Astrophoto guides

The final processed image of the Monkey Head Nebula in Orion reveals its rich colours. Credit: Sara Wager

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Create Hubble Palette astro images with Astro Pixel Processor

How to use PixInsight to enhance the brightness of a galaxy image without affecting the stars. Credit: Steve Richards

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Use PixInsight to enhance a galaxy's brightness without affecting stars

Like Jupiter, Saturn’s atmosphere shows numerous belts and zones. Recording variations in their intensity and colour will make valuable contributions to science. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Astrophoto guides

Imaging for science How to photograph Saturn

The Grace of Venus © Martin Lewis

Astrophoto guides

Imaging for science How to photograph Mercury and Venus

Processing raw space mission data

Astrophoto guides

How to process images from raw space mission data

The final Jupiter image after further brightness and colour balance correction. Credit: Martin Lewis

Astrophoto guides

Image processing How to remove the effects of twilight from your planetary astrophotos

How to take nightscape photography. Credit: Serge Brunier, TWAN

Astrophoto guides

How to take nightscape photographs

The final shot of M33, stacked from 13 two-minute exposures, after post-processing. Credit: Dave Eagle

Astrophoto guides

Image processing How to use DeepSkyStacker for astrophotography

The final edited image of the solar prominence is altogether cleaner, sharper and shows more fine detail. Credit: Mary McIntyre

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Using Focus Magic to sharpen solar images

A focal length of 1,000mm (or above) is needed to define Mercury against the Sun’s disc. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Astrophoto guides

How to photograph the transit of Mercury

Globular clusters don’t suffer so much from lunar glare; all data for this image of M56 was captured during a full Moon. Credit: Sara Wager

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Astrophotography during a full Moon

With traditional monochrome RGB imaging you have about three minutes to take videos for all three colours, which just gives time for one red image (left); the WinJupos Image Derotate facility increases that time period. The combined image on the right was made from four red videos captured over a 15-minute period and gives a much smoother and more detailed result. Credit: Martin Lewis

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Use WinJupos to derotate your planetary images

Controlling colour with white balance. Credit: Ian Evenden

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Controlling colour in astrophotos with white balance

Our final image. After passing the RAW file through Adobe Lightroom and adjusting highlights, shadows and saturation, the image has considerably more definition and punch. Credit: Ian Evenden

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Why should you shoot astrophotos in RAW?

Gary's final, wavelet-processed shot of the Sun possesses a great deal more detail and contrast than the starting image, shown below. Credit: Gary Palmer

Astrophoto guides

Image processing Using wavelets in RegiStax