SIRIL 0.99.8.1 - Latest stacking and image editing program

SIRIL 0.99.8.1:

Free alternative to DSS (DeepSky Stacker) and Fitswork: Currently still in the testing phase!!

Here are my beginner experiences and a brief introduction to the Siril stacking program:

Experiences:
Siril not only perfectly combines the stacking steps from DSS, but also the stretching that many users subsequently perform with Fitwork.

Furthermore, it offers some very useful features such as photometric color calibration, ASINH stretching, and green noise removal. With these three components and the script-based, fully automatic stacking process, Siril is, in my opinion, the program that not only easily rivals DSS and Fitswork, but in some aspects even surpasses them.

Try it out for yourself; I'm completely convinced. Check out some before-and-after photos below.

Quick setup: Download at: https://siril.org/ available for Windows, Apple, and Linux.

Create a directory (preferably on your desktop): e.g., Siril Data

This directory must contain the empty folders Lights, Darks, Flats, and Biases (pay attention to the spelling).

Copy all the data for a DSO into these directories. Keep them separate, of course!

In Siril, there's a button called Scripts; this is where the stacking process runs.

There are pre-configured processes, and some you can (and should) download from Siril.org. You can find more information on the website.

Depending on the type of deep-sky photography you're doing (monochrome or color camera, with or without darks, flats, and biases), you can select the appropriate option. Once all the above points are met, start your respective stacking and development process using the appropriate script.

Finally, the processed image must be loaded via Open (place the path in the Siril directory).

I'll only briefly touch on the next steps, as there's a very good and comprehensive tutorial on YouTube from Astrophotocologne – Frank Sackenheim has posted a very detailed workflow for this program. Many thanks to Frank Sackenheim for his tireless work in the field of astrophotography.

In brief: For further details, please refer to the video mentioned above.

Photometric color calibration (in RGB and Autostretch modes)
Background extraction (either manually or automatically)
Green noise removal (in RGB mode)
Increase color saturation (keep the background checked)
Asymmetry transformation (switch between Solo color channel and Linear modes)
Histogram transformation (automatic or manual)

That's just a brief overview; as mentioned, more information and details can be found in the YouTube video from Astrophotocologne and on the Siril.org website.


Procession in brief. Before and after pictures: (This mainly focuses on color calibration) These aren't high-end images, as I've only been photographing deep-sky objects since 2018, but I hope they'll encourage other beginners not to give up after their first few unsuccessful attempts.

My motto: Be passionate and persistent, and see setbacks as motivation. 😊

As I said, these aren't professional photos, but beginners shouldn't be intimidated by professional images anyway.

That just leads to comparing apples and oranges (different equipment, different local conditions, and different levels of experience, etc.).

I wish everyone the best of luck with their deep-sky photography and development, and I'll conclude with this: Every photo I've taken is like a Van Gogh, Picasso, or Renoir—a unique, personal work of art, virtually one of a kind in the world.

Best regards from the Harz Mountains
Axel