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Affinity Photo
Serif, developers of the award-winning Affinity Photo
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Masters of PixInsight
Join MoP's team for streamlined PixInsight expertise, ensuring clarity and simplicity.
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Alexander Curry
European based amateur astrophotographer, Co-Founder of Telescope Live and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
  • Astrophotographer
  • Editor
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Warren Keller
A US-based, multi-APOD imager and author with over twenty years' experience.
  • Astrophotographer
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Telescope Live
This is the official profile of Telescope Live
  • Editor
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Jarmo Ruuth
Amateur astrophotographer, author of AutoIntegrate and Astro Mosaic.
  • Astrophotographer
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Mustafa Aydın
An astrophotographer with 8+ years of experience and an almost lifelong background in general photography.
  • Astrophotographer
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James Ritson
UK-based photographer and image retoucher working with Affinity Photo
  • Astrophotographer
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Peter Jenkins
Amateur Astrophotographer & Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society specialising in Nebulae mostly presented using the Hubble Palette
  • Astrophotographer
  • Tutor
Bernard Miller
A US-based, multi-APOD astrophotographer with over twelve years of experience in deep sky imaging
  • Astrophotographer
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Stellar Xperiences
Three astrophotographers with 30 years’ combined experience in photography and 20 years’ experience in astronomy.
  • Editor
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Damian Peach
A multi-award winning astrophotographer with over 25yrs experience.
  • Astrophotographer
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Adam Block
FastTrack your understanding of the HOW and WHY of astronomical image processing with renowned Adam Block.
  • Astrophotographer
  • Tutor
Mark Johnston
I have been fascinated by the night sky since I ‘discovered’ Saturn with my 60mm refractor at the age of 10. An APOD-winning astrophotographer, I have been published in Sky & Telescope, Astronomy Magazine, and Space.com. As a NASA Solar System Ambassador, I have conducted thousands of public outreach programs and am a registered cruise ship speaker on astronomy and space science, as well as a Director of the Phoenix Astronomical Society. I frequently post astrophotography images, news, and tutorials on social media. My solar imaging and videos are particularly popular, and I have conducted extensive research on solar cameras and solar image processing techniques.
  • Astrophotographer
  • Tutor
Ryan Voykin
US Based Amateur Astrophotographer and Creator of the YouTube Channel DarkRangersInc.
  • Astrophotographer
  • Tutor
Nik Szymanek
UK-based Astro-imager and deep sky image processing tutor
  • Astrophotographer
  • Tutor

All Tutorials

File Formats Carina Nebula
[ Free ]

[Free] Maximizing Image Quality: File Formats for Astrophotography

In this free tutorial, Alexander Curry, Co-Founder of Telescope Live, explores the importance of choosing the right file formats for saving and sharing astrophotography images. He discusses the differences between common formats like FITS, TIFF, PNG, and JPEG, and how they impact image quality and usability. Key points covered include: XISF to TIFF Conversion: -Learn how to convert XSIF files to TIFF using PixInsight’s batch processing tool, preserving resolution and detail across software. TIFF for Post-Processing: -Understand why TIFF is the go-to format for retaining high-quality data during post-processing and adjustments. PNG vs JPEG for Sharing: -Compare PNG and JPEG formats, noting the loss of detail with JPEG due to compression, and how each format is suited for different platforms, such as social media or personal sharing. This guide ensures you make the most of your astrophotography data, from editing to sharing your final image.
MoP Narrowband Normalization
[ Premium ]

Exploring Pixinsight Narrowband Normalization Techniques

In this tutorial, Warren Keller, Co-Founder of Masters of PixInsight, dives into various methods of narrowband normalization to balance the brightness levels of SII, Ha and OIII in the Hubble Palette (SHO). Warren walks you through three key techniques for achieving great color balance in your narrowband images: Method 1: Warren Keller’s Simple Approach Learn how to unlink channels in PixInsight’s Screen Transfer Function (STF) for better color balance, reducing the dominant green hue from Hydrogen Alpha. Method 2: Linear Fit Explore the Linear Fit process to normalize channels, using O3 as the reference image to achieve balanced colors across S2, HA, and O3. Method 3: Bill Blanshan’s Pixel Math Method Discover Bill Blanshan’s pixel math expression for narrowband normalization, using offset scaling to match O3 and S2 to the HA signal. Each method offers a different approach to achieving more balanced colors in your narrowband astrophotography, providing flexibility based on your workflow and desired outcome.
MoP ColorMask
[ Premium ]

Isolating Colors in PixInsight with the ColorMask Process

In this tutorial, Ron Brecher, Co-Founder of Masters of PixInsight, introduces the powerful ColorMask process in PixInsight. This process, though not included in the standard PixInsight installation, allows for precise control over color adjustments in your astronomical images. Ron walks you through the following steps: Installing the ColorMask Process: -Learn how to add the necessary repository and install the ColorMask process from the PixInsight forum. Using ColorMask to Target Specific Hues: -Explore multiple methods to select hues, including clicking on the color wheel, manually entering values, or selecting directly from the image. -Understand how to adjust hue range, chrominance, and lightness to refine your color mask. Applying and Modifying the Mask: -Apply the mask to your image and make adjustments using tools like curves to enhance specific colors. -Learn how to control mask strength and blur to achieve the desired effect.
SIRIL Manual Stacking
[ Premium ]

Comprehensive Manual Pre-Processing in SIRIL

In this detailed tutorial series, Telescope Live Co-Founder Alexander Curry walks you through the process of manually pre-processing astronomical data in SIRIL. Alex provides an in-depth guide for pre-processing and stacking data using manual techniques, perfect for situations where standard scripts may not apply. This tutorial looks at a narrowband dataset, however this workflow can be applied to any dataset. The tutorial is divided into three focused parts: Part 1: Manual Pre-Processing Setup -Learn how to set up symbolic links for your data sequences. -Start by organizing and preparing H-alpha and OIII data for manual processing. Part 2: Calibration, Registration, and Data Analysis -Dive into manual calibration and global star alignment for accurate data registration. -Analyze your dataset for any frames that may need exclusion based on full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) readings. Part 3: Stacking, Compositing, and Final Alignment -Perform manual stacking using advanced algorithms. -Create an RGB composite and ensure proper RGB channel alignment for your final image. Alex’s clear and methodical approach ensures that you can confidently apply these techniques to produce stunning astrophotography results, even when standard workflows fall short.