Is this the proper processing sequence?

[pmesquita]

Hi all I'm in a bit of confusion here and I'd just like to check if this is the proper sequence to Register, Calibrate and Integrate my lights with flats and darks.

Please correct me if I'm doing something wrong:

1st - Star Align my lights - I have the RAW CR2 lights from a DSLR
2nd - Image Integrate the Darks into a Master Dark - following the PI website tutorial
3rd - Image Calibrate the flats with a Master Dark (no Master Bias for now) - following the PI website tutorial
4th - Image Integrate the flats into a Master Flat - following the PI website tutorial
5th - Image Calibrate the Star Aligned Lights with the Master Dark and Master Flat
6th - Image Integrate the - now Star Alignen and Calibrated with Master Darks and Master Flats - Lights into a single file (master Light)

I'm checking with the more experienced memebrs here because the 1st time I tried this entire sequence manually, I didn't Star Align the Lights (forgot to) and I got a final image that was...with sgtar trails....
going back on the process I must have got all mixed up (I'm sure some of you will remember your 1st Darks and Flats 1st times) and I'm now getting error messages when I try other sequences....totally confused by now...

any help will be very welcome

Thanks
Paulo

[Geoff]

Hi Paulo
You should use the batch preprocessing script. This will calibrate and align your lights. It will also give you a rough idea of what your stacked lights look like if you choose this option. However it is best to use the image integration module to stack your lights.

[pmesquita]

Hi Geoff,

I did use the batch processing once (following warrens' tutorial) but since there was the Tutorial's security maintenance going on  this weekend I tried to do the traditional way. I am however going back to the batch process.

I just want to understand how the sequence is for future knowledge. After I posted this topic I went back and started the sequence in another order:



1st - Image Integrate the Darks into a Master Dark - following the PI website tutorial
2nd - Image Calibrate the flats with a Master Dark (no Master Bias for now) - following the PI website tutorial
3rd - Image Integrate the flats into a Master Flat - following the PI website tutorial
4th - Image Calibrate the RAW CR2  Lights with the Master Dark and Master Flat
5th - Star Align my lights - now calibrated and as .fit - with the  Master Dark and Master Flat
6th - Image Integrate the  Lights into a single file (master Light) -they are now already Calibrated  and Star Aligned with Master Darks and Master Flats

this makes more sense...it's processing now and I'll see if it works.

cheers
paulo

[niteman1946]

Hi Paulo,

Regarding the Lights....
1. Calibrate
2. Debayer
3. Star align
4. Integrate

This has worked well for me on DSLR files.

Good luck,

Mark

[pmesquita]

yep...I new I had to stick the Debayer somewhere....damn, I forgot.Got to go back a few steps. Do you simply use the debayer tool and add the calibrated (with darks and flats) lights into it and use the RGGB matrix?

thanks for the (very) precious tip, Mark

cheers
paulo

[pfile]

yeah, you can use BatchDebayer on your calibrated lights.

so you get foo.cr2 -> foo_c.fit -> debayer_foo_c.fit -> debayer_foo_c_r.fit

arrow 1 is calibration, arrow2 is batchdebayer, arrow 3 is staralignment.

[pmesquita]

Perfect, thanks mate.

I'm quite thrilled right now because a few hours ago I' ran some tests of flat Masters on my 1st Rosette and the vignetting went 95% away. Really happy about this.

great advice from those who know here in PI.

thanks to all
Paulo

[pmesquita]

MASTER DARKS AND MASTER FLATS

1ST - INTEGRATION of the Darks into a Master Dark - following the PI website tutorial
2ND - CALIBRATION of the flats with a Master Dark (no Master Bias for now) - following the PI website tutorial
3RD - INTEGRATION of the flats into a Master Flat - following the PI website tutorial

LIGHTS

4TH - CALIBRATION of the RAW CR2 Lights with the Master Dark and Master Flat
5TH - DEBAYER of the already Calibrated Lights files with the Master Dark and Master Flat.
6TH - STAR ALIGNMNENT of the already Calibrated and Debayered Lights files
7TH - INTEGRATION of the Lights into a single file – The image is now Calibrated (with Master Darks and Master Flats), Debayered and Star Aligned.

Ready for the PI processing magic….