - it really changed the way I process my dual narrowband.
Hi Bill, thanks so much for this pixelmath. One question though, when I use the galaxy mode on my M101 image to combine Ha to LRGB, why am I getting red background but no change in the galaxy itself at all? No mask is used, Im just doing exactly what you're doing in this vid to the M31, but it doesnt seem to work.
Steven, sorry for the late reply, just getting back into things after having covid. Is your Ha data mono data? you can email me at AnotherAstroChannel at gmail
Hi Bill, you are doing an amazing job man, it would be great if you come up with some math to eliminate bright halo’s around super bright stars like Alnitak, i did not see one photo so far with out halo around that star🤙
I have looked into this and found a work around but if you fix one problem you create another. The method I tested worked ok and did help with halo reduction but if your image had any chromatic aberations it would cause issues with star shapes so I gave up. The best thing to do in my experience is just get a better filter. The good thing is, everything in the sky isnt going anywhere and with filters and software getting better, I am sure through our life time we will reshoot the same targets many times and get better at our images each time 😀
Is there a good way to run the advanced script without dealing with the stars at all? Maybe I missed it but it seemed like doing work to the starless image before the script was discouraged due to the way the stars are rescreened back in, but I think it would be nice to just totally ignore the stars during all of this and handle the stars separately. I think BlurXTerminator came out after this video and script was released, but with that the workflow I'm interested in would be using BXT first and removing the stars from each image, then use this script while processing starless and remaining starless after this script. Then later on the stars can be added back in after being stretched separately. I plan to play around with the script and try to figure it out myself, but a Starless option could potentially be a good update in a future version of the script, unless I've missed/misinterpreted something in this vid
Hey Bill thank you for your work and that you provide us the scripts as well. It worked perfect onmy first HaLRGB from Andromeda. Any chance you could edit the script Ha_to_RGB_Advanced_V1 so that we can also add OIII instead of Ha? That would be awesome :-) Thanks again Mate, wish you all the best greetings Simon
I showed that towards the middle of the video. BTW, I am going to revise the math soon in an upcoming update as the normalization math I use now is better, so keep posted. But you can use this on starless images, just give it a shot :-)
@@anotherastrochannel2173thanks I see you use starless in advanced mode to output an image with stars, I always process my stars separately so I have two input starless (RGB and Ha) and want a starless blended output
Bill, thank you very much for providing these scripts. However, I am having a problem getting them to work. Specifically, after downloading them to my desktop, when I drag the file/folder with the set of the four scripts into Pixinsight, nothing appears. The process window says it opened one file, read the four items, and loaded the icons. But I don't see them anywhere. I'm using a Mac. Can you offer any suggestions? I'm sure this is something very basic that I'm overlooking. But until I get it solved, progress will be slow.
If you're trying to drag a folder onto Pixinsight desktop it's not going to work, just select the group of files within the folder and drag them over, but that should work
@@billblanshan3021 Thank you, Bill. I’ll try that later this morning. As I suspected, it was something really basic. Thank you again, both for this and for all you do for the astrophotography community.
@@billblanshan3021 I've given this a try for the last half hour, and still nothing seems to work. I've looked at your video several times around the 12 minutes mark, and I'm doing the same thing you show, albeit on a Mac rather than a PC. I drag the item with the blue Pixinsight cube from my download folder onto the opened Pixinsight, and the process window then shows (1) the path to the file, then (2) a statement "opening 1 files(s), then (3) the path to the file, then (4) four lines, each of which saying "Read icon:" followed by the name of the script; and then (5) a line that says "4 icons loaded." But I can't find or see them anywhere. I've tried to open the file so I can select the four scripts individually, but it doesn't seem to open. Also, when I close Pixinsight, it says, "The current process icon set has been modified and is unsaved." Again, where would that process icon set be? I'm sorry to seem so lost, but I'm at a loss about what to do at this point.
@@ABCMO-bl5pi see if the icons are actually loading on a different tab in Pixinsight. At the bottom of your workspace there's different view tabs and Pixinsight so make sure it's not loading on a different view tab and isn't off the screen which you would be able to know if your view window shows scroll bars
@@billblanshan3021 You nailed it! It was loading on a different tab (don't know why), and clicking on that tab did the trick. I've never had to deal with these before, so that's why I didn't think to check. I was going to "buy you a coffee," but I don't see that "thanks" icon under the video screen. Is there some way to contribute to your efforts? Thank you again for your help and your patience for dealing with this kind of PITA issue.
Please tell me your kidding… it’s already a super long video is he supposed to say “guys and gals” everytime? Then the non-binary will come in… it’s a turn of phrase focus on what matters in the video. If he referred to women in the entire time, but the video is helpful, it wouldn’t bother me at all.
Hey Bill, I’m not sure what planet you’re from but I want to thank you for sharing your obviously superior knowledge with us Earthlings! Your example of M31 is exactly what I’ve been struggling with and I can’t wait to try this out. Again, Thank You!
Thanks Roy!!
Intro on color space was really useful, and not as well known as it should be. This really helps understanding schemes for mixing filter data. Thanks!
Thanks!!!
Wow you just keep knocking them out of the park! I've only just started using Pixinsight so haven't used half of the processing tools/scripts available but have tried some of yours and Mike Cranfield's and Russel Croman's and Adam Block's (sorry if missed anyone out) so far which I'm sure have made my first impressions and learning curve feel a lot easier than it would have been a few years ago. Thank you so much for your time and effort you all put into this. I'll be sure to buy you a coffee
I’ve been dancing around adding Ha to my M 33 and M101. this is pure genius and just in time, thanks so much.
Thanks!!! Please give it a try and let me know how it works.
Another awesome toolset! I've spent a lot of time trying to get my M33 and M31 data to pop with the Ha regions and they look much better after 1 round with this process than all of my previous efforts. I will share this video far and wide!
Awesome to hear!! Thanks!
Dang, Bill! Another great explanation/process(es)/video. Thank you. You continue to make PI more user friendly and your explanations add more and more understanding of how PI works. The presentation of color spaces was fantastic.
Thanks!!!
I've been adding Ha into my RGB data the last few months with mixed results, usually to my dissatisfaction, and I am really excited to give this a try.
Please let me know how it goes 😀
@@anotherastrochannel2173 So at first I wasn't having some funky results, but then I realized I did not have setting correct, like having it set to nebula instead of galaxy. I put it aside and went on to other projects until I could get back to your video and gave it another shot. This time I was more careful with settings and the images I was working with and was able to create a much cleaner RGB with Ha added image that I was expecting in the first place. I can see where preparing the images more carefully before combining will make for a much nicer final image. Thanks Bill
Once again, Thank you for these process instances. AWESOME!
Thanks Ed!!!
Wow. I hope you keep posting more processing videos. Thanks for sharing your scripts too.
You're are very welcome!!
Absolutely marvelous. Excellent video, and outstanding tools. I have been learning PI by reprocessing my older data. Did Veil Nebula East and Fleming's triangle with new data, and then completed the bunch with the Western loop from 2014. Found I had taken Ha instead of L, along with RGB. This video and these tools not only made the processing possible, but the stars turned out much better than in the LRGB versions. So much to learn, so little time! Many thanks, Bill, for the help you have given us.
Thanks!!
Another excellent video and new processes to play with. Many thanks, Des
Thanks!
This is so helpful Bill! All of your videos and scripts have made my processing much more fun and enjoyable. Thank you so much!
Thanks Wayne!
Thanks, Bill, a credit for your efforts and your detailed explanation. Well done.
Thanks Paul!!!
I just started learning PixInsight . I have to say it has been a lot to wrap my head around and hard to get started . I'll have to revisit this video when hopefully I'm further along in the learning process.
I hear ya Tim. There are plenty of beginner tutorials on RUclips on basic processing. Once you get there, you can follow this video but it should be pretty straight forward. Hope this helps later on for ya 🙂
You take post processing to a whole new level. Love your work.
Thanks!
Incredible as always. This, together with StarExterminator is a godsend!
Thank you!
Man , are you a math genius or something ? Amazing how you figured this out... BTW I found you through Luke ... Question , did you use an LGB camera or mono with filters , because your HA is Mono or looks mono. I neve have taken an HA image... Thankyou for doing what you are doing to make it easier on us math layman , and also taking the time for making these videos
If you image in Ha, when you bring the data into Pixinsight, just extract the Ha color data and rename the Red as HA. This will contain all of your Ha data when using an Ha filter.
@@anotherastrochannel2173 I have a light pollution filter but have only used that one. I have an L-extreme but have never used. I would like to combine the two one day
This Great!! Once again another awesome/useful tutorial. Thanks Again
Thanks!!
Great stuff Bill. I was hoping you would turn your expertise to this subject as it’s something I have struggled with for a while. Thanks for this and all your other really useful and informative videos.
Thanks!!!
Thank you! I've been struggling this for some time, and all the other "How To" videos I've found focus more on Nebulas, but I'm trying to add Ha to a Galaxy photo, and those other process often result in some weird artifacts in galaxies. The most success I've had so far is simple 0.5*Ha + 0.5*Red and then using curves to adjust. Really looking forward to trying your method!
Jason, thanks! Give it a try and let me know how it works out for you.
@@anotherastrochannel2173 Hey Bill, I think I'd describe my first try as ending in "mixed" results. Any chance this can be done starless? The issue I ran into adding Ha to M81 Bode's Galaxy is that the Ha areas are much smaller than say, M31 Andromeda, so they act almost like stars. When I use StarXTerminator to remove stars from the HaRGB image so I can tweak sharpness and color, those points of enhanced Ha get removed as well, so they can't benefit from subsequent processing without also impacting all the real stars. Does that make sense?
@Jason Coon I see. Would you be able to send me the unprocessed data for both rbg and ha via Google drive or Dropbox to AnotherAstroChannel at gmail?
@@anotherastrochannel2173 How about OneDrive (I'm a Microsoft Guy)? This is OSC data from a RASA, with one session using an IDAS LPS-D3 broadband filter, and the other using the IDAS NBZ UHS dual narrowband filter. I've got master lights for the R, G, and B channels from each filter, as well as the drizzled Combined RGB for each filter. I was working with the combined RGB drizzled masters, and then separating the channels in PixInsight. I'll drop them all into a OneDrive share and send the link via email. Thanks!
Bill, perhaps I am simply misunderstanding, but it sounds like you are saying that OSC camera's - DSLR's or Astro - have Ha within the picture and your scripts are bringing that color out ?? I've only recently gotten into Pixinsight and find it and your scripts simply brilliant ! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks!
Thank you, Bill. This was exactly what I was wondering how to do.
Thanks Dale!
Brilliant video! If only I had Ha data to add to stuff!!!
Thanks!!
This is brilliant. Thanks, Bill!!
Thanks!!
Hi Bill, again thx for the good work. Wish to hear more of your processing skills. I have a question. If I have such a difficult target like the bat and squid nebula. There I have the Ha but with duo narrowband the OIII also. Means, how can I get the squid (mainly OIII) in the image. I have combined the RGB (in which you can not see the squid) with Ha, which looks good, but the OIII-Squid is missing (of course). Is there a chance to get it in somehow? By the way I got the OIII by just simply adding G and B channel (suggested by Bray Falls)
I get this question a lot. What I would do is; 1) Process the Dual NB data seperating using my Narrowband Normalization pixelmath, then you can add the RGB stars back into using my Add RGB Stars to NB pixelmath. I have videos on both. Let me know if that helps.
Great processes, Bill. Have you considered or developed a way to do the combination with linear data? I ask because with innovations like SPCC, it would be nice to color calibrate the combined image, as demonstrated in some of PI's latest official SPCC tutorials on HaRGB combinations.
No because you can't replace the lightness on a linear imagine which is important to see the Ha data, must be non linear. SPCC should work on non linear data too. If it doesn't, you can return your data back to linear using pixelmath using mtf function. Example. Combine ha / RGB non linear, then reverse stretch it using pixelmath mtf(0.005,$T), then SPCC, then reverse stretch with inverse math mtf(~0.005,$T)
I watched your video for a second time and probably have to watch it again but I am not sure of something . Are you using a broadband camera or mono camera . I only use broadband and was wondering if I can use HA on it. And is the L- Extreme an HA or is it a little different ? Don't worry about not being a youtuber your videos help so much as well as your development of tools so keep them coming. It is still a little confusing to try to remember everything like the terminology I think I need it dumbed down a little bit more but I guess I will manage .
Steve, thanks for the comment!
If you are using a OSC, the RGB data is fine as is. if you are using a dual narrownband filter like the L-Xtreme, all you need to do it extract the red channel and use that for your mono "Ha" data
Great tool, Bill. Thanks for all your hard work. One request - I've seen other tutorials about adding Ha to RGB and some people recommend adding a small amount of the Ha signal into the blue channel to represent H-beta and H-gamma emission. This gives the Ha regions the slight pinkish tint that's closer to the color of a hydrogen discharge tube. Would it be possible to add this with an editable strength value to control the amount?
Sorry for the late response on this. Let me give this some thought.
Legend can't wait to try this!
I`m highly impressed over your work and effort. Thank you!
Thanks!
Hey Bill - awesome tool! I was trying it on some M31 data and noticed some "Ha" halos around M32 and M101 - is there a way to mask out certain areas so the effect isn't applied globally to the entire image? Or should I just rubber stamp out those areas from the Ha starless image before proceeding?
You can try and create a mask using Game Script on just M31, then apply the mask to your starry RGB image, then run the pixelmath script on it, this way the pixelmath will only apply to the unmasked areas. I am currently working on a beta version of this pixelmath script and will release within the next few days, in case you wanted to try it.
@@anotherastrochannel2173 absolutely would love to try it out Bill!
Great presentation! Very useful scripts Bill. How do I separate Ha from Optolong L Extreme data? Will appreciate your kind advice.
Extract the Red channel and use the for Ha mono
Bill, great work and explaining efforts for the astro community , thank you so much. I always do my lights with an OSC, the RGB with a UV/IR Cut Filter and HaO3 with the L-Extreme DualNB. When I now extract the red channel of the DualNB Data and rename it to Ha , does your PM work on my RGB in the same way? I`m asking, cause it can`t be the same brilliant Luminance that you have with a Mono Cam and a pure Ha-Filter. As I`m stacking every channel separatley in Drizzle Integration, it has to be better than simple VNG Integration, but it is enough for a good result? What about the O3 data in the B/G channels of my DualNB lights - if its useful (O3 regions in the picture), could it be used in the same way (small changes in your code)?
Excellent tool. Thank you so much.
Thanks!
Thank you so much, much appreciated
You're welcome!
A v.good informative and useful video as usual.
I have a request. Can you create a video about calibrating monitors for astro processing? I've been recently noticing substantial difference of how images look on my processing monitor vs other screens so there definitely should be a standard way of settings to ensure reasonable compliance of colors among different monitors.
I know there are devices you can buy that help you calibrate your monitor. The other issue is when posting to RUclips. My videos never color match that of my video display to that of the videos I post.
Hi Bill - if I am just processing starless images and want to add the Ha, do I need to screen stars back on for your advanced mode to work? I don't actually want stars in this image at all. Wondering how to go about adding Ha in Galaxy mode without stars. Cheers
OMG, this seems so amazing, and simple! drag and drop!!!, thanks.
Thanks!!!
Great video! Now, I have a dual narrowband (Ha & Oiii) filter and have used your HOO Normalization Process at it works quite well (I watched Lukomatico’s video). Is there a special procedure for using it on galaxies to bring out the Ha? Also, I will be imaging the Horsehead nebula next and want to keep the red color using my OSC camera (ZWO ASIAIR294MC Pro). Any recommendations (your videos?)? Thanks!!
Bill, for those with OSC cameras who collects RGB data and then supplements it with Ha signal out of images taken with dual band filters like L-eXtreme. Is it worth reusing G and B channels of dual band images and somehow add them into RGB as well? Or maybe reusing just G signal because B is too noisy?
How would I need to modify your “Add HA to RGB” script to make it “Add O3 to RGB”. Does it even make sense and bring any improvements to the final image? Is there anything we can do with that signal instead of discarding?
Would a script “Add dual band data (Ha+O3) to RGB” make sense?
Thanks
The work you do seems incredible to me and this is no exception. Lately I have been doing HaRGB with the process that appears on the official Pixinsight youtube page... I don't know if you have been able to see it? I mean calibrating HaRGB with SPCC. I assume your process can be modified to include OIII in RGB. I mention it because I live in the hemisphere (latitude 53). Here I have year-round access to the Small Magellanic Cloud NGC292 and this galaxy has a large amount of OIII.
Will a similar technique work for OIII? I’m thinking of those of us using OSC with dual band as well as RGB. That would be more often with galaxies since you’d capture a lot of broadband but with a dual band you’d have both Ha and OIII you could add.
how did you add the saturation at the end? Looks like you were dragging some pixelMath on top of the image. Thanks for the info!
Hey great tool i'll give it a shot for my 50h 7 nights m31 mosaic :-) Any chance you have some advice how to integrate O3 as well into M31?
Thanks Bill we need to get you a PhD in Pixel Math shirt!
hello Bill, I downloaded all your processes and I am really happy!
However, I ask you if this process can only be used if you have a monochrome camera or you can use Narrowband filters (L Ultimate for example)
Thank you,
George
For dual narrowband, you can extract the channels and rename the red to Ha. For this processing, you would just toss the green and blue. This process will result in HaRGB, but if you wanted to go for more of a Hubble-y look with the dual narrowband, you could use his other video on Narrowband normalization. I've used that process for nebulas and it is really awesome - it really changed the way I process my dual narrowband.
@@briangweber thank you so much!
Hi Bill, thanks so much for this pixelmath. One question though, when I use the galaxy mode on my M101 image to combine Ha to LRGB, why am I getting red background but no change in the galaxy itself at all? No mask is used, Im just doing exactly what you're doing in this vid to the M31, but it doesnt seem to work.
Steven, sorry for the late reply, just getting back into things after having covid. Is your Ha data mono data? you can email me at AnotherAstroChannel at gmail
Hi Bill, you are doing an amazing job man, it would be great if you come up with some math to eliminate bright halo’s around super bright stars like Alnitak, i did not see one photo so far with out halo around that star🤙
I have looked into this and found a work around but if you fix one problem you create another. The method I tested worked ok and did help with halo reduction but if your image had any chromatic aberations it would cause issues with star shapes so I gave up. The best thing to do in my experience is just get a better filter. The good thing is, everything in the sky isnt going anywhere and with filters and software getting better, I am sure through our life time we will reshoot the same targets many times and get better at our images each time 😀
Is there a good way to run the advanced script without dealing with the stars at all? Maybe I missed it but it seemed like doing work to the starless image before the script was discouraged due to the way the stars are rescreened back in, but I think it would be nice to just totally ignore the stars during all of this and handle the stars separately.
I think BlurXTerminator came out after this video and script was released, but with that the workflow I'm interested in would be using BXT first and removing the stars from each image, then use this script while processing starless and remaining starless after this script. Then later on the stars can be added back in after being stretched separately. I plan to play around with the script and try to figure it out myself, but a Starless option could potentially be a good update in a future version of the script, unless I've missed/misinterpreted something in this vid
Absolutely Wonderful 👍
Thanks!!!
Hey Bill thank you for your work and that you provide us the scripts as well. It worked perfect onmy first HaLRGB from Andromeda.
Any chance you could edit the script Ha_to_RGB_Advanced_V1 so that we can also add OIII instead of Ha?
That would be awesome :-) Thanks again Mate, wish you all the best greetings Simon
i didnt understand any of it but i f**king love it 😂👍
Lol, Thanks!!!
Awesome! Can I use the script om starless only images (no stars)?
I showed that towards the middle of the video. BTW, I am going to revise the math soon in an upcoming update as the normalization math I use now is better, so keep posted. But you can use this on starless images, just give it a shot :-)
@@anotherastrochannel2173thanks I see you use starless in advanced mode to output an image with stars, I always process my stars separately so I have two input starless (RGB and Ha) and want a starless blended output
Used this script but must have overlooked something, all the Ha came through as bright white versus Red. Any suggestions?
That’s awesome.
Thanks!!
Just Wow!
thank you
Great video! Is there any way i can extract Ha from dual band filter for OSC? I am using Idas NBZ, thx
Yes, use the red channel
Thx 👍
Bill, thank you very much for providing these scripts. However, I am having a problem getting them to work. Specifically, after downloading them to my desktop, when I drag the file/folder with the set of the four scripts into Pixinsight, nothing appears. The process window says it opened one file, read the four items, and loaded the icons. But I don't see them anywhere. I'm using a Mac. Can you offer any suggestions? I'm sure this is something very basic that I'm overlooking. But until I get it solved, progress will be slow.
If you're trying to drag a folder onto Pixinsight desktop it's not going to work, just select the group of files within the folder and drag them over, but that should work
@@billblanshan3021 Thank you, Bill. I’ll try that later this morning. As I suspected, it was something really basic. Thank you again, both for this and for all you do for the astrophotography community.
@@billblanshan3021 I've given this a try for the last half hour, and still nothing seems to work. I've looked at your video several times around the 12 minutes mark, and I'm doing the same thing you show, albeit on a Mac rather than a PC. I drag the item with the blue Pixinsight cube from my download folder onto the opened Pixinsight, and the process window then shows (1) the path to the file, then (2) a statement "opening 1 files(s), then (3) the path to the file, then (4) four lines, each of which saying "Read icon:" followed by the name of the script; and then (5) a line that says "4 icons loaded." But I can't find or see them anywhere. I've tried to open the file so I can select the four scripts individually, but it doesn't seem to open. Also, when I close Pixinsight, it says, "The current process icon set has been modified and is unsaved." Again, where would that process icon set be? I'm sorry to seem so lost, but I'm at a loss about what to do at this point.
@@ABCMO-bl5pi see if the icons are actually loading on a different tab in Pixinsight. At the bottom of your workspace there's different view tabs and Pixinsight so make sure it's not loading on a different view tab and isn't off the screen which you would be able to know if your view window shows scroll bars
@@billblanshan3021 You nailed it! It was loading on a different tab (don't know why), and clicking on that tab did the trick. I've never had to deal with these before, so that's why I didn't think to check. I was going to "buy you a coffee," but I don't see that "thanks" icon under the video screen. Is there some way to contribute to your efforts? Thank you again for your help and your patience for dealing with this kind of PITA issue.
Simplify your narrative and you will gain more followers
Lol, I hear ya, still learning
I am trying the script on an image but it obliterates the areas with no Ha
Is your image non-linear?
@@anotherastrochannel2173 yes
@@niccoc1603 Can you email me a download link so I can have a look? anotherastrochannel at gmail
I sent you the email with the link, have you received it? @@anotherastrochannel2173
Love your work but just an FYI - we're not all "guys". 😕
Please tell me your kidding… it’s already a super long video is he supposed to say “guys and gals” everytime? Then the non-binary will come in… it’s a turn of phrase focus on what matters in the video. If he referred to women in the entire time, but the video is helpful, it wouldn’t bother me at all.
I just realized that, lol. My next video will be out hopefully today and I didn't say "guys" this time :-) Just a bad habit but I mean well :-)
@@anotherastrochannel2173 Thanks, Bill! 🙃 🙌 That reminds me, I need to buy you a cup of coffee. 👍