Something is wrong with how Im integrating in pixinsight... I think!

[m_abukhalid]

Hi all. Im working on integrating an image and I think Im doing something fundamentally wrong with my integration. Attached are both my reference frame (DBE and Color CC applied) and integrated image (DBE and Color CC applied). Both cropped onto the nebula. As you can see... Lots of great detail came up in the integrated image but besides being blown out (not too worried about that as I can correct that using HDR MMT later) the color is completely washed out. Any attempt to saturate will not bring back the original colors visible in the original image. Instead saturating just brightens the core again.

Any idea what Im doing wrong? I avoided the entire nebula region during dynamic DBE.

[m_abukhalid]

I think DBE is part of if not most of the problem... will read up some more on ways to improve this. I believe that some of the color in the nebula is being neutralized by the DBE process.

[John_Gill]

Hi,

As a test, use AutomaticBackgroundExtraction (ABE) instead of DBE and then compare the results.  Very often ABE does a better job.

Look up
John