How to add Ha to your galaxy images using PixInsight

In this video I show a novel approach to adding Ha data to your galaxy images via PixInsight, to really make any Ha regions pop. I learned of this method via James Lambs fantastic channel, there is a link to the video below. I also use the GHS process to stretch my images, I have provided a link to a brilliant GHS below by the creators.
James Lambs Video on Ha - • Adding Ha to Red or Lu...
GHS Video on Astro Imaging Channel - • 2022-05-29 | David Pay...
00:00 - Intro
1:22 - First look at the data
2:42 - Fully processed RGB image (no Ha)
3:30 - Splitting the RGB channels
3:50 - Creating the new Ha version
6:27 - Creating the new Red version
9:25 - Create the new RGB image (Ha included)
10:09 - Image Solver and SPCC
12:30 - Using GHS to stretch the image
14:56 - Noise reduction with NoiseXTerminator
15:05 - Final Tweaks
15:25 - image Comparison
16:50 - Outro
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[@ChucksAstrophotography]

Excellent tutorial!

[@PaulymanAstro]

Wow! Thanks for the complement Chuck, love your work!

[@ApoorvaIyer]

This is absolutely fantastic. I spent an hour copying PixelMath expressions that I barely understood off CN. Thank you for walking through the logic behind WHY the math is the way it is. Subscribed!

[@PaulymanAstro]

Glad it helped. I am always mindful of the fine line between making things easy to follow while maintaining enough detail to explain the why, I don’t always succeed in finding that line so it is nice to hear I did this time.

[@heavyjohnny]

Stepping into galaxy season and having purchased some new 3nm filters. I have been looking for a tutorial on how to incorporate them into my LRGB workflow. As always you make it clear, concise and most importantly easy to follow. Thanks again Pauly!

[@PaulymanAstro]

Thanks mate! Glad to help, I’m jealous of the 3nm filters.

[@raphglc7521]

Good job bookmark it thxs.

[@gurjot3000]

Artifacts from BlurX may be due to incorrect parameters, i always use manual psf based on the actual psf measured by pixinsight using various tools eg the script image analaysis, this gives amazing results.

[@PaulymanAstro]

Yes that’s how I tend to use it now as well.

[@RigoFromSpain]

Glad your back, but i understand a one year old need to know a lot about stars 😀

[@PaulymanAstro]

Even if she doesn’t think she does, she’s going to learn about them haha.

[@starsips]

Pauly man! Missed your videos

[@PaulymanAstro]

Thanks. 4 month old has taken priority for the last few months, starting to get back into a routine now. Looking forward to making more videos again.

[@starsips]

@@PaulymanAstro I completely understand that - my son has just turned 1 and all the months prior were spent consumed with the little bundle-of-joy! Wouldn't trade the time spent for anything

[@addos999]

Mr Lamb's method is pretty darn good, thanks for sharing! 'James from the DSO Imager channel' also has a great tutorial with a slightly different application. I actually used on it my Sculptor too a couple of months ago :) Interestingly, gave it another quick go after seeing the pixinsight tutorial they released recently and I actually got a better result with their method - just rgb*.5+Ha*.5 then running SPCC over it again. Would recommend giving that a try too!

[@PaulymanAstro]

Thanks. I’ll have to check that one out.

[@yourfavoriteastronerd]

Hey Pauly! I am enjoying your videos a lot. Learning! Good production and audio. Do you have like Pixelmath formulas to share? I am not quite there with Pixelmath. Thanks! Diana

[@PaulymanAstro]

Thanks a lot. I am currently redesigning my website and will be putting up blog posts to complement my videos. It’s likely PixelMath expressions will appear in those blog posts. I’m hoping by the end of the month I couple of posts should be up.

[@Bart_noplease]

Hello Paul, I use OSC (294MC Pro) do you think I can use this process to add L-Extreme frames to my Andromeda taken with L-Pro? If yes, do I stack L-Pro first and have RGB image, and then stack L-Extreme and have it as Ha? Sorry if that is a stupid question and this is not the way to do this.

[@PaulymanAstro]

You could definitely try that, yes you would stack each individually. If you took the red channel from L-Extreme that would make a decent Ha image I’m sure.

[@xsplendor8075]

Can I add OIII the same way into a Galaxy? There's like no tutorial on youtube about that. And if yes I assume to Add O3 on the blue and the green channel? What do you think?

[@PaulymanAstro]

So sorry about the delayed response. Yes you could. I found this wonderful post through the amazing Roman Pearah on the Facebook PixInsight for Beginners group. It isn’t his post but he is highly knowledgeable and always comes through with quality information. www.nightphotons.com/guides/advanced-narrowband-combination?fbclid=IwAR3Zn--VPlDFxA5lmwmwPV8dURB5lklsFrbjK60uMfB74csd1ilBFnAvvA8_aem_AZQOx2RkU6mrsyZneDuc8pSyH4CKbdmwHsNYCmTj3C4-eUso8l7j3hQ3-zMysXmxI1c