Using PixInsight to Add, Enhance, and Brighten Stars

Create an RGB Star Field

Early in the image processing workflow, you ran StarNet to remove the star field. This process also created a star mask for each channel (red or SII, green or HA, and blue or OIII). These three channels have to be integrated and stretched.

• Step 1 – Linear Fit: Use the linear fit process to equalize the backgrounds across all three star masks
• Step 2 – Channel Combination: Use the Channel Combination method to create an RGB star field.
• Step 3 – Stretch: Use Histogram Transformation to stretch the image
• Step 4 – SCNR: Use SCNR to remove green and magenta from the starfield.
• Step 5 – Saturate: Use Curves Transformation to increase the color saturation of the star field.
• Step 6 – Save: Save this file for use later.

Create a Star Mask

With the RGB star field created, you can now create a star mask. During the Luminance Workflow, you used StarNet to remove the stars from the luminance channel. This process also created a star mask, which you will use now.

• Step 1 – Stretch: Use Histogram Transformation to stretch the image
• Step 2 – Apply Mask: Apply the mask to your RGB image

Integrate Star Field

With the LUM star field mask applied to your main RGB image, you use Pixel Math to add the RGB star field.

The Pixel Math settings are:

• Formula: max(Main_Image_Name, RGB_StarField_Name)
• Replace the current image

Star Field Adjustments

With the LUM star mask still applied, use Curves Transformation to do the following based on your preferences

• Saturation: Increase color saturation to add more star color
• Brightness: Increase or decrease the Lightness (L) channel to change the star intensity

Because your LUM star mask is still applied, any bloat that might happen by these changes is limited to the area unprotected by the star mask.