Create a Mosaic - Full Tutorial | ASIAir + PixInsight

In this double-feature I'll show my full process for creating a mosaic. We'll start in the ASIAir and use the Plan feature to determine the dimensions of the mosaic. Once the data has been captured, we'll bring it into PixInsight and create the final image. This will take a while, as we need to stack a series of panels together, correct any issues, and then blend the panels together.
If you'd like to learn more about astrophotography, be sure to check out the 2024 Edition of the Deep Space Course. This includes 80+ new videos that take you through the entire astro process, from upgrading your gear, planning out a shoot, capturing the data, and learning how to use the processing software. (We'll use both Photoshop and PixInsight for the best results).
www.peterzelinka.com/tutorials
00:00 - Intro
00:57 - Initial Setup
02:18 - Confirm Composition Looks Good
03:33 - Set Up the Plan
05:38 - Create Mosaic
08:20 - Determine Camera Settings
09:14 - Begin Plan
10:23 - Multi-Night Tips
12:05 - Video 2 - PixInsight: Create Mosaic
12:08 - Intro
12:38 - Prepare Images for Stacking
14:31 - Stack Photos in WBPP
19:08 - Inspect Auto-Crop Master
20:53 - Fix Stacked Photos
26:55 - MosaicByCoordinates
29:55 - GradientMergeMosaic (Optional)
34:11 - Photometric Mosaic
42:36 - Final Mosaic Inspection
45:55 - File Size Concerns
48:44 - Outro

[@billchiles7734]

Thanks for taking the time for this video Peter. After setting up your 1st panel in the ASI Air, click on the + icon next to the reset icon in the upper left of the window to copy your settings to remaining panels.

[@FXFlinn]

There is a way to replicate camera settings. At 8:25, instead of deleting the placeholder target, click on its Details, then click on plus sign in upper right. Click on ‘copy to subsequent’ and you will see that all the mosaic items are now configured.

[@keeslp4690]

This is an amazing guide. Thank you so much Peter!

[@FXFlinn]

At 11:00 you don’t need to move mosaic elements, just click on the check mark in the upper left of their panel, that will turn off the item.

[@petooskey]

Thanks for the video Peter, I was thinking about doing this with my ASIAir soon so this will be very helpful

[@cesarpixel5160]

Ive learned a lot in astrophoto, thanks to your Videos. This is another great one and thanks.👍🏾 For panel in ASIair, I second @Oamaruastro. We can click on the "+" icon in the shooting dialog within the shooting dialog. Should be able to copy the settings. Or when you see all the sequence in Plan mode (stars at 8m40sec in the video) enter the shooting settings (e.g. numer of exposure, repeat, gain, etc.) only in the 1st detail. DO NOT repeat the shooting settings in the other Panels. Once done with the 1st detail (1st shooting sequence) go back where you have all your Panels (1-1, 1-2, 1-3, ... 2-2, etc.) (Asiair Planning Menu seen at 8m25sec of your video). In the upper left corner, you have the back/exit icon to get out of the Planning Menu window. When you click on it (after completing just your 1st shooting sequence), ASIair should bring a dialogue box. The box will ask if you want to copy the settings to the rest of the sequence/panels. Click "yes/ok". Hope I was clear and Thanks Peter for contribution in astrophoto.👍🏾😊

[@GreenBeret10th]

What are your thoughts about processing each image in PI thru BXT, save each as a tiff, and use PT gui for the mosaic stitch, back to PI for BXT and SXT, then finish up in PS?

[@OzoneVibe]

Wow! 👍

[@victorialoh9921]

Is there anyway to somehow implement this mosaic feature in video mode? Trying to capture a whole moon with a small sensor has it's challenges!

[@Oamaruastro]

Nice video, thank you very much! Two things though-when setting up your shooting plan, I believe you can tap on the little “+” icon thing on the top right hand corner of the shooting dialogue in the ASIAIR to copy the plan to the future panels, so you don’t have to do it multiple times. Also, when processing the panels in Pixinsight, why not place all the files into separate sub-folders within the main folder with a name like “Panel 1-1”, “Panel 1-2” etc, and then in WBPP use “Panel” as the keyword and have Pixinsight process the data by keyword so you don’t have to go through the labourious process multiple times?

[@hank7055]

Absolutely the best way to do this!

[@John_Hudson_922]

kinda surprised you only have 32gb of ram, i have 64 and pixinsight uses all of it. But great video either way!

[@nikaxstrophotography]

So much easier in Astropixel processor

[@메드포스타MadForStar]

Hi, I'm also a pixinsight user, but I have one question to you. I actually took the timlapse of the milky way and when I try to stack, it keeps saying SPCC failed (Visible Dark) and when I try to fix it, it doesn't work. Is there something wrong with my photos? I actually cannot understand why SPCC failing. 😢