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.
Having issues removing some bad light pollution, or at least that's what i think it is.
Ending up with patchy results which just move around when I try and remove it with repeated attempts.Â
Any suggestions?Â
This is one example :-
The FITS file is here is in a compressed ZIP file if anyone would like a stab at it.Â
Thanks for any help.
@chrisboar That doesn't look like light pollution to me because that usually isn't as patchy as in your picture. Is this an integration of a single FOV or a mosaic? What calibration files did you use? Is this with a DSLR camera? What else can you tell us about how the image was created?
Well it's patchy after my attempt at removing the LP. I'm wondering if this is very thin cloud? Transparency was forecast as below average.
This is an integration of a single FOV, calibrated with the usual master calibration frames; Dark/Flat/BIAS/BPM. I shoot with a Nikon D5500 H-A modified camera with a IDAS LPS-D1 Light Pollution Filter .
I've included the pre-LP FIT's file link below in a compressed file if that helps. Thanks!
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Thanks Chris for that file, I'm also taking a look.
I have to say that the light pollution is very, very strong in it. This can cause a lot of things like internal reflection and what not. Exactly why it looks spotty is hard to say, but I'd bet that internal reflections might contribute to it. This is making it extremely difficult to correct properly as these are not regular light pollution gradients. The only way to make this better is to get a solution for the light shining onto the telescope.
This is the best I could get it to, with not stretching too much and some added contrast, you can at least get it somewhat ok. 🙂
Thanks Vincent. Yep I think you're right. I was lazy and set up too close to my light polluting house, lol....lesson learned.
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No worries, always nice to see what the issue is so it can be fixed and you can enjoy some great pictures again. Because I see enough signal even in the polluted data. 🙂
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