Tips to process dark nebulae like NGC7023

[giulioer]

Hello,
I want to ask if somebody has any tip to process dark nebulae, such as Iris, in Startools. I collected about 9 hours of data, and I wonder if I managed to pull out all of them from my procedure.
This is the picture after my Startools processing:
http://www.astrobin.com/189755/B/
This is the same picture after more processing done with PS:
http://www.astrobin.com/189755/C/
and below the log file in Startools

Thanks a lot

Giulio

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
File loaded in LRGB module [Z:\Astrofoto\2015.06 NGC7023 - Iris nebula\NGC7023-L.fit].
File loaded in LRGB module [Z:\Astrofoto\2015.06 NGC7023 - Iris nebula\NGC7023-R.fit].
File loaded in LRGB module [Z:\Astrofoto\2015.06 NGC7023 - Iris nebula\NGC7023-G.fit].
File loaded in LRGB module [Z:\Astrofoto\2015.06 NGC7023 - Iris nebula\NGC7023-B.fit].
--- LRGB
Parameter [Cap Green] set to [No]
Parameter [Channel Interpolation] set to [On]
Parameter [RGB Blur] set to [1.0 pixels]
Parameter [Blue Ratio] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Green File] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Red Ratio] set to [1.00]
--- Auto Develop
Parameter [Ignore Fine Detail <] set to [1.2 pixels]
Parameter [Outside ROI Influence] set to [15 %]
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [22 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [22 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [3342 pixels (-16)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [2517 pixels (-18)]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [Yes]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [4 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [96.00 %]
Parameter [Blue Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Green Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Red Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [5 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [Off]
--- Deconvolution
Parameter [Image Type] set to [Deep Space]
Parameter [Mask Behavior] set to [De-ring Mask Gaps, Hide Result]
Parameter [Radius] set to [1.8 pixels]
Parameter [Iterations] set to [12]
Parameter [Regularization] set to [1.00 (optimal noise and detail)]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [8.0 pixels]
--- HDR
Parameter [Small Detail Precision] set to [Max]
Parameter [Channels] set to [Brightness Only]
Parameter [Algorithm] set to [Reveal DSO Core]
Parameter [Dark/Bright Response] set to [Full]
Parameter [Detail Size Range] set to [64 pixels]
Parameter [Noise Suppression] set to [Off]
--- Contrast
Parameter [Expose Dark Areas] set to [No]
Parameter [Compensate Gamma] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [1 pixels]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [15 %]
--- Wavelet Sharpen
Parameter [Intelligent Enhance] set to [Yes]
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [100 %]

[Rowland]

Guillio.

Contrast module with expose dark areas selected is one method. Another is to use an inverted star mask in the color module and exclude other colors in the mask.

Either way the ST image seems well balanced.

[giulioer]

Thanks Rowland, I'll try it

[giulioer]

Hello Rowland, I applied your tips and it looks better:
http://www.astrobin.com/189755/D/
But I think it needs more integration yet.

Giulio