M31 Pier 5 Data set

This is an excellent image Peter, and I really like the colour balance and the details that you have managed to bring out of this object.

Just so you know with regard to the question you asked me about my version of this, I use pixinsight for everything I do because I really don't understand Photoshop well enough to use. So basically what I do is stack the images using the the batch preprocessing option or the new weighted option, and then I use dynamic background extraction, colour calibration and background neutralisation. I might also use linear fit depending on how things are. I often need to fiddle around with dynamic background extraction a little bit, to try and get as much detail as I can and not overcook it. I will always use green SCNR. But from that point onwards, I then proceed with various processes to try and bring forth the best I can, without overdoing it. I hope this is of use and thanks for your super encouragement. Have a good day. Simon

Thank you Simon, Its interesting to see how others approach processing.  I do like PI but I find the preview routine a bit tedious and it lacks finesse when making fine adjustments, if you can get over that it will do everything that Photoshop does and more. The beauty is its written for astro imagers so it has some very valuable modules. I use them both but tend to default back to Photoshop as I used it for most of my professional career and feel more comfortable using it.........I wouldn't be without Pixinsight and am finding myself using more each time.
Peter

Wow! Definitely an image to print and display.

I am wondering if this pier will get used a lot more now,  so maybe the TAK130 being removed from one of the piers could replace the Sigma lens. I have the Sigma135mm f1. 8 lens and it really is excellent. Just a thought. 

I've gradually migrated over to Pixinsight Peter having used Nebulosity before that, but I never upgraded that when it began to creak at the seams with larger data sets. 
Big difference between them and beginning to like it. However I even struggle to pronounce a lot of the option descriptions being offered, let alone understand how to use them. The DBE can a real struggle for me if there's nebulosity throughout the image. 

Again thank you Peter for sharing your image, all those we are being shown really help. It proves that if you gradually acquire the skills and experience just what can be achieved. 

Cheers, 
Ray 

Thank you Ray,

Ive always loved the Tak ED180 is a great scope and when correctly matched with the right camera produce really stunning data.
As soon as we get to Spain there will be a lot more Piers coming on line including Pier 4 which has a very special Sigma 105......I have a couple of targets I want to do with that myself.

I think the DBE tool in PI is one of the big advantages over Photoshop. There nothing that come close on PS. It really is worth having just for that.  As you say it can take a few goes to get a good correction if the background is busy.
I really would like to see a fade feature in Pixinsight.....  Photoshop allows you to fade an action back if you have gone too far with it, I find this quite useful especially for star reduction and some of the sharpening routines.

Hi Peter,

A very beautiful image and I like the color balance very much.
The blues in my image is to weak.
I used Photometric color Calibration in PixInsight,
It's a powerfull tool but I have to figure it out what I did wrong.
I have to admit that in the end of the processing I use also Photoshop.
But I think that with Pixinsight you don't have to use PS anymore.
Pixinsight has a steep learning curve but is very powerfull.
I use the Adam Block video tutorials and it's cristal clear even for a Dutch guy. 

Best regards
Mike

Thank you Mike. 

I found when running all of the data through the "Batch Processing" script (Debayer RGGB) I got a very strange colour that I was unable to balance....I'm still not sure why. So I manually did the pre-process step by step. Calibration (Flats and Darks only, no Bias frames as its CMOS. Then Debayer RGGB, Aligned and Stacked. 
I then ran DBE, first "Division" then using the same modelling with "Subtraction"

Exported to Photoshop and did my standard curve non-linear stretch to bring out detail being very careful not to burn out the core.  At this point when working in RGB I always extract a Luminance layer which allows me to add later so i am able to de-noise any colour without destroying detail.
I then balance the colour bias levelling the background then balance the colour (being careful not to clip the black point. 

In a previous attempt I did run Photo-metric colour calibration that did give a good colour balance (as you would expect). However I did find after using it there seemed to be a lot more noise after processing than when I manually balanced it in Photoshop...more noticeable when pushing the saturation. 

I hope you find this helpful

Regards
Peter