Photons to Photos
PixInsight
Workshop Series

In Photons to Photos #33, Warren works on something special. Masters of PixInsight in partnership with SWOS — Stan Watson Observatory South. presents NGC 247 - The Needle's Eye Galaxy. This data set is from SWOS — taken under the pristine skies of the Chilean Andes using a 24” PlaneWave telescope and Moravian C5 camera. It’s a jaw-dropper.

In Photons to Photos #32 Ron will work up a three-filter data set made with his Sky-Watcher Esprit 120 and, a QHY168C camera, and Optolong filters, including the L-Synergy that passes sulfur and oxygen emissions. Using this filter with the Optolong L-eXtreme allows SHO imaging with a one-shot color camera.

Ron’s subject is the well-known Wizard Nebula. Ron collected this data in September 2025 from his home observatory.

In Photons to Photos #31, Warren will process an image of LDN 1622, a.k.a. the Bogeyman Nebula. MOPster Kevin Rasso captured this OSC data using a 90mm refractor at the Winter Star Party in February 2025.

In Photons to Photos #30 Ron will work up a data set made with his Celestron 14” EDGE HD and, a monchrome QHY600 camera, and Optolong RGBSHO filters. Ron’s subject is Sh2-101, the Tulip Nebula. Ron collected this data from his home observatory located about a 2 hour drive north of Buffalo, NY.

In Photons to Photos #29, Warren will process an image of NGC 7000, the North America Nebula, and NGC 5070, the Pelican Nebula. This one-shot color data was generously provided by our friend by Mike Griffin. He acquired it with an Askar FRA400 refractor and 0.7x reducer, and a ZWO ASI2600 MC camera. Two different filters were used to capture the image. This beautiful field is well-positioned for capture in summer and fall in the northern hemisphere.

In Photons to Photos #28 Ron will work up a data set made with two telescopes and two cameras: OSC with a 4" refractor, and monochrome Luminance and H-alpha with a 6” refractor. Ron’s subject is spiral galaxy M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy. Ron collected this data from his home observatory west of Toronto, Ontario.

In Photons to Photos #27, Warren will process an image of IC 405, the Flaming Star Nebula. This monochromatic HaLRGB data was generously provided by our friend by Mike Miller at Sierra Remote Observatories with a SV152 refractor.

In Photons to Photos #26 Ron processes the Question Mark Nebula (NGC 7822). He will work on an OSC set made with two filters: a UV/IR cut filter for broadband, and an Optolong L-Ultimate filter for narrowband.

In Photons to Photos #25, Warren will process an image of NGC 7023, the Iris Nebula. This monochromatic RGB data was generously provided by our friend Shawn Nielsen aka: Visible Dark. The Iris Nebula is well-positioned for imaging from mid-northern latitudes during autumn.

In Photons to Photos #24, Ron will work up more than 54 hours of monochrome data on the iconic Bubble Nebula, NGC 7635. This object is well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes during autumn and winter.

In Photons to Photos #23, Warren will process an image of M45, the famous Pleiades, also called the Seven Sisters. The one-shot color data was generously provided by our friend, Kenny Lewis. The Pleiades is well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes during late summer and early autumn.

In Photons to Photos #22, Ron will work up 29 hours of monochrome Ha and RGB data on the beautiful Cocoon Nebula, IC 5146. The Cocoon is well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes during late summer and early autumn.

In Photons to Photos #21, Warren will process an image of M20, the famous Trifid Nebula, using monochrome LRGB data generously provided by our sponsor, Telescope Live. The Trifid Nebula is well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes during late summer and early autumn.

In Photons to Photos #20, Ron will work up some monochrome Ha, O3 and RGB data on the iconic Ring Nebula (M57). It is well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes during summer and early autumn. Ron collected this data from his home observatory, the Doghouse, using a Celestron C14 and QHY600M camera with Optolong filters.

In Photons to Photos #19, Warren will work up Narrowband data on the Dolphin Head Nebula. The image data was acquired by our partners at Telescope Live. This target is well placed for imaging from southern-latitudes from November through April.

In Photons to Photos #18, Ron will work up some monochrome Ha and RGB data on a beautiful, nebula-filled field in Auriga that is well suited to shorter focal lengths. IC 410 includes the famous “Tadpoles” and Flaming Star nebula. In January it is well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes. Ron collected this data from his home observatory, the Doghouse.

In Photons to Photos #17, Ron will work up one-shot colour data on the Heart and Soul nebulae. The image ws acquired using the new Optolong L-Quad Enhance filter. This wide-field target is currently well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes.

In Photons to Photos #16, Warren will work up some monochrome narrowband data on a beautiful, large nebula that is well suited to shorter focal lengths. IC 1396 contains the Elephant Trunk Nebula and many other features, and is currently well placed for imaging from mid-northern latitudes. This data was collected by our Supernova Sponsor, Telescope Live.

In Photons to Photos #15, Ron will work up an OSC data on the amazing Andromeda Galaxy, M31. This Galaxy is well placed for imaging in the northern hemisphere in late summer and fall.

Photons to Photos #14
In Photons to Photos #14, Warren will work up some monochrome data on the most glorious globular cluster in either hemisphere, omega Centauri. This data was collected by our Supernova Sponsor, Telescope Live.

In Photons to Photos #13, Ron will combine data from two different cameras and telescopes to produce a detailed deep-sky portrait that you'd be proud to hang on your wall. His subject is the Black Eye Galaxy, M64, which is well placed for imaging in early spring.

In Photons to Photos #12, It’s Galaxy Season again! We’ll peek over Warren’s shoulder as he processes an OSC version of the Leo Triplet, from linear RGB master to finished photo.

In Photons to Photos #11, Ron will combine data from two different cameras and telescopes to produce a detailed deep-sky portrait of M45, The Pleiades, that you'd be proud to hang on your wall.

In the next Photons to Photos session, we’ll watch over Warren’s shoulder while he processes a medium resolution, monochromatic version of the iconic Orion Nebula, M42. This beautiful, multicolored nebula is relatively easy to process because of its strong signal, but can present challenges due to its high dynamic range.

In Photons to Photos #9, you'll get a “twofer” as Ron and Warren will work as a team to process a narrowband data set of eta-Carinae from scratch.

M101 lies off the handle of the Big Dipper. This beautiful grand-design spiral galaxy is well placed in the northern sky all night long in late spring and early summer. In this workshop Ron will blend luminance- and Ha-filtered masters from his mono camera and 6” scope with one-shot color data from his 4” refractor to capture the essence of this object. This workshop will include demos of some recent enhancements to PI and the latest add-ons, including NoiseXterminator.

M13 is arguably the finest globular cluster in the northern hemisphere, and is well placed for imaging in the late spring and early summer. In Photons to Photos #7 you can watch over Warren's shoulder as he processes a One-Shot Color image of the Hercules cluster from start to finish.

In Photons to Photos #6, you'll look over Ron's shoulder while he processes a monochrome LRGB data set from scratch. The subjects are two iconic springtime galaxies that are well-placed for northern imagers in March and April: the Whale and the Hockey Stick. Ron will start with monochrome L, R, G and B masters and finish with a JPEG that's ready to share on the web.

Warren will work his magic on a monochromatic LRGB set of the Horsehead and Flame nebulae, taking it through linear and non-linear processing, finishing with a JPEG he’d be proud to share online or with friends.

Ron will combine luminance from a mono camera with one-shot color data from a separate telescope to make a beautiful deep-sky portrait of M33.

Warren will work his magic on an image of the Corona nebula captured with a One-Shot Color (OSC) camera, taking it through linear and non-linear processing, ending with a JPEG he’d be proud to share online or with friends.

This time out we'll see Ron work his magic on a One Shot Color data set, taking it through linear and non-linear processing, ending with a jpg he’d be proud to share with friends or online.

Watch Warren work his magic on a set of monochrome LRGB masters, taking it through linear and non-linear processing, ending with a jpg he’d be proud to share with friends or online.