Amateur astrophotography has gained popularity in recent years due to advancements in technology. Anyone can capture stunning night sky images with the right equipment and software–interestingly a lot of the software is free. Several software programs are available to amateur astrophotographers that aid in capturing, stacking and processing images. Some popular programs include PHD2, DeepSkyStacker, Astro Photography Tool (APT), and PIPP. Below we list commonly used software programs and their features to help you choose the best one for your needs.
- RegiStax: A powerful image processing software that helps align and stack multiple images of the night sky to produce a high-quality final result.
- PixInsight: A professional-grade image processing software used by amateur and professional astrophotographers. It provides tools for image calibration, noise reduction, color correction, and sharpening, among other features.
- Astro Pixel Processor: Amateur and professional astrophotographers use a popular image processing software. It provides a range of tools for image calibration, stacking, noise reduction, and color correction, and it is known for its powerful algorithms and ease of use.
- SharpCap: A user-friendly software for capturing and processing images of the night sky, with features like live stacking, auto-guiding, and camera control.
- Sequence Generator Pro: A software tool for automated image capture and processing, making it easier for amateur astrophotographers to capture high-quality images.
- PIPP (Planetary Imaging PreProcessing Program): Software for amateur planetary photographers. It’s used to stack, align, crop, and process planetary images captured with a webcam, DSLR, or other similar devices. PIPP automatically detects the planet in an image sequence and crops the image to only include the planet, improving image quality and reducing noise. It can also apply stacking, denoising and other image enhancement techniques to create a final image with improved detail and clarity. PIPP’s user-friendly interface makes it accessible for amateur astronomers and offers various customization options for advanced users.
- PHD2 (Polar Alignment Software): Software is used by amateur astronomers to align their equatorial mount to the North celestial pole accurately. It helps to track objects in the night sky and keep them in the field of view during exposure. [Astrobackyard PHD2 Tutorial]
- DeepSkyStacker: A software used for stacking multiple images of deep-sky objects taken over a period of time. This stacking process combines the images to reduce noise and increase the overall signal-to-noise ratio, resulting in a clearer and more detailed image of the objects.
- Startools: A software suite that provides tools for image processing, including correction, enhancement, and stacking of astrophotography images. It is known for its easy-to-use interface and the ability to handle large amounts of data.
- Astrophotography Tool (APT): A comprehensive software suite for amateur astronomers that provides a wide range of tools for image capture, control, and processing. It includes features such as focus, plate solving, and image calibration.
- NINA (Nighttime Imaging Navigation Application): A comprehensive software solution designed specifically for amateur astrophotographers. It features a user-friendly interface and provides a range of tools, including an equipment database, imaging plans, and automated guiding and dithering. The software helps users capture sharp and detailed images of celestial objects, making it easier for amateur astronomers to achieve professional-quality results.
- Russell Croman Astrophotography: RC-Astro provides a suite of AI-powered tools for astrophotographers, including BlurXTerminator, a deconvolution module for PixInsight, and StarXTerminator, a plug-in for removing stars from astronomical photographs, both utilizing neural networks. Other tools include NoiseXTerminator, a noise reduction plug-in for astrophotography, and GradientXTerminator, a gradient removal tool for Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo. Additionally, there is StarShrink, a star-sharpening plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. These tools are designed to enhance and improve the quality of astronomical images, making it easier for astrophotographers to achieve their desired results.
- Sequator: A powerful software for stacking and processing deep-sky astronomical images. It features a user-friendly interface and advanced tools for noise reduction, color calibration, and stretching.
- Siril: An open-source software for astroimage processing. It features tools for calibration, stacking, aligning, and enhancing astronomical images, as well as support for various file formats and color spaces. Siril provides advanced features such as wavelets denoising, RGB composition, and support for image sequences.