Before 'n After
The Seestar is an amazingly capable instrument that can produce in seconds images of deep sky objects (aka DSOs).
However, the nature of almost invisible celestial objects, and thanks to sensitive modern CMOS digital cameras such as the Sony IMX462MC in the Seestar, means that the data we collect is mostly dark signals. Indeed, an unprocessed image can look almost completely black.
Happily, the Seestar can dig the details out of the dark end of the histogram and do the work to present us with surprisingly good images right out of the camera (images on the left). But with post-processing software and clever techniques we can transform that image into something spectacular (images on the right) that you can have professionally printed and hang on the wall 1).
Here is a collection of before and after images that demonstrate how surprisingly good images right out of the Seestar are, and how, with knowledge, effort, and talent they can be turned into treasures.
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M42 by Patrick Jandard
61 minutes, 10s subs
Stacked and post processed with PixInsight, minor touch up with Photoshop
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Dumbbell Nebula (M27) by Oliver Hext
953 x 10 Subs (158 minutes). Bortle 7..
Siril>GraXpert>Siril>LightRoom.
Sombrero Galaxy (M104) by Tom Harnish
22 minutes, very tight crop to emphasize noise
Processed with AstroEdit's new AI Denoise
The Leo triplet (M66) by Patrick Jandard
120 minutes of 10s subs
SeeStar stacked with PixInsight
Processed with PixInsight. Minor touch with PS
The Hercules Cluster (M13)) by Patrick Jandard
50 minutes of 10s subs
SeeStar stacked with PixInsight
Processed with PixInsight. Minor touch with PS
Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) by Ian Hagan
30 minutes of 10s subs
SeeStar stacked fits file
Processed with PixInsight and ON1PhotoRaw 2024
Trifid Nebula (M20) by Matthew McPherson
357 X 10s (32 min)
Stacked and stretched in Siril
Processing in Photoshop
Pelican Nebula (IC 5070) by Matthew McPherson
57 minutes
Stacked and stretched in Siril
Curves, denoise, and starmask processing in Photoshop
Additional curves (luminosity) in Snapseed for mobile posting
Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC 1396) by Patrick Jandard
96 minutes, 10s subs
Stacked and post processed with PixInsight, minor touch up with Photoshop
The Hercules Cluster (M13)) by Tom Harnish
40 minutes of 10s subs
Stacked in PixInsight + StatisticalStretch script