2026-10-09 APP 2.0.0-beta48 has been released !
This is mainly a bug fix release for the reported bugs in beta47. In addition it has a significant User Interface performance improvement noticable when you need to process 1000s of images in APP.
2026-10-03 APP 2.0.0-beta47 has been released !
This is a very big release... many code optimizations/rewrites, many parts of APP are much faster and more precise, especially star analysis and registration are much faster ! Big mosaics will go much faster 🙂
And we introduce a new preview filter, which includes the new Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch and a General Levels Stretch, this has been long over due. The old preview filter (the panel on the right side to stretch and preview your data) has not been updated for a couple of years and it is a critical part of any APP session.
Adaptive Deep Sky Stretch or ADSS is a much more intuitive stretch algorithm. It is also color preserving (which is a great new addition in itself ! ) which means that the highlights are no longer bleached, color is maintained from the linear data while stretching. You can simply stretch your data using the sky background level and signal width sliders which work much easier and more intuitive. You no longer need to fiddle with the old complicated sliders with zoom buttons. All the zoom buttons for the sliders are made redundant. And you can enter slider values in the slider value fields yourself. I will make a youtube video in the coming days to explain and fully introduce ADSS. Once the video is ready, it will be highlighted on the forum.
RGB Combine upgrade !. The RGB Combine Tool has been rewritten mostly. The tool is faster and easier to use and most importantly, the Luminance slider to inject a luminance channel or channels into the RGB composite is now working correctly. It no longer bleaches the RGB colors. Combined with the new ADSS preview, you will get much better and easier great composites with great color! I will also explain this in a new youtube video.
I ran my Comet Neowise through the beta program and I was happy with the results with the comet alignment.
I was hoping that the star alignment would be ready but it looks like that's not quite ready because I am seeing star trails.
Can you give me an idea when that will be ready to test?
That is correct, this is a beta version which is only meant to check if noone has obvious failures in registering on the comet. The next version should have more options, when that is released... I don’t know, but would expect within a week or 2.
Is there any new information about the expected beta2 or stable release? I wish a lot of strength and good work for the APP team! 🙂
I am also very interested in the star alignment piece now that the comet stacking is working.
Please let me know if you need a tester.
Thank you! Yes, Mabula is working hard and already informed me he has a more stable procedure in place, he's working to finish these and will release a new beta soon. If that already includes the other options I don't know.
Hello, I'm curious about the timeline for the next release of APP with star alignment for comets. I've been sitting on my Comet Neowise data for a few months. Big thanks! Alan
I too am still patiently waiting for the 2nd phase of comet registration. I did a trial on APP but I waiting to see how the 2nd phase works before I commit to subscribing to the product.
He has the process implemented to a high degree, lots of improvements were made in between still based also on the beta results. There is another bug he needs to solve (unrelated) first and then will finish these tools. Can't give an ETA, but my guess would be within a month.
