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.
Mount Celestron AVX
Telescope Celestron 8" Newtonian, Guide scope SvBony 30/120
Main cam QHYCCD163M, Guide cam ASI120MM, Baader Coma Corrector
Ha 20x300s, SII 25x300s, OIII 32x300s 30x300s darks, 30 flats and 30 darkflats of each filter
Bortle9
I'm still wondering why I can not catch blue OIII area in the middle of nebula. I tried every settings but no success. I'm suspect if I placed OIII filter in wrong position. I mean Ha and SII filters very clear which side faces to target which side to camera. But OII filter sides too similar, I might use wrong side of filter. Is it possible? I have no idea.
I forgot to mention that I use 36mm unmounted filters. That's why I suspect I misplaced OIII filter. Any idea and advice about this appreciated.
This looks like a palette issue, you can assign basically any color to your combined image in RGBCombine.
@vincent-mod Thanks Vincent. I tried HSO1, HSO2 increasing blue, decreasing green etc. in short I played all color sliders but I couldn't get that light blue. Following photo is not mine, taken Ha-SII-OIII filters I'm wondering where is that blue color in my photographs.
Mmm, that could then be a filter issue like you mention. Maybe I can download the separate integrations to check out?
@vincent-mod, I tried to sign in to upload files but I can not sign in. System blocked my IP address. Weird because I can login here with same username and password.
I should have pointed to exactly where, sorry. Did you do it like this; ?
Go to https://upload.astropixelprocessor.com and use upload1 as username and upload1 as password.
Create a directory named “volkanovun-combinergb” and upload in there.
@vincent-mod Yes, I did but my username and password denied. Since I tried many times, my IP adress blocked. It needs to be unblocked.
Username upload1 didn't work? Just to be sure as that would be a bit strange. I asked Mabula to unblock you, should be done today.
edit: scratch that, is an issue at the server, I've notified Mabula.
Ok, so he's very busy preparing an online course at the moment. We may have to wait till tomorrow if you don't mind.
@vincent-mod My IP is unblocked but it keeps saying account or password invalid.
It works here, using upload1 for username and password, strange. Don't try it too often otherwise it'll block again. 🙂 Can you try a different browser to be sure? Never had this issue before.
@vincent-mod Thanks. It's normal now and I uploaded 4 fits.
Thanks! Sorry, been sick yesterday so I hope to get to it today.
@vincent-mod Thanks Vincent I'm looking for your answer and progress. I contacted Optolong they says side only matters in Ha and SII filters but OIII filter could be used both side. And when I check calibrated O data, there is sufficiant O emission data, however I could no success to make visible Oxygen blue in my photo.
Ok, apologies for the silence. Sometimes real life comes along to ask me "work? hahahahaha!". 😉 Anyway, back at it and will get to it shortly.
Ok, finally. So I corrected the integrations first with the light pollution tool before combining them. Then I played around with the presets, choose one and started playing with the values of that preset. You always have to press "recalculate" and then check. This is one of my first tries, I'll play around a bit more.
Or this one, it really is about experimenting basically; to get it as deep as your example picture requires a lot more data as well.
