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.
in the video tutorial, Mosaic Tutorial – Milky Way to Rho Ophiuchi part 1-7 by Mabula,
he works the image from left to right to address light pollution. is this the approach to be taken for all images, mosaics to single images? or for single image, ie not mosaics, can we apply the initial five boxes over the entire image to start with?
also, do we only place boxes over areas we think have LP? Or do we need boxes placed all over the image regardless of whether there is LP in an area or not?
in my image capture attached here, i've done a maximum stretch and increased saturation to 30 and saturation threshold to 0. i have a LP gradient i believe from right to left. would i need to place boxes at all in the black areas at far left of image?
thanks!
The way I've interpreted it, and I could be wrong, is to start with a few boxes in areas that don't have nebulosity or the object of your choice. Run calculate and slowly work your way inwards towards the subject by adding boxes in areas of background. For example, if my object is in the center I'll add some boxes in the corners and sides and slowly add some inwards till I get close to the subject. Once everything looks pretty even I'll save and move on.
Yes, you stretch to the maximum setting (of the presets on the right) and pick 5 boxes around the image on what you think is background. You click to check the result and then you either clear the boxes to set them properly or continue towards problem areas, not directly on top of them, no big boxes either, just creeping towards the areas that show residual gradient.
@vincent-mod and @turtleCat
thanks for responding. so i could place my initial five boxes as shown in the attached image and then work from that right?
Yes, press calculate to see what it does and work from there. This area is challenging because of all the bright stars and dust, so good luck. 😉
Yes, press calculate to see what it does and work from there. This area is challenging because of all the bright stars and dust, so good luck. 😉
yes, it is! i have 95 boxes placed so far! :O
95! That shouldn't be necessary. haha Having trouble with uneven gradients?
@vincent-mod
following mabulas maticulous example from the video haha. a lot of light pollution in the right side. i think i've got it now. i'll try just a few boxes to compare the two.
Ah yes, the pollution model is pretty rigid (so not very flexible). This usually helps users as regular gradients are nice and smooth. But here I think you have some uneven patches and that gets tricky indeed. If you are ok with the result, turn down the stretch and it should look pretty nice I think.
@vincent-mod
ya, neighbors left their backyard lights on, each side of me, on the first and third nights. not to mention the flood light across the street. looking at a normal stretch and saturation it does look pretty good. thanks for the advice!
Outsj, I feel the pain coming from the Netherlands. 😉 Cool, happy to help!
