Astro dso doc

Astro DSO Documentation Generator

Generates five deliverables for a deep-sky object (DSO) astrophotography project:

1. project.json — a flat JSON file containing the PixInsight project description data (copy the description field value into the Description box of .xosm)
2. doc/index.html — a rich, self-contained HTML documentation page (path goes into the Documentation field of .xosm), using the Catppuccin flavor palette with a theme switcher.
3. doc/processing-checklist.html — an interactive step-by-step PixInsight processing checklist adapted to the target's filter set (LRGB, HOO, SHO, RGB-only, etc.), using the same Catppuccin design system.
4. astrobin.json — a structured JSON file containing all AstroBin image post fields, ready to copy-paste into the AstroBin upload form.
5. Process Icons - <common_name> - <workflow_type> workflow.xpsm — a PixInsight process icon set tailored to the detected workflow (LRGB, RGB, HOO, SHO), generated from the processing checklist phases.

---

Workflow

Step 1 — Identify the Target

Extract the DSO name/catalog number from the user's message. If ambiguous or missing, ask for it before proceeding.

Common catalog prefixes: NGC, IC, M (Messier), Sh2 (Sharpless), B (Barnard), vdB, LBN, LDN, Ced, RCW.

---

Step 2 — Collect Acquisition Data (interactive)

Ask the user the following questions one block at a time (don't dump all at once). Wait for answers before proceeding.

Block A — Instrument:

What instrument did you use?
  (e.g. telescope model, focal length, f-ratio, camera, built-in filter)

Block B — Site:

Where did you image from?
  (location name, lat/lon if known, approximate altitude)

Block C — Session files:

Please provide the path to the folder or list of session files.
  (e.g. /path/to/sessions/ or paste filenames directly)

If the user gives a directory path, scan it with Bash:

ls -1 /path/to/sessions/ | grep -iE '\.(tiff?|fits?|xisf|cr2|nef|dng|raf|jpg|jpeg|png)$' | sort

Present the sorted list for confirmation before proceeding.

If the user pastes filenames directly, accept them as-is.

Block D — Optional extras (ask once, accept "skip" gracefully):

Any additional notes? (sky conditions, Bortle class, total integration time, etc.)

---

Step 3 — Research the DSO

Use web_search to gather comprehensive data. Run at least 3 searches in parallel or sequence:

1. {DSO name} {common name} astronomical data distance magnitude type constellation
2. {DSO name} star forming region physical properties HII nebula galaxy cluster
3. {DSO name} NASA Hubble ESA observations history discovery
4. (if nebula) {DSO name} astrophotography imaging narrowband dual-band filter tips

Collect:

• Coordinates (RA / Dec J2000)
• Distance (ly and parsecs)
• Apparent size (arcmin)
• Visual magnitude
• Physical diameter
• Object type (HII region, reflection nebula, galaxy, globular cluster, etc.)
• Discovery history (who, when, instrument)
• Physical structure and processes
• Notable stars or ionizing sources
• Observation/imaging notes
• Key references (NASA, ESA, SIMBAD, catalogues)
• All catalog designations (NGC, IC, Sh2, LBN, etc.)

---

Step 4 — Generate project.json

Build a flat JSON object (no nesting, no indentation) representing the PixInsight project description. Save it as ./project.json in the current working directory using Bash:

cat > ./project.json << 'EOF'
{"target":"NGC2174","common_name":"Monkey Head Nebula","constellation":"Orion","ra":"06h 09m 42s","dec":"+20° 30' 00\"","object_type":"H II Region","telescope":"Vaonis Vespera 1 (50mm f/4)","camera":"Sony IMX585 (built-in)","filter":"Dual-band built-in (Ha + OIII)","site":"Dark Sky Site","site_coords":"45.0N / 6.0E · ~900m","session_count":6,"sessions":["2026-03-19_19h04.tiff","2026-03-20_18h48.tiff","2026-03-23_20h43.tiff","2026-04-07_20h40.tiff","2026-04-08_19h19.tiff","2026-04-16_19h37.tiff"],"stacking":"Internal stacking by instrument","calibration":"Handled internally by the instrument","subs_integrated":"6 / 6","ref_alignment":"","ref_integration":"","notes":"","created":"2026-05-05","description":"TARGET       : NGC2174 – Monkey Head Nebula\nConstellation: Orion | RA 06h 09m 42s / Dec +20° 30' 00\"\n\n── EQUIPMENT ────────────────────────────────────────────\nTelescope    : Vaonis Vespera 1 (50mm f/4)\nCamera       : Sony IMX585 (built-in)\nFilter       : Dual-band built-in (Ha + OIII)\nSite         : Dark Sky Site (45.0N / 6.0E · ~900m)\n\n── SESSIONS ─────────────────────────────────────────────\n2026-03-19_19h04.tiff\n2026-03-20_18h48.tiff\n2026-03-23_20h43.tiff\n2026-04-07_20h40.tiff\n2026-04-08_19h19.tiff\n2026-04-16_19h37.tiff\n\nTotal        : 6 sessions | Internal stacking by instrument\nCalibration  : Handled internally by the instrument\n\n── INTEGRATION ──────────────────────────────────────────\nSubs integrated  : 6 / 6\nRef. alignment   :\nRef. integration :\n\n────────────────────────────────────────────────────────\nProject created  : 2026-05-05"}
EOF

JSON field rules:

• No indentation — the entire JSON must be a single line (minified)
• All string values use \n for newlines within the description field
• ref_alignment and ref_integration are always empty strings "" — the user fills them in PixInsight
• calibration: "Handled internally by the instrument" for smart telescopes; "Darks / Flats / Bias" otherwise
• sessions array: filenames sorted chronologically, no path prefix
• description field: the full plain-text block (same format as before, using \n escapes) ready to paste into PixInsight's Description box
• notes: empty string "" if user skipped Block D; otherwise the user's text

After writing the file, confirm the path to the user.

---

Step 5 — Generate the HTML Documentation Page

Read the full HTML template from references/documentation-template.html.

Fill in all the template placeholders using:

• Research data (Step 3)
• Acquisition data (Step 2)
• Session file list (Step 2C)

Create the doc/ directory if it does not exist, then save the output:

mkdir -p ./doc

Save the file as ./doc/index.html.

Tell the user the full path of the generated file, and remind them:

• Documentation field of the PixInsight project → path to doc/index.html
• Description field of the PixInsight project → copy the value of the description key from project.json

---

Step 5b — Generate the Processing Checklist

Read the full checklist template from references/processing-checklist-template.html.

5b.1 — Detect filter set

Before filling the template, determine the workflow mode from the filter field in project.json:

Filter value contains	Workflow mode	Active channels
Luminance + Red + Green + Blue	LRGB	L, R, G, B
Red + Green + Blue (no Lum)	RGB	R, G, B
Ha + OIII (no RGB)	HOO	Hα, OIII
Ha + OIII + SII	SHO	Hα, OIII, SII
Ha + RGB	HαRGB	Hα, R, G, B
Ha + OIII + RGB	HOO+RGB	Hα, OIII, R, G, B
Single filter only	Mono	That channel only

5b.2 — Parse per-channel exposure times

Parse the sessions array from project.json to extract per-channel totals.

Case A — sessions is an array of summary strings (e.g. "Luminance: 3h 00m (36 × 300s)"): Extract directly from the string content.

Case B — sessions is an array of filenames (e.g. CHI-1-CMOS_2023-07-26_NGC253_Blue_300s_ID374118_cal.fits): Count files per filter keyword (Blue, Green, Red, Luminance, Ha, Halpha, OIII, SII) and compute total exposure using the sub duration from the filename or from subs_integrated.

If per-channel data cannot be parsed, use — as the placeholder value.

5b.3 — Fill placeholders

Placeholder	Value
{{DSO_ID}}	target field from project.json (e.g. NGC 4594)
{{COMMON_NAME}}	common_name field
{{CONSTELLATION}}	constellation field
{{OBJECT_TYPE}}	object_type field, uppercased
{{CAMERA}}	camera field
{{INSTRUMENT}}	telescope field
{{FILTER}}	filter field
{{SITE}}	site field
{{TOTAL_EXPOSURE}}	total_exposure field (or computed from sessions)
{{TOTAL_SUBS}}	numeric portion of subs_integrated (e.g. 120)
{{LUM_TIME}}	parsed Luminance total, e.g. 3h 00m (36 × 300s)
{{RED_TIME}}	parsed Red total
{{GREEN_TIME}}	parsed Green total
{{BLUE_TIME}}	parsed Blue total
{{HA_TIME}}	parsed Hα total (omit row if channel absent)
{{OIII_TIME}}	parsed OIII total (omit row if channel absent)
{{SII_TIME}}	parsed SII total (omit row if channel absent)
{{GENERATED_DATE}}	today's date YYYY-MM-DD
{{AUTHOR}}	user name / location from Block B, or —
{{DSO_NOTES}}	user notes from Block D — remove entire section 11 if empty

Also replace all occurrences of {{DSO_ID}} inside id="step-*" attributes and the STORAGE_KEY constant with a slug version: spaces replaced by hyphens, lowercased (e.g. ngc-4594).

5b.4 — Adapt sections to workflow mode

Apply the following structural modifications based on the detected workflow mode:

LRGB workflow (default — correct order):

• Phase 02: Luminance linear (BXT + NXT only — no stretch)
• Phase 03: RGB linear (SPFC + CC + SPCC + BXT + NXT — no stretch)
• Phase 04: LRGBCombination on linear masters — combine L + RGB before any stretch
• Phase 05: Stretch the LRGB combined image + SCNR
• Phase 06: StarXterminator on stretched LRGB
• Phase 07: Starless LRGB processing (GHS, LHE, USM, SCC, NXT)
• Phase 08: Rescreen stars
• Phase 09: Finalization (Curves, ICC, Export)

RGB workflow (no Luminance):

• Remove section 04 entirely (Phase 02 — Luminance Processing)
• Remove section 09 entirely (Phase 07 — LRGB Integration)
• Update section numbers accordingly (03→03, 05→04, 06→05, 07→06, 08→07, 10→08, 11→09)
• Change all tag-lrgb tags to tag-rgb in finalization steps
• Update export filenames from {{DSO_ID}}_LRGB_final.* to {{DSO_ID}}_RGB_final.*
• Remove Luminance legend item

HOO / SHO narrowband workflow:

• Remove section 04 (Luminance linear) — keep section 09 if Luminance is present
• In section 05 (RGB linear): rename to "Narrowband Processing (Linear)"
  • Replace ChannelCombination step with: "PixelMath — HOO / SHO palette assembly"
  • Remove SPCC step; replace with: "BackgroundNeutralization + ColorCalibration"
  • Keep BlurXterminator, NoiseXterminator, stretch steps
  • Replace SCNR step with: "Correct magenta stars — CorrectMagentaStars script"
• Replace tag-rgb tags with tag-nb throughout narrowband phases
• Uncomment narrowband legend items (tag-ha, tag-oiii) in the legend section
• Uncomment narrowband data cells (Hα, OIII, SII) in section 01
• Update export filenames to {{DSO_ID}}_HOO_final.* or {{DSO_ID}}_SHO_final.*

HαRGB workflow:

• Keep full LRGB structure
• Add one step after ChannelCombination in section 05: "PixelMath — Integrate Hα into Red channel (HαRGB blend)"
• Uncomment Hα legend item and data cell
• Tag the new step with tag-ha and tag-rgb

Smart telescope / pre-stacked (single session file per filter, stacking = "Internal stacking by instrument"):

• Replace the entire Phase 01 (section 03) with a single step:

  Import pre-stacked masters
  Copy the stacked output files into the project folder.
  No WBPP run required — calibration and stacking handled by the instrument.
  

• Remove Blink Comparator steps

5b.5 — Save the file

cat > ./doc/processing-checklist.html << 'EOF'
[filled and adapted template content]
EOF

Tell the user:

• Processing Checklist → doc/processing-checklist.html

Checklist state (checked steps) persists across browser reloads via localStorage, keyed by DSO slug.

---

Step 5c — Generate astrobin.json

Build the AstroBin post fields JSON from all previously collected data (Steps 2, 3, 4).

5c.1 — Field mapping rules

AstroBin field	Source	Rules
title	common_name + target from project.json	Format: "Common Name (DSO_ID)" — e.g. "Sombrero Galaxy (NGC 4594)"
description	Research data (Step 3) + acquisition summary	3–5 sentences in English. Scientific summary + total integration + filter set. Plain text, no HTML.
link	Telescope.live dataset URL if applicable	See 5c.2 below
image_file	—	Always "" — user uploads the image manually
imaging_telescopes	telescope from project.json	Array of objects — see 5c.3
imaging_cameras	camera from project.json	Array of objects — see 5c.3
mounts	—	Empty array [] unless user provided mount info in Block A
filters	filter from project.json	Array of objects — one per channel — see 5c.4
software	Always PixInsight	Fixed value — see 5c.3
location	site + site_coords from project.json	Object — see 5c.3
acquisition_details	sessions array from project.json	Array of objects — one per filter channel — see 5c.5
first_acquisition_date	Earliest date parsed from sessions	YYYY-MM-DD format
last_acquisition_date	Latest date parsed from sessions	YYYY-MM-DD format
data_source	"OWN" or "AMATEUR_HOSTING"	"AMATEUR_HOSTING" if site contains "telescope.live", "itelescope", "lightbuckets", "slooh"; otherwise "OWN"
remote_source	Remote hosting label	"TELELIVE" if telescope.live; "ITELESCOPE" if iTelescope; "" otherwise
subject_type	Derived from object_type in project.json	See 5c.6

5c.2 — Dataset link (telescope.live)

If site or telescope contains "telescope.live" or "Telescope.live":

• Set link to "https://app.telescope.live/archive" as the default dataset URL.
• If the user provided a specific dataset URL in Block D, use it instead.
• Otherwise set link to "".

5c.3 — Equipment objects

imaging_telescopes — one object per telescope:

{
  "name": "Telescope.live Remote Observatory",
  "aperture": null,
  "focal_length": null,
  "type": "REFRACTOR"
}

Parse aperture (mm) and focal length (mm) from the telescope string if present (e.g. "50mm f/4" → aperture: 50, focal_length: 200). Type heuristics: contains "Newton" or "Newtonian" → "NEWTONIAN", "Cassegrain" or "SCT" → "SCT", "Refractor" or "APO" or "ED" or "f/" → "REFRACTOR", "Reflector" → "REFLECTOR", otherwise "OTHER".

imaging_cameras — one object:

{
  "name": "QHY 600M",
  "type": "CCD",
  "modified": false
}

Type: if camera name contains "IMX", "CMOS", "ASI", "QHY", "ZWO", "Atik Horizon" → "CCD" (AstroBin uses CCD for all dedicated astro cameras). modified always false unless user stated "modded" or "full spectrum".

software — always:

[{"name": "PixInsight", "version": ""}]

5c.4 — Filters array

Parse the filter field from project.json. Produce one object per distinct channel:

{
  "name": "Luminance",
  "type": "L",
  "bandwidth": null,
  "vendor": "",
  "model": ""
}

Filter type mapping:

Channel keyword	AstroBin type
Luminance, Lum, L	"L"
Red, R	"R"
Green, G	"G"
Blue, B	"B"
Hα, Ha, H-alpha	"Ha"
OIII, O3	"OIII"
SII, S2	"SII"
Dual-band, dual band	produce two objects: "Ha" + "OIII"
Tri-band, tri band	produce three objects: "Ha" + "OIII" + "SII"

If the filter string includes a bandwidth (e.g. "3nm", "6.5nm", "7 nm"), set bandwidth to the numeric value in nm. Extract vendor/model if present (e.g. "Antlia 3nm Ha" → vendor: "Antlia", model: "3nm Ha").

5c.5 — Acquisition details (DeepSky sessions)

Produce one object per filter channel. Parse per-channel data from the sessions array (same logic as Step 5b.2).

{
  "filter": "Luminance",
  "filter_type": "L",
  "number": 36,
  "duration": 300,
  "binning": 1,
  "gain": null,
  "sensor_cooling": null,
  "darks": null,
  "flats": null,
  "flat_darks": null,
  "bias": null,
  "bortle": null,
  "mean_sqm": null,
  "mean_fwhm": null,
  "temperature": null,
  "date": "YYYY-MM-DD"
}

Field rules:

• number — sub count for this filter channel
• duration — sub duration in seconds (parse from filename or session string, e.g. 300s, 300.00s)
• binning — always 1 unless user specified otherwise
• gain — parse from filename if present (e.g. _GAIN100_), otherwise null
• bortle — parse from Block D notes if user mentioned Bortle class, otherwise null
• date — use the first date found for this filter in the sessions array; format YYYY-MM-DD
• All other fields null unless explicitly provided by the user

5c.6 — Subject type mapping

object_type contains	AstroBin subject_type
Galaxy, Galaxies	"GALAXY"
Nebula, HII, H II, Emission	"NEBULA"
Cluster, Open cluster	"OPEN_CLUSTER"
Globular	"GLOBULAR_CLUSTER"
Planetary nebula	"PLANETARY_NEBULA"
Supernova remnant, SNR	"SUPERNOVA_REMNANT"
Solar system	"SOLAR_SYSTEM_BODY"
Other / unknown	"OTHER"

5c.7 — Save the file

Save as ./astrobin.json (pretty-printed, 2-space indent — unlike project.json this one is for human reading):

cat > ./astrobin.json << 'EOF'
{
  "title": "...",
  ...
}
EOF

Example output (M104, LRGB, Telescope.live):

{
  "title": "Sombrero Galaxy (NGC 4594)",
  "description": "The Sombrero Galaxy (NGC 4594) is a spectacular Sa/Sb spiral galaxy in Virgo, located approximately 28 million light-years away. Its iconic silhouette features a brilliant central bulge bisected by a prominent dust lane. Imaged in LRGB from the Telescope.live Chile remote observatory using a QHY 600M camera over 10 hours of total integration (36×300s Luminance, 27×300s Red, 29×300s Green, 28×300s Blue). Processed in PixInsight.",
  "link": "https://app.telescope.live/archive",
  "image_file": "",
  "imaging_telescopes": [
    {
      "name": "Telescope.live Remote Observatory",
      "aperture": null,
      "focal_length": null,
      "type": "REFRACTOR"
    }
  ],
  "imaging_cameras": [
    {
      "name": "QHY 600M",
      "type": "CCD",
      "modified": false
    }
  ],
  "mounts": [],
  "filters": [
    { "name": "Luminance", "type": "L", "bandwidth": null, "vendor": "", "model": "" },
    { "name": "Red",       "type": "R", "bandwidth": null, "vendor": "", "model": "" },
    { "name": "Green",     "type": "G", "bandwidth": null, "vendor": "", "model": "" },
    { "name": "Blue",      "type": "B", "bandwidth": null, "vendor": "", "model": "" }
  ],
  "software": [
    { "name": "PixInsight", "version": "" }
  ],
  "location": {
    "name": "Chile Remote Observatory",
    "coords": "Chile · Southern Hemisphere"
  },
  "subject_type": "GALAXY",
  "data_source": "AMATEUR_HOSTING",
  "remote_source": "TELELIVE",
  "first_acquisition_date": "2023-02-15",
  "last_acquisition_date": "2025-03-06",
  "acquisition_details": [
    {
      "filter": "Luminance", "filter_type": "L",
      "number": 36, "duration": 300, "binning": 1,
      "gain": null, "sensor_cooling": null,
      "darks": null, "flats": null, "flat_darks": null, "bias": null,
      "bortle": null, "mean_sqm": null, "mean_fwhm": null, "temperature": null,
      "date": "2023-02-15"
    },
    {
      "filter": "Red", "filter_type": "R",
      "number": 27, "duration": 300, "binning": 1,
      "gain": null, "sensor_cooling": null,
      "darks": null, "flats": null, "flat_darks": null, "bias": null,
      "bortle": null, "mean_sqm": null, "mean_fwhm": null, "temperature": null,
      "date": "2023-02-15"
    },
    {
      "filter": "Green", "filter_type": "G",
      "number": 29, "duration": 300, "binning": 1,
      "gain": null, "sensor_cooling": null,
      "darks": null, "flats": null, "flat_darks": null, "bias": null,
      "bortle": null, "mean_sqm": null, "mean_fwhm": null, "temperature": null,
      "date": "2023-02-15"
    },
    {
      "filter": "Blue", "filter_type": "B",
      "number": 28, "duration": 300, "binning": 1,
      "gain": null, "sensor_cooling": null,
      "darks": null, "flats": null, "flat_darks": null, "bias": null,
      "bortle": null, "mean_sqm": null, "mean_fwhm": null, "temperature": null,
      "date": "2023-02-15"
    }
  ]
}

Tell the user:

• AstroBin post fields → astrobin.json
• Fields imaging_telescopes, imaging_cameras, filters, acquisition_details map 1:1 to AstroBin's "Equipment" and "Acquisition" sections.
• image_file must be filled manually when uploading.

---

Step 5d — Generate Process Icons XPSM

Generate a PixInsight process icon set (.xpsm) tailored to the detected workflow mode (Step 5b.1) and the specific target.

5d.1 — Filename

Process Icons - <common_name> - <workflow_type> workflow.xpsm

• <common_name> → common_name from project.json, spaces preserved (e.g. Sombrero Galaxy)
• <workflow_type> → detected workflow mode, title-cased: LRGB, RGB, HOO, SHO, HaRGB

Example: Process Icons - Sombrero Galaxy - LRGB workflow.xpsm

Save to the current working directory (not inside doc/).

5d.2 — XPSM file structure

All XPSM files share this skeleton:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!--
  PixInsight XML Process Serialization Module - XPSM 1.0
  Generated: <GENERATED_DATE>
  Target: <DSO_ID> — <COMMON_NAME>
  Workflow: <WORKFLOW_TYPE>
-->
<xpsm version="1.0"
  xmlns="http://www.pixinsight.com/xpsm"
  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
  xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.pixinsight.com/xpsm http://pixinsight.com/xpsm/xpsm-1.0.xsd">

  [instance blocks]

  [icon blocks]

</xpsm>

Rules:

• Every <instance> block must have a unique id ending in _instance
• Every <icon> block references its instance via instance="<id>"
• xpos always 2000, ypos increments of 40 per icon from top
• workspace always "Workspace01"
• The <description> element on each instance must state the phase number, step number, and a one-line usage note

5d.3 — LRGB workflow icon set

Generate the following instances and icons in this exact order:

PHASE 02 — Luminance Linear (no stretch)

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
STF_AutoStretch	ScreenTransferFunction	4 rows, c0=0.01732, m=0.02099, c1=1.0; interaction=Grayscale	Visual check only — do NOT apply permanently
BXT_CorrectOnly_Lum	BlurXTerminator	correct_only=true, sharpen_stars=0.25, sharpen_nonstellar=0.90, auto_nonstellar_psf=true	First pass on Lum linear — PSF correction only
BXT_Full_Lum	BlurXTerminator	correct_only=false, sharpen_stars=0.25, sharpen_nonstellar=0.90, auto_nonstellar_psf=true	Second pass on Lum linear — full sharpening
NXT_Lum	NoiseXTerminator	denoise=0.70, enable_color_separation=false, iterations=2, detail=0.15	Mono channel — color separation OFF

PHASE 03 — RGB Linear (no stretch)

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
ChannelCombination	ChannelCombination	colorSpace=RGB, 3 rows enabled=true id=""	Assemble R+G+B linear masters
SPCC	SpectrophotometricColorCalibration	applyCalibration=true, catalogId=GaiaDR3SP, autoLimitMagnitude=true, neutralizeBackground=true	Color calibration — run ImageSolver first
BXT_CorrectOnly_RGB	BlurXTerminator	correct_only=true, sharpen_stars=0.25, sharpen_nonstellar=0.90	First pass on RGB linear
BXT_Full_RGB	BlurXTerminator	correct_only=false, sharpen_stars=0.25, sharpen_nonstellar=0.90	Second pass on RGB linear
NXT_RGB	NoiseXTerminator	denoise=0.70, enable_color_separation=true, denoise_color=0.90, iterations=2	Color channel — separation ON

PHASE 04 — LRGB Combination (linear)

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
LRGBCombination	LRGBCombination	clipHighlights=true, noiseReduction=false, layersRemoved=4, layersProtected=2, 4 channel rows enabled=true k=1.0 (first row k=0.5 for L), mL=0.500, mc=0.500	Apply on linear RGB — L must be monochrome (ConvertToGrayscale if needed). All weights = 1.0

PHASE 05 — Stretch LRGB

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
Stretch_LRGB	GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch	stretchType=ST_GeneralisedHyperbolic, stretchChannel=SC_RGB, stretchFactor=0.200, symmetryPoint=0.059964, highlightProtection=0.500	Stretch combined LRGB — after LRGBCombination
SCNR	SCNR	amount=1.00, protectionMethod=AverageNeutral, colorToRemove=Green, preserveLightness=true	Remove green cast after stretch

PHASE 06 — Star Separation

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
StarXTerminator	StarXTerminator	stars=true, unscreen=true, overlap=0.20	Separate stars and starless from stretched LRGB
Curves_Stars_Sat	CurvesTransformation	S channel: 3 rows (0→0, 0.5→0.58, 1→1); all other channels: identity 2 rows	Saturation boost on Stars-only image

PHASE 07 — Starless LRGB Processing

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
GHS_Starless	GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch	stretchType=ST_GeneralisedHyperbolic, stretchChannel=SC_RGB, stretchFactor=0.200, symmetryPoint=0.059964, highlightProtection=0.500	Pull faint structures — adjust HP and SP per target
LHE	LocalHistogramEqualization	radius=64, histogramBins=Bit12, slopeLimit=2.0, amount=0.500, circularKernel=true	Local contrast — conservative on LRGB
UnsharpMask	UnsharpMask	sigma=2.00, amount=0.40, useLuminance=true, linear=false, deringing=false	Moderate — Lum already provides sharpness
NXT_Starless	NoiseXTerminator	denoise=0.70, enable_color_separation=true, denoise_color=0.90, iterations=1, detail=0.15	2nd pass on starless — ~70% strength

PHASE 08 — Recombination

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
PixelMath_Rescreen	PixelMath	expression=~((~starless)*(~stars)), useSingleExpression=true, createNewImage=true, newImageColorSpace=RGB	Drag onto starless image — IDs must match open windows

PHASE 09 — Finalization

Icon ID	Class	Key parameters	Description
Curves_Final	CurvesTransformation	K channel: 4 rows (0→0, 0.25→0.22, 0.75→0.78, 1→1); L channel: 3 rows (0→0, 0.5→0.53, 1→1); S channel: 3 rows (0→0, 0.5→0.55, 1→1); all others identity	S-curve + midtone lift + saturation boost
ICCProfileTransformation	ICCProfileTransformation	targetProfile=sRGB IEC61966-2.1, toDefaultProfile=false, renderingIntent=RelativeColorimetric, useBlackPointCompensation=true	Last step before export

5d.4 — RGB workflow icon set

Same as LRGB but:

• Remove NXT_Lum, BXT_CorrectOnly_Lum, BXT_Full_Lum, STF_AutoStretch (Lum phase entirely absent)
• Remove LRGBCombination
• Add Stretch_RGB (same GHS parameters as Stretch_LRGB) immediately after NXT_RGB
• Renumber phases: Phase 02 → RGB linear, Phase 03 → Stretch RGB, Phase 04 → Star separation, etc.

5d.5 — HOO / SHO narrowband workflow icon set

Same base as RGB but:

• Replace ChannelCombination with PixelMath_HOO or PixelMath_SHO:

HOO PixelMath expression (3-channel: R=Ha, G=blend, B=OIII):

R: $T[0]*BrightnessControl
G: k= adev($T[0])/adev($T[1]); g1= ((k*OIIIBoost)*($T[1]-med($T[1]))+med($T[0])); iif(OIII_SCurve==0,g1,3*g1^2-2*g1^3)*BrightnessControl
B: k= adev($T[0])/adev($T[1]); b1= ((k*OIIIBoost)*($T[1]-med($T[1]))+med($T[0])); iif(OIII_SCurve==0,b1,3*b1^2-2*b1^3)*BrightnessControl
Symbols: OIIIBoost=1.0; HaBlend=0.6; BrightnessControl=1.0; OIII_SCurve=0; k,g1,b1

• Remove SPCC → replace with a SCNR at green (for magenta star correction after narrowband palette)
• Add CorrectMagentaStars note in description (Script-based, no XPSM instance available)

5d.6 — ypos layout

Icons are placed top-to-bottom in a single column at xpos=2000, starting at ypos=40, incrementing by 40 per icon. A gap of 80 (one empty slot) separates each phase boundary.

Phase	Start ypos
Phase 02	40
Phase 03	40 + (n_phase02 × 40) + 80
Phase 04	previous + (n_phase03 × 40) + 80
…	…

5d.7 — Save the file

cat > "Process Icons - <common_name> - <workflow_type> workflow.xpsm" << 'EOF'
[generated XPSM content]
EOF

Tell the user:

• Process Icons → Process Icons - <common_name> - <workflow_type> workflow.xpsm
• Import in PixInsight via File → Import Process Icons
• Icon descriptions include phase, step number, and usage reminders
• Image IDs in PixelMath_Rescreen (starless, stars) must match actual open window names in PixInsight

---

Step 6 — Copy Description to Clipboard

Run the following command to place the PixInsight description text directly into the clipboard:

cat project.json | jq -r '.description' | pbcopy

If the command succeeds (exit code 0), tell the user:

✓ Description copied to clipboard — paste it directly into the PixInsight project Description field.

If it fails (e.g. jq or pbcopy not found), show the fallback message:

⚠ Clipboard copy unavailable. Open project.json and copy the value of the description key manually.

---

Template Placeholders Reference

See references/documentation-template.html for the full annotated documentation template. See references/processing-checklist-template.html for the full annotated checklist template.

Documentation template (references/documentation-template.html)

Key placeholders:

• {{DSO_ID}} — e.g. NGC2174
• {{COMMON_NAME}} — e.g. Monkey Head Nebula
• {{RA}}, {{DEC}} — J2000 coordinates
• {{DISTANCE_LY}}, {{DISTANCE_PC}} — with uncertainty range if known
• {{APPARENT_SIZE}} — e.g. 40′ × 30′
• {{MAGNITUDE}} — visual magnitude
• {{PHYSICAL_DIAMETER}} — e.g. ~75 ly
• {{OBJECT_TYPE}} — e.g. H II Region
• {{CONSTELLATION}} — full name
• {{CATALOG_ROWS}} — <tr> rows for the catalog table
• {{SCIENTIFIC_DESCRIPTION}} — 3–5 <p> paragraphs
• {{KEY_STAR_BLOCK}} — filled if a dominant ionizing/notable star exists, else empty
• {{TIMELINE_ITEMS}} — <div class="timeline-item"> blocks for history
• {{PHYSICAL_STRUCTURE}} — 3–4 <p> paragraphs
• {{OBSERVATION_TIPS}} — <div class="tip-card"> blocks
• {{INSTRUMENT}}, {{FILTER}}, {{SITE}}, {{SITE_COORDS}} — acquisition fields
• {{SESSION_COUNT}} — integer
• {{SESSION_FILES}} — <span class="session-file">filename</span> per file
• {{REFERENCES_ROWS}} — <tr> rows for references table
• {{GENERATED_DATE}} — today's date YYYY-MM-DD
• {{AUTHOR_NOTES}} — optional free-text notes block (omit section if empty)

Checklist template (references/processing-checklist-template.html)

Key placeholders:

• {{DSO_ID}} — e.g. NGC 4594 (display) and ngc-4594 (slug for IDs and localStorage)
• {{COMMON_NAME}} — e.g. Sombrero Galaxy
• {{CONSTELLATION}} — full name
• {{OBJECT_TYPE}} — uppercased, e.g. SPIRAL GALAXY
• {{CAMERA}} — e.g. QHY 600M
• {{INSTRUMENT}} — e.g. Telescope.live Remote Observatory
• {{FILTER}} — e.g. LRGB
• {{SITE}} — e.g. Chile Remote Observatory
• {{TOTAL_EXPOSURE}} — e.g. 10h 00m
• {{TOTAL_SUBS}} — integer only, e.g. 120
• {{LUM_TIME}} — e.g. 3h 00m (36 × 300s)
• {{RED_TIME}}, {{GREEN_TIME}}, {{BLUE_TIME}} — per-channel exposure
• {{HA_TIME}}, {{OIII_TIME}}, {{SII_TIME}} — narrowband channels (omit if absent)
• {{GENERATED_DATE}} — YYYY-MM-DD
• {{AUTHOR}} — observer name / location
• {{DSO_NOTES}} — free-text processing notes (omit section 11 if empty)

AstroBin JSON (astrobin.json)

Key fields and their sources:

Field	Source
title	"{{COMMON_NAME}} ({{DSO_ID}})"
description	3–5 sentences from research + acquisition summary
link	"https://app.telescope.live/archive" if telescope.live, else ""
imaging_telescopes[].name	telescope from project.json
imaging_telescopes[].aperture	parsed from telescope string (mm) or null
imaging_telescopes[].focal_length	parsed from telescope string (mm) or null
imaging_telescopes[].type	heuristic from telescope string
imaging_cameras[].name	camera from project.json
imaging_cameras[].type	always "CCD" for dedicated astro cameras
filters[].type	mapped from filter channel name
filters[].bandwidth	parsed from filter string (nm) or null
software	always [{"name": "PixInsight", "version": ""}]
location.name	site from project.json
location.coords	site_coords from project.json
subject_type	mapped from object_type
data_source	"AMATEUR_HOSTING" or "OWN"
remote_source	"TELELIVE", "ITELESCOPE", or ""
first_acquisition_date	earliest date from sessions
last_acquisition_date	latest date from sessions
acquisition_details[].filter	channel name
acquisition_details[].number	sub count for that channel
acquisition_details[].duration	sub duration in seconds

Class	Color	Meaning
tag-lum	mauve	Luminance channel only
tag-rgb	blue	RGB channels
tag-ha	red	Hα channel
tag-oiii	sapphire	OIII channel
tag-nb	yellow	Generic narrowband
tag-lrgb	pink	LRGB combined step
tag-warn	peach	Target-specific warning
tag-tip	teal	Optional / tip

---

Quality Standards

project.json:

• Single-line minified JSON — no indentation, no pretty-printing
• description field contains the full plain-text PixInsight Description block with \n escapes
• ref_alignment and ref_integration always empty strings ""
• sessions array sorted chronologically
• All fields always present; use "" or 0 for missing optional values, never null

doc/index.html:

• doc/ directory created automatically if absent
• All 4 Catppuccin flavors wired up: Latte, Frappé, Macchiato (default), Mocha
• Theme preference persists via localStorage
• Fully self-contained — single HTML file, no external dependencies except Google Fonts
• Sections with no data omitted gracefully
• Session files in chronological order
• All scientific content from actual web searches — never fabricate measurements
• Uncertainty ranges cited when distance estimates vary between sources

doc/processing-checklist.html:

• doc/ directory created automatically if absent (same run as index.html)
• All 4 Catppuccin flavors wired up with the same theme switcher and localStorage key
• Checklist state (checked / unchecked steps) persists via localStorage keyed by DSO slug
• Workflow mode (LRGB / RGB / HOO / SHO / HαRGB) correctly detected and applied
• Unused filter channels removed from data grid and legend
• Section numbers resequenced after any section removal
• Export filenames match the detected workflow mode
• All {{DSO_ID}} occurrences in HTML attributes replaced with the slug version
• STORAGE_KEY constant in the <script> block updated to checklist-{dso-slug}

astrobin.json:

• Pretty-printed with 2-space indent (human-readable)
• title follows the format "Common Name (DSO_ID)"
• description is plain text, 3–5 sentences, no HTML or markdown
• link set to "https://app.telescope.live/archive" for telescope.live data; "" otherwise
• filters array contains one object per distinct channel — never merge channels
• acquisition_details contains one object per channel with correct number and duration
• data_source and remote_source correctly reflect the imaging site
• subject_type derived from object_type using the mapping table in 5c.6
• software always [{"name": "PixInsight", "version": ""}]
• mounts always [] unless user provided mount information explicitly
• All numeric fields use numbers, not strings (300 not "300")
• All unknown/unparseable fields use null, never empty string ""
• first_acquisition_date and last_acquisition_date in YYYY-MM-DD format

Process Icons - <name> - <workflow> workflow.xpsm:

• Filename exactly follows the pattern Process Icons - <common_name> - <workflow_type> workflow.xpsm
• Workflow type derived from filter set detection (Step 5b.1): LRGB, RGB, HOO, SHO, HaRGB
• All <instance> IDs end in _instance; all <icon> IDs are clean names without suffix
• histogramBins on LocalHistogramEqualization always uses enum value Bit12 — never an integer
• LRGBCombination only includes known valid parameters: clipHighlights, noiseReduction, layersRemoved, layersProtected, channels table, mL, mc
• ICCProfileTransformation only includes: targetProfile, toDefaultProfile, renderingIntent, useBlackPointCompensation
• Icon layout: single column at xpos=2000, ypos starts at 40, increments 40 per icon, 80 gap between phases
• PixelMath_Rescreen expression always ~((~starless)*(~stars)) — description reminds user to match image IDs
• Narrowband PixelMath expressions use XML-escaped < as <
• XPSM workflow type matches the checklist workflow detected in Step 5b.1 — never hardcoded

---

Edge Cases

Situation	Handling
DSO not well-documented	Note gaps; still generate all three outputs with available data
Directory path given but empty	Ask user to paste filenames manually
No session files provided	sessions: [] in JSON; omit Section 08 from index.html; use — in checklist
Galaxy / cluster instead of nebula	Skip narrowband tip cards; adapt physical description
User skips optional questions	Use "" in JSON; use — placeholders in HTML
File extensions unexpected	Accept .png, .jpeg, .dng, .raf as well
User wants JSON only	Run Steps 1, 2, 4 only — skip Steps 3, 5, 5b, 5c, 5d
User wants HTML only	Run Steps 1, 2, 3, 5 only — skip Steps 4, 5b, 5c, 5d
User wants checklist only	Run Steps 1, 2, 5b only — skip Steps 3, 4, 5, 5c, 5d
User wants astrobin only	Run Steps 1, 2, 4, 5c only — skip Steps 3, 5, 5b, 5d
Smart telescope (no separate calibration)	calibration: "Handled internally by the instrument" — replace Phase 01 in checklist
doc/ already exists	Overwrite HTML files silently — never error on existing directory
Pure narrowband (HOO / SHO)	Remove Luminance phase and LRGB combination phase from checklist
HαRGB blend	Keep LRGB structure; add PixelMath Hα blend step after ChannelCombination
Per-channel times not parseable	Use — in checklist data cells; do not fail
User wants XPSM only	Run Steps 1, 2, 4, 5b (detection only), 5d — skip Steps 3, 5, 5b (HTML), 5c
HOO workflow XPSM	Replace ChannelCombination with PixelMath_HOO; remove SPCC; add SCNR for magenta stars
SHO workflow XPSM	Replace ChannelCombination with PixelMath_SHO; same SPCC/SCNR substitution
Smart telescope XPSM	Remove Lum phase entirely; adjust phase numbering in icon layout
Common name has special chars	Strip /, \, :, *, ?, ", <, >, | from filename
User wants astrobin only	Run Steps 1, 2, 4, 5c only — skip Steps 3, 5, 5b
Dual-band filter (Ha+OIII built-in)	Produce two filter objects in astrobin.json: Ha + OIII
Tri-band filter	Produce three filter objects: Ha + OIII + SII
No date parseable from sessions	Set first_acquisition_date and last_acquisition_date to null
Mount info not provided	mounts: [] — do not guess or invent
Non-telescope.live remote site	Set data_source: "AMATEUR_HOSTING", remote_source: ""
OWN backyard imaging	Set data_source: "OWN", remote_source: ""
Gain parseable from filenames	Include numeric gain value in acquisition_details[].gain
Bortle class mentioned in notes	Include in all acquisition_details[].bortle entries