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.
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These are the first two attempts we had with narrowband imaging the Soul Nebula was done with our first refractor Altair Astro ED102 the second with the APM/LZOS 130/780 we treated ourselves to for Christmas. All processed through APP and Photoshop CS still learning a lot so will probably end up reprocessing them again at some point or adding more data to them. The Soul is not in any particular palette but the Rosette is the more traditional Hubble one details listed below. Thanks for looking assuming the links work 😀 and clear skies.
Scope : Starwave 102ED + 0.8x Reducer/Flattener
Camera : ASI1600MM Pro @ -20c Filters : Baader Ha, Oiii, Sii
Exposures : 200gain 22offset 224 minutes (Ha 40 x 120s Oiii 36 x 120s Sii 36 x 120s).
Guiding was PHD2 + TS Optics 9mm OAG + GPCAM1030M
MOUNT : EQ6-R + Bluetooth and EQMOD
Scope : APM-LZOS 130/780 F6
Mount : Skywatcher EQ6-R
Flattener/reducer : Massimo Riccardi 0.75x for LZOS so scope at F4.5 for this image.
Camera: ASI 1600MM PRO + ZWO 8 Position Filter Wheel
Filters : Ha / OIII / SII Baader 7nm
Guiding : Altair 60mm Scope + GPCAM 290M
Control : Eagle 2 Pro + Sesto Senso + Ecco for Dew Control
Software SharpCap Pro : for Image Capture, Live Stack Preview and Polar Alignment / PHD for guiding / EQMOD via EQDirect Cable / Stellarium
Processing via Astro Pixel Processor and Photoshop CS
Exposures : Ha 22 x 180s , OIII 30 x 180S, SII 37 x 180S all at Gain 200 Offset 22 at -20C 1x1 Binned
Assigned as Hubble Palette R = SII G= Ha B= OIII
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Cheers
Nick