The MoonshotMastery Academy
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SHELF IV · DEEP SKY

“I have hours of frames from a clear night and they all look grey and empty on the screen.”

Processing Astro Images: Calibrate, Stack and Stretch

From raw frames to a finished picture: calibrating and stacking, gradient removal, colour balance, careful stretching, noise reduction and star control, using free software first and showing where paid tools help.

The Orion Nebula glowing pink and blue in a field of stars

What you will be able to do

  1. Calibrate and stack a night’s data into one master image
  2. Remove gradients and balance colour without inventing detail
  3. Stretch and finish an image that looks natural and holds up close

Night log: the units

  1. UNIT 01 What is in a raw frame 6 lessons · 1 h 18 min
  2. UNIT 02 Calibration and stacking 8 lessons · 1 h 44 min
  3. UNIT 03 Gradients and background 7 lessons · 1 h 31 min
  4. UNIT 04 Colour calibration 6 lessons · 1 h 18 min
  5. UNIT 05 Stretching without breaking the image 8 lessons · 1 h 44 min
  6. UNIT 06 Noise, stars and the finishing touches 7 lessons · 1 h 31 min

What is included

  • The same data processed on screen from raw frames to the final image
  • Stacking with free software, explained setting by setting
  • Gradient removal for light-polluted skies
  • Stretching, colour and noise: what to push and when to stop
  • 18 months of streaming access

Who it suits

Anyone with raw astro frames, from a camera on a tracker to a dedicated astro camera.

Questions about this course

What do I need before I start?

A computer. Nothing has to be bought in advance: the course opens with what to choose and why.

How long will it take me?

There are 42 lessons, 9 h 6 min of video in all. At about 3 hours a week that is roughly 4 weeks, but the pace is yours: clear nights decide more than the calendar.

How long can I watch it, and is there a tutor?

You can stream every lesson for 18 months from when access starts. The lessons are recorded: there is no live tutor and no marking, and the videos cannot be downloaded.

Pairs well with