We have some thrilling news for all astrophotography enthusiasts! Siril has just released one of its biggest updates yet, packed with a plethora of new features that many of us have been eagerly anticipating. Released just a month ago, Siril 1.4.0 is now available for download.
Getting Started
First things first, head over to the Siril website to download the new software. Keep in mind that this version is currently in beta, so it might not be perfect just yet. Expect a few bugs that will need to be ironed out before the final release.
New Features in Siril 1.4.0
Image Processing Enhancements
- Curves Transformation Tool: This new tool provides greater control and precision over your images, offering immense flexibility.
- Edge-Preserving Filters: These filters are crucial for enhancing images by reducing noise while maintaining the sharpness of edges, which is essential in astrophotography.
- “Unpurple” Tool: This feature helps minimize purple fringing on bright stars, a great addition for those not using high-end triplets.
- Integration with Graxpert: Siril now integrates with Graxpert software, utilizing AI for background removal and denoising.
Astrometry and Registration Improvements
Astrometry and registration have seen significant changes in this update. Astrometry plays a crucial role in image processing by providing precise measurements and data that enhance image quality and accuracy. Siril now calculates actual image distortions during plate solving and corrects these during registration. This improvement allows for mosaic stacking and uses the Hubble Space Telescope Drizzle algorithms for better handling of undersampled images.
Additionally, Siril has introduced new offline catalogs from the Gaia DR3 astrometry catalog. These catalogs are available as scripts that you can download according to your region.
Color and Photometry Enhancements
- Spectrophotometric Color Calibration (SPCC): This advanced method ensures that the colors in your astrophotographs closely match the true colors of celestial objects, enhancing the overall quality and scientific value of your images.
Automation and Scripting
Siril now supports advanced Python scripting, allowing you to utilize a wide range of standard astronomical libraries such as Astropy, NumPy, SciPy, and Pillow. A new script editor has also been launched to help you edit and debug scripts. Additionally, Siril now works seamlessly with Seti Astro Suite software, opening up new creative possibilities.
User Interface Improvements
The user interface has been simplified, making Siril much easier to understand and use.
Conclusion
This is a massive update, and we are excited to test out all these new features. Stay tuned for quick tutorials on each of these features. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any updates. Let us know what you think of the new features in Siril 1.4.0!
Happy astrophotography! 🌌✨
