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.
I was imaging the star SADR in Cygnus with my 10" R/C and got some over the top reflection. I have tried experimenting with the light pollution tool to grab sections of that gray around the star, and it removes some sections in the top left where there is bright nebulosity behind it. I was just curious if APP can even work on that level. Not sure how to even attempt in photoshop either.Â
Not really, this artifact is so big that I think it will create other artifacts in place of the reflection. The star reducer may do better in this respect in the future, but don't expect miracles.
If I'm not mistaken, that might have to do with the primary baffle tube being too short.
There are quit some threads on CN on this theme, for my RC8 it works very well!
There are many different sizes for each RC, check this thread:
You could try with some carton rolled into a tube that fits inside your primary baffle and see if that helps!
Good luck,
Mert
