PixInsight 
Linear Image Quality Enhancements

Step 4: Automatic Background Extraction (ABE)

updated: 2025-09-28


Purpose

Automatic Background Extraction (ABE)

helps you to get rid of light pollution and other uneven field illumination effects like vignetting and usually returns very good results even for noisy backgrounds.

Activation

Process 🡺 All Processes 🡺 AutomaticBackgroundExtractor

Input

Deconvoluted and cropped image from previous step

Output

De-noised image with post-fix “_ABE.xisf” into folder "Work"

Previous Step

Cropping

Next Step

Background Neutralization

Tutorial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vXNXiw-yKE  (Part 5 Dynamic Crop and ABE)


Step

Action

Description

1

Sample Generation and Rejection Section

Set Box Size and Box Separation: 5 to 8


2

Interpolation and Output

3

Target Image Correction

Try both correction methods: Subtraction or Division, each action can reset.


As result you will receive 2 new windows:

  1. one containing the background that was subtracted from the image
  2. the other showing the corrected background


  1. To check the result you can stretch both images using the Screen Transfer Function

4

Apply Background Extraction

5

Save Image

Menu: File 🡺 Save As "20170921_M8_FUJXT1_i_c_ABE.xisf" for example


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