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.
Hello. I just picked up a new Askar SQA55. It seems wonderful, except for the dark wedges present in high-magnitude stars. I have checked Cloudy Nights and it seems to be called Aperature Vignetting, or Iron Crosses, and is supposedly common in short, wide, flat lenses. However, the stars aren't impacted just at the edges of the field, as shown in my attached image. The attached pic of IC434 was taken with an SQA55, ASI2600MC Pro, Optolong L-enHance, 60 60sec subs. Any thoughts on how I can address this?
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That problem can not be solved with stacking. You have to recheck your equipment. Try shooting with no filter to see if the effect still is there. I thought the SQA55 was superb when it comes to star forms. Never heard of this before on this telescope.
Hi Tyler @monsonmjmgmail-com,
Thank you very much for your question.
Issues like this are usually caused by something in your optical train that is not working as expected. It could be that the SQA55 is not collimated properly, it could also be some adapter or filter that you are using. So I would suggest to try without the filter first like Stefan @digitaliz-se (thanks!) indicates. Maybe the sky conditions even played a part as well, I know that bright star in this object can create problems with O3 filters for example when the moon is shining as well..
APP does not have a function yet, to fix stars with such a cross/pattern.
Mabula
