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.
Hi,
After some experimenting I could finish processing this image, 10x300s RGB frames with darks and flats on a Skywatcher Esprit80 APO. I am now more confident using the Tools part of APP, it was helping to remove some light pollution gradient from the final image. I used Unity gain with the camera, this gives more noise than usual.
I have 18,5 mag skies where I live, so don't expect wonders 😉
Cheers,
Janos
I can see at least three other faint galaxies in there as well. I hear ya about the light pollution, but I think you got a very good result. I think some additional time on target will really make a difference.
I can see at least three other faint galaxies in there as well. I hear ya about the light pollution, but I think you got a very good result. I think some additional time on target will really make a difference.
Thanks Scott,
The 3 galaxies are around mag 14-15, I have checked in Skytools 3. Next time I will try to add more lights, specially because full moon is now over ;-). I will post it whenever it succeeds,
Clear skies,
Janos
Hi Janos,
it's already very nice, I agree with Scott.
Adding more data is very interesting for the field of view. There are lots of faint and distant galaxies to be shown if you increase total exposure time 😉
Mabula
