Thanks for posting this Gary.
First off, let me say that this is extremely helpful stuff you're posting here. It shows me where any possible painpoints are when comparing to other software and it certainly doesn't come across as complaining!
AutoDev is indeed a good starting point to examine the data, which you indeed do.
If you decide you'd like to bin your data, then do it as early on as possible. The reduced noise will help a number of modules achieve better results (chiefly the decon module).
Wipe tends to do a good job unaided, but when large parts of the image potentially have faint DSOs in them, it is wise to mask out the parts of the sky where you think they are. In this case, using the lassoo tool to fully mask out the larger structure (e.g. the whole of where you expect NGC6888 to be) will help Wipe target only the backround and will help it leave any nebulosity in.
In PixInsight terms, Wipe
without a mask works like (a better) ABE. Wipe
with a mask works like DBE.
See also this video.
After performing the Wipe, you can do a manual Develop, or AutoDev with a Region of Interest. Both should reveal the full extent of NGC6888 now (however faint!).
Doing Decon as early as possible is also good practice, as some modules can then take into account deconvolved data, yielding slightly (slightly!) better results.
The Life module's purpose is to manipulate (very) large scale structures. If you are absolutely certain the larger structure is in fact in the data (and we have just proven that it is), then you can create a mask that outlines the larger structure that you are seeing. Life will then reconstruct the larger structure using hints of any faint nebulosity within the designated area, re-embedding the detail within it (the Isolate preset).
Do all this and you'll end up with something like this;
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- NGC6888 Neb PreProc_All Subs_ST135.jpg (206.42 KiB) Viewed 10851 times
Of course, tweak to your personal taste...
Hope this helps Gary - do let us know how you get on!
