Learn BiggSky
Everything in one place: get installed, process your first image, then go deeper. Start with the Quick Start if you have just downloaded it.
A quick tour
The same overview slides that appear on the Start tab inside BiggSky. Nine of them, and they cover most of what you need to know before your first image.
Quick Start
Two short guides. The first gets BiggSky installed and licensed; the second walks through a lunar or planetary capture end to end.
The manual and tutorials
The manual is the complete reference for every panel and setting. The tutorials cover specific techniques and problem cases.
Both open here on the site — no need to leave for a document viewer.
Enhancing lunar, solar and planetary images
A full presentation for The Astro Imaging Channel, recorded live on 22 June 2025.
BiggSky walkthrough
An introduction to the application and the processing workflow.
Frequently asked
What is BiggSky?
BiggSky is an application for processing astronomy images. It is designed to be easy to use, intuitive and powerful. It is probably best known for its deconvolution technology, which removes blur from images.
Why should I use it?
BiggSky takes your raw astro images and calibrates, stacks, enhances and colourises them in a single application. The results can also be exported and used in whatever else you already work with.
What types of image can I process?
Long-exposure imaging of galaxies and nebulae, and planetary, lunar and solar images.
Which file formats are supported?
8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit variants of TIFF, PNG, BMP, GIF, JPEG, Camera RAW, FITS, DICOM and XISF, plus SER and various movie formats.
What is deconvolution?
Deconvolution is a mathematical process for removing blur from an image. To reverse the blur you need to know its shape — the Point Spread Function, or PSF. BiggSky uses blind deconvolution, which means it works the PSF out from your image rather than requiring you to supply it from a reference star.
Do the algorithms use Artificial Intelligence?
No. No A.I. algorithms are currently used. Detail in the output comes from the data in your input — nothing is generated to fill in what was not recorded.
Do I need a MATLAB licence?
No. The MATLAB Runtime is included with the installation, and no MATLAB licence of your own is needed.
Can I use a GPU to process faster?
Yes, with recent NVIDIA graphics cards on Windows. There is a separate Windows build for NVIDIA Blackwell (RTX 50-series) hardware — see the download page. GPU acceleration is not available on macOS.
Can I process non-astronomy images?
Possibly — the deconvolution is not specific to astronomy. Get in touch and describe what you are trying to do.
How long is the trial, and what does it limit?
30 days, and during those days it limits nothing. The trial is the complete application — no watermark, no disabled features, and no payment details required to begin. The count starts when you install BiggSky and validate your key, not when you request it.
Afterwards BiggSky switches to Free mode: you can still open, view and export everything you have already processed, but the premium operations need a licence. Support & licensing has the detail.
How much does it cost after the trial?
There are four editions and you can buy a perpetual licence or subscribe annually. Current prices are on the pricing page, along with the licence terms — personal use, active on up to 5 of your own computers at a time.
Payment is handled by Stripe, so your card details are entered on Stripe's checkout and never touch this site.
Is there a discount for astronomy clubs or schools?
Yes. Clubs, schools and registered non-profits are eligible for discounted licensing — get in touch with your organisation's details for a quote. Commercial, government and institutional use is licensed separately.
Ask a person
If the documentation does not cover it, these do.
BiggSky Users Group
The Facebook group — where users trade settings, results and advice. The busiest place to ask a question.
BiggSky Imaging on Facebook
The official page: release announcements, new features and images worth a look.
Every BiggSky image on AstroBin
Everything tagged as processed with BiggSky, updated by the community as they publish. Good for seeing what is achievable with kit like yours.
r/BiggSky on Reddit
Questions, results and discussion with other BiggSky users.
YouTube
Walkthroughs, new-feature demonstrations and recorded talks.
Bug reports, licensing problems and anything that needs a direct answer.