May 27 2026 APP 2.0.0-beta45 has been released !
Fully Multi-Threaded LNC, many improvements for the registration engine, platform upgrade, and further tuning of internal memory consumption and memory release back to OS.
Apr 14 2026: Google Pay, Apple Pay & WeChat Pay added as payment options
Update on the 2.0.0 release & the full manual
We are getting close to the 2.0.0 stable release and the full manual. The manual will soon become available on the website and also in PDF format. Both versions will be identical and once released, will start to follow the APP release cycle and thus will stay up-to-date to the latest APP version.
Once 2.0.0 is released, the price for APP will increase. Owner's license holders will not need to pay an upgrade fee to use 2.0.0, neither do Renter's license holders.
This is my first attempt at a Mosaic and I'm very new to APP so I'm still finding my feet with it. This is two short nights worth of data but I'm really pleased with it so far. I've also learned a few new processing tricks along the way.
40 Darks
40 Flats
40 Dark Flats
Sky Watcher 130PDS
HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
ZWO ASI294MC Pro
TS-Optics GPU Superflat Coma Corrector
Optolong L-Enhance
Orion 50mm Guide Scope & Orion Star Shoot Auto Guider
Pegasus Powerbox Advance
Astro Photography Tools & PHD2
Astro Pixel Processor & Photoshop
Well that is impressive indeed, new APP user and first mosaic attempt, superb!
@vincent-mod Thank you. I'm really enjoying using APP. Need to go back through some old data next.
Can I ask what your method is to draw out the nebula? I'm working on a 2 panel mosaic of the Eastern Veil at the moment using a SW 130PDS with a Canon 600D (astro modded) . Despite my image having about 4hrs of data per panel I cannot get it to show anything like the detail you are getting and I'm struggling to find what I can do to improve it.
I aspire to getting an image anything close to this!
Thanks
Ed
Can I ask what your method is to draw out the nebula? I'm working on a 2 panel mosaic of the Eastern Veil at the moment using a SW 130PDS with a Canon 600D (astro modded) . Despite my image having about 4hrs of data per panel I cannot get it to show anything like the detail you are getting and I'm struggling to find what I can do to improve it.
I aspire to getting an image anything close to this!
Thanks
Ed
Hi Ed.
To be honest, I'd not actually done a lot to that image. APP produced a pretty good image right off the bat. I only tweaked it a little in Photoshop. The Optolong L-Enhance filter helped a lot with it though.
Are you using any filter? A narrowband filter to help pull the Ha out would really help but you should be getting some decent Ha with a modded Canon.
Can you post your stack up so I can have a look?
J
@jamgood yeah using an LP filter, the astronomic CLS CCD clip in filter. TBH I strongly suspect there is a lot more data in there but I just don't know how to draw it out. There is also quite a bit of noise in this image but to be fair I've not focussed on that yet. JPG attached below. Bearing in mind there is about 5hrs data on this I would have hoped for more from it :/
@edarter Yeah, there is quite a bit of noise in there. Obviously stretching will stretch the noise also, so that will hold you back.
Are you dithering between shots? Dithering really helps with background noise along with exposures as long as you can take them. Staying away from moonlit nights will also help but you are kind of stifled a bit with a DSLR though. Camera noise, non cooling, etc.
Have you tried using Starnet++? You can remove the stars from the image and stretch/edit the nebula and then put the stars back in to the image. I didn't know about Starnet++ when I used a DSLR but I think it would have helped me with my images back then. Here's a good tutorial for it.
Don't be put off though. That is still a great image
yep - dithering between each sub and keeping them to 4mins to try and combat heat build up in the sensor because of the associated noise increase. I suspect its a mix of me needing to get better at processing and the limitations of a DSLR.
Know of Starnet but not used it. Will have a look at that, could be useful!
Anyway, I'll stop hijacking your thread and crack on practising, your image is fantastic!
Ed
@edarter Yeah, I know what you mean. Learning new stuff in this hobby keeps us both enthralled and frustrated at the same time. Making do with what we have at hand though is limiting and upgrading is bloody expensive.
I went up to a ZWO ASI294MC Pro from a Canon 60Da in quite a hurry in my astrophotography journey because the Canon died on me. To be honest, it was a great leap forward. Controlling the temperature with a dedicated camera is big help with noise.
Have a look at Starnet, it's a good program. There's also a Skywatcher 130PDS Astro imagers group on Facebook which might be a handy place for you to have a look at. You'll recognise me by the avatar. 👍
Good luck and let me know how you get on.
I suspect that the nebula image is more drawn out than the stars b/c he is using a Optolong L-Enhance filter- its a very nice "nebula" filter, the stars will be much dimmer in an image using a filter like this. I have the same filter on my small scope with my Canon DSKR and get similar images, they look very nice.
Great image by the way!
Mike
