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 have a H alpha moded Canon 6D.
I have read several forum topics concerning combining the H alpha (using H alpha filter) lights with the lights using no filter (thus includes all 3 color channels).
IÂ still do not know the proper workflow for combining the 2 types of lights.
ie. Raw/Fits settings? When are the lights combined etc?
I have successfully used APP for processing the 6D unfiltered lights but have yet to attempt combining with H-alpha.
Thanks
Bob Churi
@rjchuri Hi Bob,
After processing the RGB data you can separately process the Ha data. Once done, you can load the RGB and Ha integration results as lights in tab 1 (don't load any calibration data) and proecess them up to tab 5 Normalization. Then click the save normalized frames button at the bottom of tab 5. The two resulting files you can then load into the Combine RGB tool in the tools tab and assign Ha to H-alpha. You can select the HaRGB 1 or HaRGB 2 formula to combine the frames.
HTH, Wouter
Thanks for the reply. Couple questions:
-By process RGB data do you mean integrate it to produce a fits file?
-When processing Ha data what setting in Tab 0 for algorithm? Do you check Multi channel in Tab 1 when Ha processed?
-So the RGB fits and Ha fits are only taken through Normalize, then combined with the Combine RGB tool
-What filter do I choose in the Combine RGB tool for the RGB fits file?
Bob
-By process RGB data do you mean integrate it to produce a fits file?
Yes.
-When processing Ha data what setting in Tab 0 for algorithm? Do you check Multi channel in Tab 1 when Ha processed?
Just use the default settings for both RGB and Ha. One channel will do since there only is one channel. Multi-channel is for when you process different filters at the same time. You can also load all RGB data (incl calibration data) into session 1 and all Ha data into session 2. But processing them separately is easier.
-So the RGB fits and Ha fits are only taken through Normalize, then combined with the Combine RGB tool
No. both get integrated so up to tab 6. Once done you need to align and normalize them. You do that the way I described.
-What filter do I choose in the Combine RGB tool for the RGB fits file?
No filter since you didn't use a filter. If it is a broadband filter like L-Pro then you still don't choose a filter. It is in both cases pure RGB processing.
Wouter
No filter since you didn't use a filter. If it is a broadband filter like L-Pro then you still don't choose a filter. It is in both cases pure RGB processing.
Wouter
You stated that no filter be chosen but the Combine RGB Tool has a menu "shot with filters" requiring one to choose something. Am I in the wrong area?
Bob
@rjchuri What version of APP are you using? In both APP 1.083 and APP 2.0.0-beta2 the Combine RGB tool screen has these options:
I don't see the "shot with filter" option that you mentioned. As I stated in my original reply, you need to choose the HaRGB 1 or HaRGB 2 formula:
@rjchuri Sorry, I now get your question. When you load an image, you get a popup that asks you about the filter(s). So, when you load the RGB image you'll get the popup three times: one for each color channel in the filter. The first channel is R so you choose the Red filter, the second one is G so you choose Green. The third one is B so you choose Blue. When you load the Ha image make sure to choose H-Alpha.
Got it!
Thanks for your persistence with me.
Bob
