The New
Astronomy: Chapter 9
Cover photo: © Tony Hallas
Image Processing for Celestial Objects
Once you have used your basic image processing tricks, many images still need additional manipulation to bring out all the data. In this chapter, you'll learn how to apply specific image processing technqiues to specific types of images. Whether you are imaging the sun, the moon, planets or deep sky objects, certain image processing techniques are ideal for specific kinds of celestial objects.
Processing Sun and Moon Images
- Daytime Imaging Issues
- Understanding Brightness, Contrast, and Gamma
- Unsharp Masking
Globulars
- Resolution Requirements
- Digital Development
- Image Processing Artifacts
Planets
- Resolution Requirements
- Working at High Magnifications
- Point Spread Function (PSF)
- Deconvolution without a Star
- Advanced Unsharp Masking
Galaxies
- Exposure Guidelines
- Getting Better Signal-to-Noise Ratios
- Processing Tips: Digital Development
Nebulae
- Exposure Guidelines
- Throw Out the Pixel Laws
- Processing Tips
- Advanced Processing in Photoshop
Large, diffuse nebulae have lots of interesting detail, but you need perfect focus,
excellent contrast, and careful processing to reveal that detail. This portion of the
North American Nebula has been carefully processed in
Maxim/DL and Photoshop to bring out subtle details.
Image Copyright 2000 by Ron Wodaski