RegiStax

RegiStax is a free image processing software specifically designed for enhancing images of planets, moons, and sun taken by digital cameras and telescopes.

RegiStax was developed by Cor Berrevoets, a Dutch amateur astronomer and astrophotographer.

Yes, RegiStax can be downloaded and used for free from the official website.

RegiStax supports most common image file formats including BMP, FITS, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF. However, FITS is the preferred format for astronomical images.

Some of the main features of RegiStax include alignment and stacking of images, wavelet sharpening filter, color balance adjustment, noise reduction, and many more.

RegiStax uses a technique called "image registration" to align individual frames. It then stacks the aligned frames on top of each other to produce a clear and detailed final image.

Wavelet sharpening filter is a powerful tool in RegiStax that enhances the details in an image without introducing noise or artifacts. It is particularly useful in the context of astronomical imaging because it helps to reveal the fine details on planets and moons.

RegiStax has a user-friendly graphical interface but it does require some knowledge of astro-imaging techniques to use effectively. Cor Berrevoets provides a tutorial on the official website to help users get started.

RegiStax can work with any camera or telescope setup that can capture digital images. However, the quality of the final image depends on the quality of the captured frames, so higher quality equipment generally leads to better results.

RegiStax was specifically designed for astronomical images and is optimized for that purpose. However, it can be used for other types of images as well, although other software may be better suited for those tasks.