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 imaged NGC 281 last night and attempted to process them today. I loaded the subs plus bias, darks and flats and went through the six steps in integration individually. I know, I could simply go from Load directly to Integration but I like going through the steps. Doing so indicated no problems. I then went to Tools and tried RBC combine. The result gave me four frames on the screen overlaid and not lining up and certainly not combined!
I'm using all of the suggested settings and I've never had this happen before. Obviously I've done something wrong, so I need help
Hank
Not sure what went wrong but you can load the four integration results as lights and then star align them to see if that fixes the issue.
HTH, Wouter
@wvreeven I tried this suggestion with the same result. I’m currently starting over again with the data and hopefully I‘ll sort out the problem. If not, I’ll post again.
Hank
As a test, and as above, load the four integrated files as lights, star analyse AND then register, AND then save out the registered files. Load these registered files into the rgb tool and try. This has always worked for me if i have registration problems.
Hi Andy,
I tried as you suggested but I still got the same result.
I tried again using new data from last night (NGC 281) and processed in APP but unfortunately I got the same result. I'd attach a photo of the fits file but it's too large (68 MB). When I do the Star Analysis, it does the process but at the end the screen is black. Maybe this can help in finding the solution to my problem.
Hank
