StarTools

I purchased StarTools this week and I am totally new beginner to astronomy and image processing. I took some short exposures with my DSLR on an AltAz mount. Here are the details for my Swan Nebula. Any criticism or insight for improvements is welcome.

M17 - http://www.astrobin.com/191807/

Celestron NextStar 8SE f10 with f6.3 focal reducer
Canon T3i unmodded
60 x 29sec subs at ISO 3200
30 x Dark frames
No bias, flats
Canon CR2 file directly into DSS 3.3.4
32 bit Autosave.fts used with no RGB or Whitebalance calibration
Startools image processing saved as tiff
PS to convert to jpeg


Startools Log:
StarTools 1.3.5.289

--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [83.47 %]
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]
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [143 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [143 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [2813 pixels (-495)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [2469 pixels (-150)]
Undo.
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [43 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [106 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [2747 pixels (-561)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [2510 pixels (-109)]
--- Bin
Parameter [Scale] set to [(scale/noise reduction 50.00%)/(400.00%)/(+2.00 bits)]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [1 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [1 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 [82.01 %]
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]
--- Color
Parameter [Cap Green] set to [To Yellow]
Parameter [Bias Slider Mode] set to [Sliders Reduce Color Bias]
Parameter [Style] set to [Scientific (Color Constancy)]
Parameter [LRGB Method Emulation] set to [Straight CIELab Luminance Retention]
Parameter [Dark Saturation] set to [3.20]
Parameter [Bright Saturation] set to [Full]
Parameter [Saturation Amount] set to [200 %]
Parameter [Blue Bias Reduce] set to [1.12]
Parameter [Green Bias Reduce] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Red Bias Reduce] set to [1.41]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
--- HDR
Parameter [Small Detail Precision] set to [Max]
Parameter [Channels] set to [Brightness Only]
Parameter [Algorithm] set to [Optimize Soft]
Parameter [Dark/Bright Response] set to [Full]
Parameter [Detail Size Range] set to [21 pixels]
Parameter [Noise Suppression] set to [Off]
--- Wavelet Sharpen
Parameter [Intelligent Enhance] set to [Yes]
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 2] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 3] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 4] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 5] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [8.0 pixels]
Parameter [Amount] set to [158 %]
Parameter [Small Detail Bias] set to [75 %]
--- Life
Parameter [Detail Preservation] set to [Min Distance to 1/2 Unity]
Parameter [Compositing Algorithm] set to [Power of Inverse]
Parameter [Inherit Brightness, Color] set to [Off]
Parameter [Output Glow Only] set to [No]
Parameter [Airy Disk Sampling] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Airy Disk Radius] set to [20 pixels]
Parameter [Glow Threshold] set to [3 %]
Parameter [Detail Preservation Radius] set to [20.0 pixels]
Parameter [Saturation] set to [85 %]
Parameter [Strength] set to [150 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [2.0 pixels]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [83.31 %]
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]
Undo.
Tracking OFF
--- Wavelet De-Noise
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 2] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 3] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 4] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 5] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
Parameter [Scale Correlation] set to [3]
Parameter [Color Detail Loss] set to [12 %]
Parameter [Brightness Detail Loss] set to [12 %]
Parameter [Grain Size] set to [1.3 pixels]
Parameter [Read Noise Compensation] set to [Off]
Parameter [Smoothness] set to [75 %

Posted this in the General Discussion thread also
Just a thought. You might try deconvolution. Try playing with the radius setting. On some of my images, it makes a big difference.
Che

Oh, and IMHO, flats are a must.!!!
Che

If you just used PS to convert to jpg. you can also do that in Startools. Just change the extension to .jpg when saving. Ivo told me about that a while back as I didnt know it either.
Che

Thanks Che, I will try some devconvolution next time. And I had no idea how to save the file to jpeg!

I am still trying to figure out how to take flats as I know they are important. I cant really use a light at the dark site unless I am the last to leave. But I have another location I frequent by myself where I could give it a try. I have a LED head lamp. Would that work with a white tshirt?

Dont know about the headlamp. I know some have used a computer monitor & shirt, and there is also sky flats. I use a flatbox that bought off astromart a number of years ago that was reasonably priced, that someone cobbled together. It uses led's in a box that reflects off of white paper then thru a diffusion panel to the scope. It emits no light outside of the box so could be used at a darksite. Works pretty well. Could probably be made pretty cheaply. You could probably google and find instructions to make a box/panel.
Che

Bill. I agree with Che, a light box is the way to go. Which ever way you go about providing a light source the correct illumination is ~70 - 75% luminance on the camera histogram. It's a balance between the illumination of the light source and shutter speed. You will need bias frames to calibrate the flats.

Thanks for the info, I'll get to working on that.

Here's a link I found that might be of interest re: diy flat box/panel
http://www.alberts-astro.com/AP_Blog/2015/02/348/
Might give you some ideas
Che

Thanks Che