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.
From the announcement:
The tool now has quick presets for composites like the Hubble palette, S2HaO3 -> RGB , LRGB, LHaRGB, HaO3O3 -> RGB etc... you can choose the composite formula while loading the data
However, the tool does not have the presets option.
Edit:
I read on another thread that some of the release info was written after the beta3 release. I believe this will come with beta4.
Thanks for a wonderful update! Looking forward for more 🙂
Hi @shlomi,
Indeed, If you look carefully at the release notes, the presets are not yet in Beta 3, they will come in beta4 😉 Will release it soon.
Mabula
So happy to see this coming! With the immense popularity of Hubble and other narrowband/broadband color palettes, it’s nice to have some help in getting pleading results.
wayne
These kind of things will continue to be implemented and improved on, the entire goal is to make these steps easier than they've ever been. Thanks! 🙂
So happy to see this coming! With the immense popularity of Hubble and other narrowband/broadband color palettes, it’s nice to have some help in getting pleading results.
wayne
Hi Wayne @whixson,
Yes, these presets should really help in getting much better composites because you can now quickly switch between formula and see the differences. That will be very educative and much more intuitive I feel ;-). Going forward, we will be adding more formula off course based on data that we acquire and from data of our customers.
Mabula
Ha ha I meant ‘pleasing’ results not ‘pleading’! Although I do plead with the computer frequently.
Great minds think alike they say. You’re implementing these presets, Ivo Jaeger over at StarTools is going something similar with his Combine module, and I see some in the PI community creating scripts for this. Astro image processing really entering a golden age I think.
Is there a way to join the beta programme? I'm currently running 1.075 on Mac and RGB combine doesn't seem to work at all anymore for me. I've tried Tif & fit files though nothings coming out as it's supposed to (i.e.: either pitch black or completely white, and tried all other options I could possibly think about). There are some semi exceptions, though I won't get into it all here. I'd love to try out the beta and give some feedback if possible! 🙂
Check the first link at the top of each forum page that you open 😉
Wouter
Is there a way to join the beta programme? I'm currently running 1.075 on Mac and RGB combine doesn't seem to work at all anymore for me. I've tried Tif & fit files though nothings coming out as it's supposed to (i.e.: either pitch black or completely white, and tried all other options I could possibly think about). There are some semi exceptions, though I won't get into it all here. I'd love to try out the beta and give some feedback if possible! 🙂
There is no official beta programme which you can join.... but we sometimes release beta versions before a stable release which anyone can test to help solve any remaining issues/bugs.
Currently, you can download APP 1.076 beta 4 and the link to (all) the downloads is at the top of the forum 😉 It has a huge update for the RGB Combine tool and also 2 bug fixes which could be harming you in APP 1.075 😉
Mabula
Thanks Mabula,
I've downloaded the beta and it seems Ito solve most of my problems. Besides an ineptitude on my part I think this has solved most of the problems. I would however like to make some suggestions if you are open to it, from a beginners perspective. (oh and a graphics designers perspective 😉 )
I have to say though, the presets for pallet choice in RGB combine are excellent! so thanks for them, a huge plus for the amateur photographer.
