AstroSharp 0.5.0

This release adds the two models from the newer DualPSF branch of AstroSharp: Dual PSF and Star Mask.

This is still a pre-release. Feedback is welcome, especially from Windows on Intel/AMD PCs: the x64 build has only been tested under emulation so far.

What's new

• Dual PSF sharpens the stars and the rest of the image (the deep-sky object) with different PSF settings, mixed through a soft-edged star mask. It is now the default model in the app and the command-line tool; Hybrid, PSF and AstroClean are still there.
  • Set the Star PSF and the DSO PSF separately. Both start at 3, which gives the same result as plain PSF until you change one of them.
  • Seamless mode (the default) uses one mask for the whole image. R parity mode reproduces the original app's output exactly; that app builds a separate mask for each processing chunk.
• Star Mask shows the mask that Dual PSF uses. Tune its five settings there (Sensitivity, Fix mask, Feathering, Blend and Blend 2), then switch to Dual PSF. You can also save the mask for use in other tools.
• Fast tuning: with Live update on, changing a mask setting or Aggressiveness reuses the slow steps. An update takes about 0.3 s instead of 2.2 s on a 19 MP colour image.
• Histogram panel in the app, as in the original, with the mask's blend curve drawn over it.
• Previews of a region now match the full-image result exactly, for every model except Hybrid in R parity mode.
• Command line: --model dual-psf (the new default) or --model star-mask, with --star-psf, --sensitivity, --fix-mask, --feathering, --blend and --blend2.

Both new models match the original R app to within floating-point rounding. A 24 MP image takes about 2.5 s with Dual PSF and 0.5 s with Star Mask on an Apple M5 Max.

Downloads

File	For
AstroSharp-0.5.0-macos-arm64.zip	macOS 11 or later on Apple Silicon
AstroSharp-0.5.0-setup.exe	Windows 10 and 11, x64 or ARM64 (it installs the native build)
AstroSharp.py	The Siril script (see below)
SHA256SUMS	Checksums for all three

Neither download is signed with a paid certificate, so expect a warning the first time:

• macOS: unzip and move AstroSharp.app to Applications. The first time you open it, macOS says it can't check the app for malware. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway; this is only needed once. The command-line tool is at AstroSharp.app/Contents/MacOS/astrosharp-cli.
• Windows: if SmartScreen shows "Windows protected your PC", click More info, then Run anyway.
  • The installer installs for your user only, with no administrator rights needed, and adds a Start menu shortcut. It upgrades an earlier version in place.
  • It offers a desktop shortcut and adding astrosharp-cli to your PATH.
• Linux: build and install from source with make install-linux (see the README).

Siril script

AstroSharp.py runs AstroSharp on the image open in Siril 1.4 or later, using the app's command-line tool. It has every model and setting, a preview with a before/after divider, and Send to Siril, which applies the result with an undo point. It also runs from Siril scripts (.ssf).

To install it, put AstroSharp.py in a folder on Siril's script path (listed under Preferences → Scripts), then refresh Siril's script list. It finds AstroSharp where the installers put it. With this release its progress bar shows that it's busy; a percentage needs a later AstroSharp. See siril/README.md for details.

Credit

AstroSharp, including the trained models built into these downloads, was created by Mark Lowry (Deep Sky Detail). He kindly agreed to this open-source port. If you find it useful, consider buying him a coffee.

Licensed under the MIT license.

Full changes: v0.4.7...v0.5.0