PixInsight 
Linear Image Quality Enhancements

Step 6: Optional: Separating Stars and DSO Objects

 

updated: 2025-10-26


Purpose

Light frames typically contain a lot of noise from the sensor electronics, as well as from atmospheric and interstellar dust. The aim of this step is therefore to reduce noise and smooth the background in particular, without degrading the structures and details of, for example, the clouds or galaxies captured.

PixInsight Release:

newer than version 1.8.9-2 / build 1604

Input

The noise reduced image from the previous step

Output

Two separate images:

Output 1: Starless Image (identifier: Cloud, postfix: *_Cloud)

Output 2: Star Image (identifier: Stars, postfix: *_Stars)

Previous Step

Step 5: Noise Reduction

Alternatives

Both alternatives generate similar results:

Next Steps

Step 7: Enhancing the DSO (Cloud) Image






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