ABSTRACT
Pre-processing consists of four main steps: selection, calibration, registration and integration. The PixInsight blink tool has a number of uses, including the ability to generate a movie file from separate images. The blink tool provides a data comparison for each image that has some diagnostic use correlating particular imaging conditions with poor performance. Sub frame selector tool is considerably more sophisticated and discriminating. It calculates useful image data to sort and identify rogue images. The master bias and dark files are generated using the ImageIntegration tool. This tool has many uses and it has a range of options that selectively apply to the task in hand. The master flat frames are treated differently, to account for the fact that each flat subframe has bias and dark noise in it. The master dark frame will have a different exposure to the flat's and check the optimize option to ensure it is appropriately scaled to optimize the signal to noise ratio.
