StarNet++

Level 24: Astronomy & Astrophysics

Science · Level 24

Open tool website ↗

In short

StarNet++ is an AI tool in the Astronomy & Astrophysics category from StarNet (Nikita Misiura) in Canada. The pricing model is free. It is available in English only.

Company HQCanada· StarNet (Nikita Misiura)(unconfirmed)

What is StarNet++?

StarNet++ is a specialized software tool for astrophotography designed to remove stars from astronomical images. It utilizes neural networks to precisely distinguish between star-like objects and underlying deep-sky structures, such as nebulae or galaxies. The software allows users to process the starless background separately, significantly enhancing control over contrast and color during post-processing.

The application runs locally on the user's computer, meaning no image data needs to be uploaded to external servers. Users load their raw images or pre-processed captures into the software, and the algorithm generates a masked version of the image without stars. This process is based on deep machine learning trained specifically on astronomical image data to minimize artifacts.

By integrating into common image editing workflows, StarNet++ serves as a precursor for final image composition. It supports various image formats and provides an interface accessible to both experienced astrophotographers and beginners. The separation of stars and objects allows for significantly more aggressive sharpening or saturation of the image background without negatively affecting the stars.

Core features & strengths

  • Local Image Processing — As the software runs entirely on the local system, an internet connection is not required during the processing stage. This ensures complete control over data privacy and allows for the processing of large files without latency.
  • AI-Powered Segmentation — The neural network is optimized to differentiate point-like light sources from diffuse astronomical objects. This significantly reduces manual masking efforts and ensures a clean separation of image layers.
  • Workflow Integration — The tool can be seamlessly integrated as a plugin into popular software like PixInsight or used as a standalone command-line application. It supports standard file formats like TIFF, which are essential for high-bit-depth astronomical data processing.

Who is this tool for?

The tool is primarily aimed at astrophotographers who apply advanced image processing techniques. It is ideal for users who want to precisely edit their deep-sky captures and minimize the disruptive influence of stars.

Typical use case

An astrophotographer aims to highlight the faint structures of a gas nebula in an image. Since the bright stars obscure the contrast, he uses StarNet++ to split the image into two layers: a pure star map and a starless image of the nebula. He edits the starless image in photo editing software to enhance the details and colors of the nebula without bloating or distorting the stars. Finally, he recombines both layers to achieve an aesthetically pleasing and professional-looking final image.

What is StarNet++ good for?

  • The tool is primarily aimed at astrophotographers who apply advanced image processing techniques. It is ideal for users who want to precisely edit their deep-sky captures and minimize the disruptive influence of stars.
  • An astrophotographer aims to highlight the faint structures of a gas nebula in an image.
  • Local Image Processing: As the software runs entirely on the local system, an internet connection is not required during the processing stage. This ensures complete control over data privacy and allows for the processing of large files without latency.
  • AI-Powered Segmentation: The neural network is optimized to differentiate point-like light sources from diffuse astronomical objects. This significantly reduces manual masking efforts and ensures a clean separation of image layers.
  • Workflow Integration: The tool can be seamlessly integrated as a plugin into popular software like PixInsight or used as a standalone command-line application. It supports standard file formats like TIFF, which are essential for high-bit-depth astronomical data processing.

When a different tool fits better

StarNet++ is not suitable for general photo editing outside of astronomy, as the algorithm is specifically trained on point-like light sources and astronomical structures. Additionally, users without basic knowledge of layer-based image editing may find the process of subsequent recombination too complex.

Pricing & plans

StarNet++ is a free open-source software with no commercial pricing models.Free

Supported languages

DEGerman — not supportedENEnglish — fully supported

The tool does not have a localized GUI in German; it is primarily used as a command-line tool or plugin for image processing software.

Interface = the tool's menu language, content = the language you can work in. Without guarantee — vendors keep expanding their language coverage.

Privacy & GDPR

Runs entirely locally. No account, no cloud processing, no telemetry — unproblematic from a data protection perspective.

Fact sheet

Fact sheet with the key data
VendorStarNet (Nikita Misiura)
HeadquartersCanada
CategoryAstronomy & Astrophysics
Pyramid levelLevel 24 – Astronomy & Astrophysics
Pricing modelFree
Free forever optionYes
Open SourceNo
Entry planStandard: 0 (0)
Germannot supported
Englishinterface and content
Privacy classificationGDPR / EU
Data processing agreementAs this is an open-source application without a cloud service, no DPA or standard contractual clauses are required.

Alternatives to StarNet++

  • ALeRCE — Free · HQ: Santiago, Chile · Unclear
  • AstroLens — Free · HQ: United States · GDPR / EU
  • Astrometry.net (Nova) — Free · HQ: New York, United States · Unclear
  • ExoMiner — Free · HQ: United States · GDPR / EU
  • Galaxy Zoo — Free · HQ: Oxford, United Kingdom · Unclear

Open tool website ↗

Still unsure? The AI Tool Finder shows you alternatives.

Similar tools

ALeRCE
Chilean-led community broker for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and LSST. It processes LSST and Zwicky Transient Facility alert streams in real time and classifies celestial events with machine learning.
AstroLens
Autonomous AI system for anomaly discovery in astronomical survey images. Vision transformers and out-of-distribution detection find unusual celestial objects without human pre-selection.
Astrometry.net (Nova)
Free web service that identifies any star photo automatically: pattern recognition matches the star arrangement against catalogues and returns sky coordinates plus the names of every object in the frame.
ExoMiner
NASA open-source tool for AI-assisted validation of exoplanet candidates. Deep learning checks Kepler and TESS light curves to decide whether a dimming event is really a planet.
Galaxy Zoo
Citizen-science project for classifying galaxy shapes. Millions of volunteers classify real research images; the Zoobot model combines human answers with Bayesian CNNs.
GraXpert
Free open-source tool from the German-speaking astrophotography community: neural networks remove sky gradients, denoise exposures and sharpen stars without any image-processing expertise.

Frequently asked questions

How much does StarNet++ cost?

StarNet++ is a free open-source software with no commercial pricing models. Current plans: Standard: 0 (0).

Is StarNet++ free?

Yes. StarNet++ can be used without paying. No commercial plans or subscriptions. Distributed as a community-driven project.

Does StarNet++ support German?

No. StarNet++ is English-only and has no German interface. The tool does not have a localized GUI in German; it is primarily used as a command-line tool or plugin for image processing software.

How does StarNet++ handle data privacy?

The software runs exclusively locally on the user's computer; no data is transferred to external servers. Since there is no cloud processing, no input data is used by the provider to train AI models. Since processing is performed locally, all types of astrophotography images can be processed securely.

Who is behind StarNet++?

StarNet++ is operated by StarNet (Nikita Misiura), headquartered in Canada.

Where does StarNet++ sit in the AI Tool Pyramid?

StarNet++ sits on level 24 (“Astronomy & Astrophysics”) and belongs to the Astronomy & Astrophysics category. Levels group tools by topic and are not a ranking.

Is StarNet++ GDPR-compliant?

StarNet++ operates at European data protection level: the vendor documents EU processing or EU data centres and offers a data processing agreement. For business use, concluding that agreement remains mandatory.

What are alternatives to StarNet++?

Comparable tools in the same category are ALeRCE, AstroLens, Astrometry.net (Nova), ExoMiner. They differ mainly in pricing model, company location and data protection level, so a direct comparison is worthwhile before deciding.