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1

WBPP

1.2
WBPP: An Introduction

This video introduces WBPP with respect to this definitive series on the subject.  

1.3
WBPP: Calibration of Astronomical Images MUST SEE!

Originally Published in 2021- this video is an overview of astronomical image calibration (via WBPP)  and still good today (06/28/2023).    

1.4
WBPP: Flat Darks and Dark Frame Optimization MUST SEE!

Originally Published in 2021- this video is an overview of astronomical image calibration and still good today (06/28/2022). Dark Frame Optimization example and all about…

1.6
WBPP: A Brief Tour : Master File Creation

Published 06/25/2022 In this section, we discuss master file creation.  

1.7
WBPP : Brief Tour : Calibration Panel

<p>In this section, we discuss calibration panel.</p> n<p>&nbsp;</p> n<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/WBPP_general_poster.jpg" alt="" width="1067" height="600" /></p>

1.8
WBPP : Brief Tour : Post Calibration Tasks

<p>In this section, we discuss post calibration tasks.</p> n<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/WBPP_general_poster.jpg" alt="" width="1067" height="600" /></p>

1.9
WBPP: Managing Master Files in WBPP

Published 06/25/2022 In this section, we discuss master files in WBPP.

1.10
WBPP: Cosmetic Correction

PATREON Published 2024-08-13 This is a 2024 update on the use of Cosmetic Correction within WBPP (and ImageCalibration). Please also watch the older video below…

1.11
WBPP: CMOS OSC Configuration example (with Flat Darks)

Published 06/27/2022 In this section, we discuss CMOS configuration example.  

1.12
WBPP : CMOS OSC Configuration with Biases

<p>In this section, we discuss CMOS OSC configuration with biases.</p> n<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/WBPP_general_poster.jpg" alt="" width="1067" height="600" /></p>

1.13
WBPP: Mono LRGB Configuration with Interactive LN (2 parts)

Published 06/29/2022 Here is the demonstration for setting up a monochrome LRGB configuration in WBPP and the usage of the interactive Local Normalization feature (Part…

1.15
WBPP: Grouping with Custom Keywords

<p>In this section, we discuss grouping with custom keywords.</p> n<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/WBPP_general_poster.jpg" alt="" width="1067" height="600" /></p>

1.16
WBPP: Grouping for Multiple Nights Demonstration

Published 06/27/2022 In this section, we show grouping for multiple nights demonstration.      

1.17
WBPP: Grouping for Multiple Nights and Mosaic Configuration

Published 06/27/2022 On forums and other places it is asked time and time again… How do you combine images taken across multiple nights? This section…

1.19
WBPP: Long File/Path Names YouTube Video

  This video shows how to adjust settings in windows to permit long file names and paths. If you see the warning concerning this, it…

1.20
WBPP : Output files and caching

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/WBPP_general_poster.jpg" alt="" width="1067" height="600" /></p>

1.21
WBPP : Pipeline processing container

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/WBPP_general_poster.jpg" alt="" width="1067" height="600" /></p>

2

Gradient Correction

2.1
MultiScale Gradient Correction Usage

Published 2024-12-31   This video highlights the basic steps to using the Multiscale Gradient Correction process (where there is currently reference data in MARS). Subsequent…

2.2
MGC Full Explanation Part 1

Published 2024-12-31   This video looks at parameters and demonstrates what they do in order to optimize the gradient model that is subtracted from images…

2.3
MGC Full Explanation/Demo Part 2

Published 2024-12-31 This video follows Part 1 on the explanation of the MultiScale Gradient Correction Process. M27 is used as an example where the object…

2.4
MGC Narrowband and Dual Band

Published 2024-12-31  

2.5
DBE Explanation of Parameters and Setup

This is a members-only video found in PixInsight: Fundamentals: DBE: Section 01.  

2.6
DBE Where to Click with Nebulosity Everywhere?

Published 2023-12-20   I have addressed the question of where to click on images when placing samples using DBE in a number of workflow videos.…

2.7
DBE 2022 Update

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/dbe.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p>

2.8
DBE Usage

This is a members-only video found in PixInsight: Fundamentals: DBE: Section 02.

2.9
AutoDBE Script

Published 2024-07-01  

2.10
DBE Techniques (Use of Symmetries)

This is a members-only video found in PixInsight: Fundamentals: DBE: Section 03.  

2.11
DBE Using Symmetries First (example M45)

Published 03/21/2020   This lesson demonstrates the method of using symmetries first to deal with modeling the background with DBE. This can often simplify gradients…

2.12
DBE Removing Fine Scale Structures

This is a members-only video found in PixInsight: Fundamentals: DBE: Section 04.  

2.13
DBE Very Cool Example!

Published 03/14/2021   Here is a perfect example that shows how DBE works in detail with samples… and you can “hijack” the behavior for your…

2.14
Starless DBE Trick (YouTube)

This lesson comes from a YouTube video I published a while ago. Go to the middle of the video to see the demonstration.  The basic…

2.15
DBE Common Misattribution

Published 2022-12-20   DBE is often “blamed” for a number of issues. The general theme is that the image looks “good” before it is calibrated…

2.16
ABE (Alternative/Auto)

This is a members-only video found in PixInsight: Fundamentals: DBE: Section 05.  

3

Alignment

3.1
Star Alignment

<p>Star Alignment in PixInsight is the main process used for image registration. Under the hood there is a good deal of complexity- however in terms of usage the default settings usually work making this step of image processing one of the simplest to perform. Thus this section highlights important concepts such as geometric transformations and interpolation methods which are important for image registration and other areas of image processing.&nbsp;</p> n<p>&nbsp;</p> n<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/__Fundamentals.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p>

3.2
Dynamic Alignment

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/m1-2012-reg-registered-to-m1-2021-final-crop-copy_orig.jpg" width="849" height="900" caption="false" /></p>

3.3
DSLR/OSC StarAlignment Problem and Solution

Published 04/08/2020   It is possible to have StarAlignment “succeed” in the alignment process with OSC/DSLR images- and yet the images will not be aligned!…

3.4
AlignByCoordinates (Script)

Published 2025-03-12   This video demonstrates how to align images of vastly different image scales. Although StarAlignment can do this job- it is not the…

4

Color Calibration/Correction

4.1
Plate scale

Published 2024-01-24    This video explains what the plate scale of an image is, lists some important examples and demonstrates three calculations using a simple…

4.2
SPCC Color Calibration

Published 2025-03-05  This video demonstrates how to use SPCC-  high-precision color calibration process found only in PixInsight. Please also watch the videos below for more…

4.3
SPCC the Process (Really how it works!)

Published 12/02/2022   This is the Fundamental explanation of how SPCC works. No other instructor… not even the developers of PixInsight, have a more organized…

4.4
SPCC Background Neutralization

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/SPCC_Background_MDev_poster.jpg" alt="" width="544" height="568" /></p>

4.5
SPCC Not Enough Samples Error

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/__Fundamentals.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p>

4.6
SPCC Not Enough Samples Error Another Example

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/__Fundamentals.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p>

4.7
Color Calibration Part 1

  This is a members-only video protected by copyright (Clear Skies Astronomy LLC).

4.8
Color Calibration Part 2

This is a members-only video protected by copyright (Clear Skies Astronomy LLC).

5

Image Stacking, Rejection, Normalization and Weighting

5.1
Summary Fluctuations (Image Integration)

Published 2025-03-09   This is a summary video that explains the lessons that follow concerning measurement fluctuations and stacking images. The videos are long enough…

5.2
Image Integration Primer: Fluctuations

Published 02/23/2019   This video is a primer for concepts that wend their way throughout the PI Universe. Fluctuations of measurements and the very nature…

5.3
Image Integration Primer: Part 2

Published 02/24/2019   A continuing lesson on light and Poisson distributions. 

5.4
Image Integration Primer: Part 3

Published 02/27/2019   This lesson begins the introduction to the analysis of a set pf values by using the mean, median and a histogram.   

5.5
Image Integration Primer: Part 4

Published 02/27/2019   NOTE: The beginning of this video might seem like I am in the middle of something…LOL. In the last video,  I increased…

5.6
Image Integration Part 1

Published 02/07/2023  This video gives a brief tour of ImageIntegration and touches on weights and normalization (Local Normalization).

5.7
Image Integration Part 2

Published 02/07/2023   In this video the conversation concerning Local Normalization and later Rejection in ImageIntegration is continued.    

5.8
Image Integration Part 3

Published 02/07/2023   This final section of ImageIntegration ties many of the interwoven areas ImageIntegration- especially in how it is implemented in WBPP.  

5.9
Image Integration: Improving Results (advanced demo)

Published 06/18/2019   In this lesson Adam demonstrates what to look for in your integrated results and how to potentially improve them by adjusting the…

5.10
Optimizing Rejection (avoiding artifacts)

Published 06-21-2023   This video is an extension of a talk I gave for the Astronomical League. At the end I demonstrate how to adjust…

5.11
Summary Normalization

Published 2025-03-10   This is a summary video that explains the lessons that follow concerning normalization and specifically Local Normalization. The videos are long enough…

5.12
Introduction (Normalization)

Published 07/17/2022   This is a general primer on Normalization and how it works to match target frames to reference frames. Subsequent videos go into…

5.13
Normalization Primer

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/c2022E3_STF_20230122weeblyPOSTER.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="914" /></p>

5.14
Local Normalization

Published 07/17/2022 In this section, we discuss local normalization.  

5.15
Local Normalization Comet Demo

<p><img src="//sh-cosmiccanvas.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Video_Posters/c2022E3_STF_20230122weeblyPOSTER.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="914" /></p>

5.16
Summary Image Weighting

Published 2025-03-10 This is a summary video that explains the lessons that follow concerning image weighting schemes and stacking images. The videos are long enough…

5.17
Through the Looking Gas (Intro to Weighting Schemes

This was a talk I gave at the Advanced Imaging Conference in May of 2022.  It introduces many concepts that are important in terms of…

5.18
Image Weighting in PixInsight Part 1

Published 05/26/2022  Part One below introduces the weighting methods available in PixInsight- and announces PSF Scale SNR (the analogue to Normalize Scale Gradient with regards…

5.19
Image Weighting in PixInsight Part 2

Published 05/26/2022  Many plots shows the different responses of the weighting methods based on a particularly useful data set. This analysis can be done with…

5.20
Image Weighting in PixInsight Part 3

Published 05/26/2022  Here we look at a different data set and see how things differ from the first. PI developers feel it is narrow-minded to…

5.21
Image Weighting in PixInsight Part 4

Published 5/26/2022  This section has the good stuff. Here we compare the results of the plot can compare PSF Signal Weight with PSF Scale SNR.…

6

Drizzle

6.1
Carina Nebula Download

Download wonderful Data on the Carina Nebula! You can use this data (optional) when watching the next lesson concerning drizzling.  

6.2
Drizzle Example (from Horizons)

  Published 04/09/2021   This lesson simply walks through using Drizzle on undersampled data. The data is also made available to for practice purposes (and…

6.3
Drizzle (from the Horizons collection)

  Published 04/09/2021   This lesson explains the basic idea behind drizzling undersampled images and then demonstrates a few examples. Subtle and neat to do!…

7

Manual Calibration

7.1
Introduction and Calibration Primer Part 1

Manual Calibration is in most cases synonymous with WBPP. Learn all about calibration in general and then compare and contrast the differences in the two…

7.2
Calibration Primer Part 2

This is part 2 of the Calibration primer that will set up an understanding of Manual Calibration and more.  This highlights optimization of Master Dark…

7.3
Manual Creation of Master Calibration Files

This section demonstrates the Manual process of creating master biases, darks, and flats.  

7.4
Compare Master Calibration Files with WBPP

Here is the first of two demonstrations showing that Manual processing and processing done by script are the same mathematically. However… the script is better…

7.5
Manual Calibration Light Frames

With the creation of the master biases, darks, and flats light frames can be calibrated and the simple production of an RGB image can unfold. …

7.6
Compare Manual results with WBPP

The Finale! This is an AdamBlockStudios exclusive demonstrating once and for all, there is no difference mathematically between the two methods of calibrating and combining…

7.7
CMOS/OSC Example with Darks for Flats

Published 05/01/2021   Please watch the previous sections first! This is a example that shows the variations.    This section, like the previous, demonstrates the…

7.8
Pedestals and Optimization

Published 05/03/2021   This section wraps up Manual Calibration by touching on the use of the pedestal option (referring to another video on it) and…

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Description

A foundational course for mastering calibration, gradient correction, and the core processing logic behind PixInsight.

This course offers a clear, structured approach to the essential stages of astrophotography image processing—designed for learners who want more than just steps to follow. Starting with an in-depth exploration of the Weighted Batch PreProcessing (WBPP) script and manual calibration workflows, you’ll gain a solid grasp of how your raw data becomes a clean, calibrated image.

The Image Integration and Normalization section goes beyond workflow—it’s designed to help you truly understand what’s happening behind the scenes. You’ll learn what fluctuations are, why you need many exposures, how statistical rejection and weighting schemes operate, and how those concepts directly inform PixInsight’s tools and parameters.

Through demonstrations and conceptual explanations, this course connects the why and how of image processing—giving you the context you need to make confident, intelligent processing choices.

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