The title is a little misleading.  The Flaming Star Nebula is but a component in this large/rich field image of the region of the Flaming Star Nebula in the Auriga Constellation.

This is a Telescope Live data set from the SPA-1 OTA in Spain.  It compromises two different imaging sessions - one in February of 2023 with 600s exposures, and a second session in December of 2023 in 300s exposures.  I am VERY thankful for BXT since there is some significant aberration in the star shapes at the edges which appears to be a mix of coma and back focus distance issues.  It was very noticeable in the pre-BXT application images; the application of BXT all but eliminated it at any useable/reasonable amount of image zoom.

I processed this with the latest version of PixInsight (build 1604) that was just released as a chance to test out the function of the new build/latest tools versions.

I experimented with several color palettes (HSO, HOS, HOO, OHS, Foraxx, etc.) and ultimately chose the SHO to proceed with.
The Gradient Correction tool was applied to the pre_SPCC image and was also applied to the Ha image that was used as a Lum layer in the final processing steps.  
After SPCC/BXT, the image was separated into stars/starless images with StarXterminator.  The RGB stars were created with a PixInsight algorithm utilized the Ha/S2/O3 stars only images, then historgram stretched and adjusted for color saturation.

The Nebula image was processed with post STF with the HDR tool, then color masks utilized to adjust the color composition, color saturation, and dark/light levels.  NXT was applied to all images before the merge of the Stars and Starless images.

I think I achieved a good final result, and the 600s exposures helped capture the dimmer nebula structures that tend to be clipped out in the Flaming Star nebula.  I admit that I was more focused on testing new version of PixInsight and the various tools than in the aesthetics of the final result, so I may at some point go back and rework the image with more focus on the image aesthetics.

Let me know what you think!

------------------------------------ UPDATE ----------------------------------------
I did reprocess a second version.  The differences are bit subtle; I did retain more of the dimmer/structural detail of the surrounding nebula cloud and improve the contrast a bit with the varying cloud density.  I also eliminated some color artifacts in the immediate vicinity of the Flaming Star.  It cost the image a bit of the color variance, but it is more realistic/closer to what is "real" (as much as any color is real in monochrome post processing...).

I also took some steps that I had skipped previously in my "testing" run, which undoubtedly helped in the later processing stages.  The main one skipped, which I think had the most affect on later processing was application of Background Neutralization after application of Gradient Correction.  It helped me realize that the "tint" I was seeing in the lower right corner was actually interstellar/nebula cloud (very faint) rather than uncorrected gradient.  That was important since it allowed me to resist a more aggressive Curves application that resulting in some clipping in the first version.  

The short answer is I can't really say the original is better or worse the second, just that they are "different" in some subtle ways.  Preference is going to be a matter taste and I"m very interested in any comments you may have!!!

Thanks in advance!
CS
Clayton

This region has but a very brief mention in Wikipedia:
IC 405 (also known as the Flaming Star Nebula, SH 2-229, or Caldwell 31) is an emission and reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga north of the celestial equator, surrounding the bluish, irregular variable star AE Aurigae. It shines at magnitude +6.0. Its celestial coordinates are RA 05h 16.2m dec +34° 28′. It is located near the emission nebula IC 410, the open clusters M38 and M36, and the K-class star Iota Aurigae.

The nebula measures approximately 37.0' x 19.0', and lies about 1,500 light-years away from Earth. It is believed that the proper motion of the central star can be traced back to the Orion's Belt area. The nebula is about 5 light-years across.

Auriga is a constellation in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is one of the 88 modern constellations; it was among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy. Its name is Latin for '(the) charioteer', associating it with various mythological beings, including Erichthonius and Myrtilus. Auriga is most prominent during winter evenings in the northern Hemisphere, as are five other constellations that have stars in the Winter Hexagon asterism. Because of its northern declination, Auriga is only visible in its entirety as far south as -34°; for observers farther south it lies partially or fully below the horizon. A large constellation, with an area of 657 square degrees, it is half the size of the largest, Hydra.

Its brightest star, Capella, is an unusual multiple star system among the brightest stars in the night sky. Beta Aurigae is an interesting variable star in the constellation; Epsilon Aurigae, a nearby eclipsing binary with an unusually long period, has been studied intensively. Because of its position near the winter Milky Way, Auriga has many bright open clusters in its borders, including M36, M37, and M38, popular targets for amateur astronomers. In addition, it has one prominent nebula, the Flaming Star Nebula, associated with the variable star AE Aurigae.