Add Ha to RGB in PixInsight (easy method!)

In this video learn how to add Ha to RGB in PixInsight.
#Pixinsight #astrophotography
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Thanks for watching! Clear skies!

[@mupangamwanakatwe1300]

Thanks Shawn. Your willingness to share your tips, tricks and insights (pun intended!) are a great help to many of us. Please continue to do so ….

[@Astrobloke]

Nice tutorial Shawn. Been trying to get the right balance of Ha integrated into my M106 image. Will try this technique. Thanks for sharing

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Yes give this a try and see! Also consider using your Ha master (clone it) as a mask on the M106 image, when adding in the Ha data. This will help apply the Ha to where it should be and not just across the entire image.

[@Astrobloke]

@@VisibledarkAstro That's an excellent tip, Thank you I will try that out.

[@kamilkp]

There is also the NBRGB script under Scripts -> Utilities. You can use that to integrate not only Ha but also OIII and/or SII into an RGB image. Works great and it's (imo) even simpler than Pixel Math

[@Sidecontrol1234]

Know of any good tutorials using it?

[@kamilkp]

@@Sidecontrol1234 there is one by Galactic Hunter

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Yes there is the NBRGB script which is another way to do it. I prefer this method myself. But at the end of the day its whatever method works best for you. Cheers!

[@horneredtechcorner5410]

Thank you! Went back in and used DynamicAlignment and it seemed to add the two together well :) Now to figure out how to align, then separate, then use your Process Icon to add them correctly ;) Still and always learning!

[@spodzone]

Nice one. As you say, good to see how others do the same sort of thing. I’ll keep your technique in mind for next time :) Personally I drop Ha into the L channel using pixelmeth. Red = R + HaL*0.25*opacity Green = G + HaL*0.6*opacity Blue = B + HaL*0.15*opacity …where those numbers are how much the R,G,B channels contribute toward L, opacity is an overall scale-of-effect, and HaL is a variant of Ha designed for use in the L channel - with its own contrast and local contrast (CLAHE) added to taste.

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Thanks for sharing your technique!

[@JohnDoe-pm9cg]

Easy, fast, perfect! Thanks Shawn 👍

[@thepuffybird]

Cool! As a beginner this is so helpful. Thanks!

[@VisibledarkAstro]

You're very welcome!

[@AstroGuina]

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much from Brazil!

[@TiagoRamos79]

Easy, fast, perfect 👌. Thanks Shawn .

[@Wheeljack678]

2 year old clip, but still works perfectly. Thanks for this.

[@markwood1660]

Thanks Shawn ( just followed the previous version yesterday :) ). Would you mind sharing the HaORGB Combine pixMath equation also as that would be the next step - Cheers

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Email me and I can send you the HA03RGB combine process icon. Can find my email on my website visibledark.ca

[@stevesolon6710]

Your videos are worth more than any book, Shawn - many thanks. Being new to PixelMath, for Ha integration, do you have to set up the PM Summary as shown first, then set sup the R/K channel? Or just set up the R/K channel only?

[@jimwaters304]

Good tutorial Shawn. I will give this a try.

[@markmayer9290]

I've been using PixInsight for about 2 months and the pace is perfect - easy to follow. Could a similar process be used to add OIII? Which RGB channel(s) would you add it to?

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Yes! I have a pixelmath for combining HaO3RGB. You can email me and I can send it to you. Check my website for my email address. Cheers.

[@markmayer9290]

Thanks! I don't have an OIII filter yet, bit from what I've read its commonly lower transmittance than HA so a boost as you showed seemed like a good idea? Love your videos.

[@chucksvideogames]

Thanks Shawn, I am using this as a guide to process my Horsehead!

[@keithhanssen7413]

Very comfortable instruction tempo. Easy to follow. Great job!

[@SquidwardTentacles-]

That was a perfect explanation!

[@filipdziegielewski4742]

thank you

[@RolandWinde]

Hi Sean Thanks for sharing this method. I‘ve adapted it to OSC frames, which was a little bit tricky at first attempt, but now it works fine. Finally a process, which does what I want. I was searching for it some plenty month. Greetings from northern germany Roland

[@prateepcharoensap1485]

Thanks.

[@elbagre71]

Thanks a lot!!! 👍🏻

[@hank7055]

Hi Shawn, I assume that your Ha data were obtained as a mono image? If Ha data are collected with an OSC narrow band filter, would the R channel from an RGB channel extraction work as a satisfactory Ha source for your process? Many thanks for the very clear presentation. Hank

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Yes it would! The red channel becomes the Ha channel. Process it and add it using the same method.

[@saurogaudenzi]

Hi again, i would like to have the total file for the installation of the HA RGB combine to let me instal the modul on my program. thanks in advance

[@davemanning4443]

Hi Shawn. I'm just playing around with "HaRGB_Combine" with my Lagoon Neb data (2hr40min of RB & 1hr2min of Ha) and was wondering ...... if I had some extra Oiii or even Sii data would I be able to individually add them using the "HaRGB_Combine" by merely changing the "Ha" in the equations to "Oiii" or "Sii"? I'm going to try it anyway and hopefully I'll be able to grab some Oiii and Sii data soon but the Sydney weather here (Campbelltown actually...) is rather unpredictable at the moment. I'm just getting back into the Astrophotography after a break and frankly if it wasn't for your tutorials I'd be going a lot more insane than people think I am..... Thank you very much. Dave

[@cccard2491]

Outstanding method, thanks

[@TheMje1963]

Shawn, Thanks for showing us this, I just happen to be looking around as to how to add Ha to my M51. Are your images in Linier or Non-Linier when you removed the stars and added the Ha?

[@waynearnoldCanada]

I think they must because when I tried this, the screentransferfunction effectively kept the appearance the same no matter how much I increased the blend (by editing the pixel math expression as Shawn mentioned). I couldn't figure out when going up to even 2.6 I wasn't seeing a difference, then it hit me

[@juliansimon5749]

Thank verdad much for this one and the others.

[@MrSpike2450]

Thanks again, can i use the Ha from the L-enhance to add to my L-Pro data using this technique ?

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Yes you can! I've done it.

[@reglogge]

Hey Shawn, thanks for these videos! I have a question regarding your method of using the Ha image as a mask before integrating it with Pixelmath though: Wouldn't that disproportionately diminish the fainter Ha regions when integrating them? Meaning that the already fainter Ha signal gets further reduced in the final combination image due to the fact that the mask is also less transparent there? Wouldn't it make more sense to maybe binarize and then maybe expand and convolute the mask a little so that all the signal from the Ha image actually gets integrated?

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Sure you could always modify things. This is just one method. I'll give your idea a try. Always good to have options when processing!

[@saurogaudenzi]

Hello, congratulations for this video and for your channel very nice and informative, but I have a question: I saw that you have the Tool HaRGB_Combination, can you explain how to download this tool? Thank you very much

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Thank you! Download link is in the description of this video. Cheers.

[@astrobri]

Thank you Shawn

[@dawnpaulandelizabethromero3458]

Thank you. I've seen videos on how to install Starnet v 2 in Windows, but Mac is giving me security errors. Pls. do a video for Mac install.

[@user-mw1kb4yt2n]

hello Shawn. Thx for this very intersting video. Is this method also usable for Oiii integration layer ?

[@wanderingquestions7501]

I have work so hard on this! I’ve spent many hours each on a few projects trying to get this right til I found your video. Thanks Shawn! Thank you so much for your help with this.

[@stuparker776]

Hi Shawn this is great thanks but I am really new to PI I was playing with a couple of images just to try your way.Does the 2 images have to be a certian scale or size I get this errow message I know I will be doing something wrong many thanks again PixelMath: Processing view: RGB Writing swap files... 2608.028 MiB/s *** Error: No such image: max($T[0], 1.2*Ha) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^ Reading swap files... 2114.660 MiB/s

[@VisibledarkAstro]

The images should match geometry yes. But the error you are getting is because your master Ha is not named "Ha" so Pix can't find your Ha master. Just rename your master Ha and it will work. If you need me clarification you can email. Email can be found on my website visibledark.ca

[@tullyfisher]

Awesome job, very helpful. Thanks & cs

[@dawnpaulandelizabethromero3458]

Hi Shawn, Thanks for another video! These are wonderful supplements to your tutorial. You are a good teacher! I have one comment and question, though, I cannot install Starnet, Starnet 2, or Star Exterminator due to hardware limitations, so this method is not helpful. Do you have any suggestions regarding other tools in the PI toolbox that can substitute for them? Paul

[@indysbike3014]

Would be nice if you did the same with Siril.

[@MayfieldCreekObservatory]

Hello Shawn. I have a OSC camera and use an L Extreme filter. Can I combine my L Extreme data and regular broadband images and have RGB stars? Sorry I am just fairly new to trying this. Thanks!

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Sure you can. Hard to explain the process in this reply though. A video would be better. I'll make a note.

[@Astrophotography_Channel]

Hi Shaws, thanks for your toutorials. I have a quest, this tecnique will be used in linear or not linear picture? Thanks in advanc, simone

[@AstroPixUK]

Hi Shawn, where can I get that masking script please. Thanks. Jim.

[@bjmoodie1]

Hi another great video thanks, I don't see the pixel math description in your notes, where am I not looking?

[@bjmoodie1]

Never mind, downloaded the icon and all good, thanks!

[@sidfrede7324]

Can you explain MAX function in Pixel Math and/or direct me to a tutorial on PixelMath functions.

[@malcolqwe2]

did you edit the mask to make it soft around the edges? thanks!

[@gclaytony]

I found that in my image of M106, I had to add the Ha image to the starless RGB version to keep the background space from getting a red cast. I'm also finding that the arcsinstretch gives the stars a very heavy red color (as well as the galaxies), not sure why this is

[@area51xi]

Awesome Thanks

[@johnadastra1754]

Would like to know if the stars added back are still RGB stars or are they "white" stars like from a standard star mask. Thanks much.

[@VisibledarkAstro]

I removed the stars from the RGB master. So they are still the RGB stars being added back in and their colour is kept.

[@amatsoukas]

@@VisibledarkAstro Correct me if i am wrong, but you created a starmark along with running Starnet2, and you basically used this starmask image to add the stars back. So i fail to understand how these stars are actually the original RGB stars. Shouldn't you apply this mask to the original RGB image and then use this masked RGB image in pixelmath to copy the stars over ?

[@christopherdeaver5372]

Woau....cool

[@jordisoriano9021]

RGB and Ha are stretched or unstretched? thanks

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Stretched!

[@dazastronomy]

Would this method also work for galaxies like M31 or M33? Great tutorial, by the way!

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Yes it can work for galaxies. I create a mask from the Ha master and use that to strategically apply the Ha into the galaxy.

[@dazastronomy]

@@VisibledarkAstro thanks Shawn! That's basically what I did on my M33 image yesterday and it turned out great. Much appreciated!

[@salvosemilia3970]

Ciao. Prima di tutto scusami se non sto scrivendo nella tua l lingua. Volevo farti una domanda. Sia l'immagine in RGB che l'immagine in H-alpha, le facciamo diventare non lineari? Quindi le portiamo fino allo stretch finale, è corretto?

[@johnadastra1754]

Shawn: Part 2. Your link does not give me a process icon, but the exe file for installing the Wave Browser. ??

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Hi John - should be ok now. I just checked it. You may have been looking at a Google ad for Wave browser. Adsense was automatically placing ads on the download page. I removed the ads. Try again!

[@johnadastra1754]

@@VisibledarkAstro Thanks Shawn! I got it now. All good!

[@Thunder_Dome45]

Is this the same process as the NBRGBcombination script? Just wondering because I processed a hubble image and Ha channel comes out very strong over the RGB using that script in the scripts menu. Edit: I answered the question already. It works better than the script. I used it on the Antennae Galaxies core from Hubble. I hope it works on my own galaxies.

[@VisibledarkAstro]

Yes it is a bit different than the NBRGB script. This is another method which might be useful. Always good to have options when processing! Cheers.