Changelog

• 6.0.5.00

  Mar 30, 2026

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  General

  • AIJ now handles Multi-plot drag and drop of fits tables not created by AIJ.
  • Attempted fix of Stack Display problem with Linux Wayland-based OSs.
  • Changes as described in daily build release notes since 6.0.4.00.
• 6.0.4.04

  Mar 27, 2026

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  New Features

  • ImageJ using interface scaling mostly supported using option at AIJ_Toolbar > Edit > Options > Appearance > Gui Scale (plot scaling is still a work in progress).
  • Add envrionment variable for AIJ run task to copy prefs file from a known location.
  • Support launching AIJ and directly opening an image sequence.

  Bug Fixes

  • Fixed WCS problem when opening fits files.
  • Fixed import image sequence problem.
  • Fixed NPE when toggling aperture names with no apertures.
• 6.0.4.03

  Mar 10, 2026

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  New Features

  • Enable read measurementstable tool on Toolbar to read fits.fz measurements tables.
  • Extend matched measurements table extensions to include csv and tsv file suffixes.

  Bug Fixes

  • Fixed multi-aperture macro recording default file name.
  • Fixed macro reading of apertures file.
  • Fixed TESScut incorrect headers when skipping images due to TESS quality flag.
  • Fix incorrect handling of multiple file extensions.
• 6.0.4.02

  Mar 7, 2026

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  Critical Bug Fix

  • Fixed bug introduced by fits reader changes which caused WCS solutions to fail when opening TESScut FFI image sequences.
• 6.0.4.01

  Mar 6, 2026

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  Bug Fixes

  • Fix macro recorder NPE.
• 6.0.4.00

  Mar 4, 2026

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  General

  • Adds various error dialogs for updater failure modes.

  New Features

  • Adds a feature that optionally allows border regions to be defined around the edges of the detector. The regions can be used to mask areas that are not to be used when plate-solving and multi-aperture auto comparison star selection.
  • Adds a feature that finds the common field of view for all images in a stack of images with WCS solutions (i.e. are plate-solved). This feature is currently used to limit the image region used by auto comp star selection to avoid selecting reference stars that are not in all images. This option can be set to run automatically when a plate-solved stack is opened.
  • The two new features above can be accessed in the new “Display region exclusion” button above the image stack, as well as in The Multi-Aperture and Astrometry set-up panels. Excluded regions will be shaded red in the image display. Right-click the new icon to access the settings from the stack display.

  Bug Fixes

  • Macro recording is now fixed in the Multi-Aperture set-up panel.
• 6.0.3.00

  Nov 20, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  General

  • Mac will now support version downgrades.
  • AIJ is again added to the Windows Start menu.
  • Fix updater script (elevator) not working due to incorrect line endings.
• 6.0.2.00

  Nov 13, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  General

  • Add option to control plate-solving polling rate in Astrometry setup panel.
  • Log an error when creating observatories.txt fails.
• 6.0.1.00

  Nov 6, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  General

  • Now saves preferences before running AIJ version updater.
  • Fix reading of memory size setting.
  • Move to using pkg installers for Mac.
  • Add options to show beta and alpha builds in updater.
• 6.0.0.01

  Nov 6, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  General

  • Nothing to report yet in this section.

  New Features

  Periodogram

  • Reordered list of periodogram data sources to measurements tables, Synthetic, and Current Image, so that measurements tables show first in the pulldown list.
  • Added a menu item to Multi-plot for accessing the periodogram feature at Multi-plot Main > Create periodogram....

  Image Display

  • When an image contains WCS coordinates, a right click in the image display now offers an option to display a catalog FOV using the Swarthmore Aladin FOV tool.

  Coordinate Converter

  • The custom observatories list can now be enabled or disabled, edited, or opened directly from the CC > Preferences menu.

  Bug Fixes

  General

  • Fixed the AIJ toolbar > Edit > Options “Run single instance listener” enable / disable option.
  • Changed the “single instance listener” method of communication to speed up AIJ start-up.
  • Fixed opening of plotcfg when opening a *measurements.fits.fz file into AIJ.
  • Added a log message for cases when an attempt is made to open a multi-HDU fits file which does not contain a SCI HDU.
  • Added support of drag and drop of *measurements.fits.fz files onto Image Display and Multi-Plot panels (toolbar drag and drop was already supported).

  Coordinate Converter

  • Clarified some Aladin FOV option names.

  Image Display

  • Added support for extraction of PA from WCS and using it in Aladin FOV detector outline.

  Multi-Aperture

  • In elliptical aperture mode, fixed problems when attempting to use imported or existing apertures.
  • In elliptical aperture mode, fixed logging of elliptical aperture centroid failures.
  • In elliptical aperture mode with “Auto Fixed Apertures from multi-image T1 radial profiles” mode, fixed a problem where the last image’s measured eccentricity and angle are shown on the first image as T1.
• 6.0.0.00

  Oct 18, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 25

  General

  • AIJ hosting, including website, update files, and installation packages, has moved to a github hosted implementation, which is now accessed at astroimagej.com.
  • The update process and user experience has changed to accomodate updating of all AIJ files, including the java runtime version, and also provides higher security. The update process now implements a full new install package and may require additional clicks and interaction from the user.
  • Windows builds are now signed using a certificate from the SignPath organization.
  • Updated Java to version 25.
  • AIJ logs are now moved out of the installation folder and into a separate log folder.
    • Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\AstroImageJ\Logs\aij.log
    • Mac: ~/Library/Logs/AstroImageJ/aij.log
    • Linux: ~/.local/state/astroiamgej/logs/aij.log

  New Features

  Periodogram Support

  • Greg Srdoc has contributed a new module that provides Box Least Squares (BLS), Transit Least Sqaures (TLC), and Lomb-Scargle (L-S) periodograms from measurements table columns. To use the feature, create a measurements table by running Multi-Aperture. If needed, detrend and/or smooth the lightcurve and save to a new column in the measurements table using the “New Col” icon on the left-hand side of the Y-data panel. Then from Image Stack > Analyze, choose “Periodogram Analysis…”. BLS and TLS are useful for long time-baseline observations such as TESS or Kepler space-based data. L-S periodograms search for sinusoidal components in time-series, so may be useful for analysis of ground or space-based data.

  Image Display

  • Image Display > Edit > Stack (Stack Sorter) now supports virtual stacks.

  Coordinate Converter

  • The finder field button now links to the Swarthmore Aladin FOV tool. Various default settings can be changed at CC > Preferences > Edit Aladin Settings.

  Multi-plot

  • In phase-folding sub-panel, added “Period Alias (P/N)” setting. This setting is used to quickly change the period set in “Period (Days)” to Period/N. This setting is useful for assessing active aliases in TESS data with large observation gaps (e.g. duo transits).

  Bug Fixes

  General

  • On Mac, fixed an error when displaying “About AstroImageJ”.

  Multi-Aperture

  • Fixed bug in auto threshold min and max brightness values when auto is disabled.
  • Fixed bug in auto fixed apertures from multi-image T1 radial profiles option flux cutoff value.
  • Fixe bug in lock eccentricity and angle when use previous apertures is selected.
  • Fixed bug in elliptical apertures related to apparent magnitude values.
  • Fixed bug that caused tot_C_err, rel_flux_err, and rel_flux_SNR to not be calculated when “Use multiple threads for photometry” is enabled.

  Image Display

  • Fixed a bug with SIMBAD access when using the Harvard mirror site.

  Coordinate Converter

  • Fixed a bug with SIMBAD access when using the Harvard mirror site.
  • Added BARO, BARON, and OAN to built in observatories.
  • Moved custom observatories location to same folder that contains AIJ_PREFS.txt file.
    • Windows: C:\Users\USERNAME\.astroimagej
    • Mac: /Users/USERNAME/Library/Preferences/.astroimagej
    • Linux: ~home/.astroimagej
  • Fixed a bug with the “Use previous apertures” option.
  • Added option to customize observatories withing the Coordinate Converter.
• 5.5.1.00

  May 7, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 24

  New Features

  • Multi-Aperture > File > ‘Save data subset to file’ now supports outputting full JD-related data in all data columns. Previously, outputting any time-related column (containing JD in the label), other than in the first (leftmost) column would subtract the integer value for purposes of detrending and avoiding fitting the large JD numbers. To now output the fractional version of the JD number, select the version of the time column label in the dropdown mention that is prefixed with ‘F’ (for fractional). For example, to output the decimal part of BJD_UTC, select FBJD_UTC in the dropdown menu.
  • Multi-Aperture > File > ‘Save data subset to file’ now allows the user to define custom constant column values and column label names for output in the data subset file. For example, to output a column labelled ‘Target’ with the value ‘Sirius’, open ‘Save data subset to file’, select the ‘Constant Col’ button at the bottom and define the label, value pairs that you desire to output. Click Okay to return to the Save Data Subset main panel. Then select the desired label names in the dropdown menus in the order that you want them in the output file.

  Bug Fixes

  • Fixed a problem with drag and drop of saved apertures files
• 5.5.0.00

  Apr 29, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54m1 and Java 24

  New Features

  • Multi-aperture now provides an elliptical aperture option that…ry for non-circular PFSs (such as from poor tracking or guiding)
  • Multi-aperture now provides an option for the T1 aperture to t…d to be less than the radius of the photometric aperture in use.
  • General
    • Add a function to get measurements table name for use in programmable plot titling
    • Added better handling of folder opening when no valid images are found
    • Added additional error logging of exceptions to aij.log (for troubleshooting purposes)
    • Double-click of the new unified fits.fz table file that can contain all of measurements table, plotcfg, and apertures information in a single file, now opens all saved components into AIJ by default. A list of the loaded components is briefly displayed as they open in to AIJ.
  • Multi-Aperture
    • Support for elliptical aperture shapes
    • Support for tracking moving targets
    • Implements multi-threaded photometry
    • No longer runs auto-comp after multi-aperture is cancelled using ESCAPE
  • Multiplot
    • Ref star panel and image overlays now display the average magnitude value from the stack rather than just a single image
    • Added support for renaming data column header labels
  • Measurements table
    • Added support for renaming data column header labels

  Bug Fixes

  • Fixed problem with optimization when using data trimming
  • Fixed a problem with the transit model display persisting between changes in the fit mode
  • Fixed a problem that prevented the table display from properly updating
• 5.4.2.00

  Feb 5, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 23

  Bug Fixes

  • General
    • Attempt to fix bug that may cause preferences to become corrupted.
  • Open Image Sequence
    • Avoids a problem with recursive zip file reading.
  • Multiplot
    • Fixed problem with table merging
  • Fits Header Editor
    • Fixed bug that terminated a value string prematurely when a single quote was part of the string.
• 5.4.1.00

  Jan 16, 2025

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 23

  New Features

  • General
    • Mac installation package now uses native Mac launcher to attempt to work around shutdown / fail to start up issues.
  • Fitting/Detrending
    • Changed limit on transit depth to <0 rather than <=0.

  Bug Fixes

  • Image Display
    • Fixed crop image bug.
  • Fitting/Detrending
    • Fixed two issues that caused certain detrend-only modes to not fit correctly.
    • Fixed a slight offset in degree of freedom determination for NelderMead detrending.
    • In multi-plot Y-data, fixed the detrend factor display to correctly show new fitted value after every detrend.
• 5.4.0.00

  Dec 12, 2024

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 23

  New Features

  • (Beta) Multi-aperture “Freeform” apertures mode.
  • Support of saving the measurements table, plotcfg, and apertures file all within a unified fits.fz table file that contains all three.
  • Support of opening general fits table files, such as Kepler, TESS SPOC or QLP lightcurve files from MAST.
  • Fits.fz measurements table saving.
  • New MeasurementsTable math operations in table display.
  • Columns of data in measurements table can now be fitted to curves.
  • AAVSO Macro
    • Update AAVSO Exoplanet Format Macro to v7.7.
  • Multi Aperture
    • (Beta) Multi-aperture “Freeform” apertures mode allows user-defined aperture shapes and supports centroiding and relative photometry via reference stars.
    • Autocomps now uses slider to select trade-off below proximity and brightness.
  • FITS File handling
    • Fixed a problem with BJD timestamps for TESS TICA FFI images.
    • Updates to underlying FITS handling code (nom.tam.fits).
    • Fixed opening of some 3D fits images that opened as an incorrect number of images.
    • Add stack folder saving options.
    • Fix to open only SCI HDU in multi-HDU fits images.
  • Linux Distribution
    • Update linux launch script to handle spaces in paths.
    • Fix logging window display for certain Linux distributions.
    • Fix image display for certain Linux distributions (double-buffering issue).
  • Fitting Panels
    • Fit Panel data cleaning UI more explicit; thresholds for each mode started independently.
    • Changed transit fitter to use built-in ImageJ amoeba (Nelder–Mead) routine.
    • BIC is now calculated even with no transit model and no detrending.
    • Fixed a problem where deleting many table rows took a very long time.
  • Measurements Table Display
    • Option added for filtering out rows with NaN, Inf, and Fin values.
    • Math can now be implemented on columns of data and to optionally produce new columns of data.
    • Added options to add and delete columns of data.
    • Row insertion and row label editing now supported.
    • Columns of data in measurements table can now fitted to curves.
  • Astrometry
    • Updated timeouts to accommodate long queues at astrometry.net server.
    • Improved interactions with astrometry.net to improve per image solve time in some cases.
  • Plotting
    • shows number of data points removed since measurements table creation
    • Use alt-left-drag in plot image to zoom. Roll mouse wheel to zoom in x and y. Scroll+Alt/Opt to zoom in y only. Scroll+Ctrl/Cmd to Zoom in x only. See new help button on plot for more options and details.

  Bug Fixes

  • Fixed various exceptions and lockup modes.
  • Various fixes to automatic plot titling.
  • Bug fix to “Open plot configuration from file” now allows selected file to be opened.
• 5.3.4.02

  Apr 7, 2024

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 21

  New Features

  • Multi-plot
    • Tweaked naming of some Multi-plot Main > File menu items

  Bug Fixes

  • Multi-plot
    • Fixed a bug that causes scripted titling to not work when using a virtual stack and then clearing some data point.
    • Fixed a problem where impact parameter, b, lock does not get recalled when reopening a plotcfg file.
• 5.3.4.00

  Apr 4, 2024

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 21

  New Features

  • Multi-plot
    • Improved Cleaning “Undo” icon in fitting panels
  • FITS Reader
    • Now reads 16 bit scaled images fits images correctly (i.e. BITPIX=16, BZERO ≠ 32768, BSCALE ≠1)
  • Measurement Table
    • Improved table reading speed
• 5.3.3.00

  Mar 24, 2024

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 21

  New Features

  • Improvements in phase-folding for TESS data analysis.
  • Updated Java JRE for new installs to address security issue in Linux OS (requires fresh installer to update JRE).
  • Measurements tables, and optionally associated plotcfg and apertures files can be saved in a single compressed fits table file to save space and simplify file management. However, the default is still to save to independent delimited text files that can be opened in standard spreadsheet and text editing programs.
  • Transit models are now variably sampled which ensures at least three points in transit for very long TESS sequences, and improves model rendering time in general by reducing sampling when not needed for display purposes.
  • AIJ now allows images of different sizes to be loaded into a stack by cropping or filling all subsequent images to be the size of the first image. A log message will be displayed to warn that cropping has been implemented. This feature is useful for processing survey images that may not all be of the same dimensions.
  • All current Multi-aperture settings are now saved in .apertures files.

  Bug Fixes

  • General
    • Fixed certain icons that didn’t render properly on Mac.
    • When dragging and dropping a folder of images on the AIJ Toolbar, the import image sequence panel can be bypassed by holding the Control Key while dragging (i.e. will open all images in the folder).
  • Multi-aperture
    • Set-up panel now displays better on low resolution displays.
    • Removed an unintended pause before starting photometry run.
    • Fixed T1 aperture not showing in specific cases.
    • Fixed single step mode not allowing placement of apertures.
    • Fixed bug that allowed two multi-aperture runs to start while auto aperture measurements were running.
  • Multi-plot
    • Fixed vMarker2 not updating when phased transit duration is updated.
    • Plot cursor x-coordinate now shows full time not just fractional time.
    • Fixed problems with transit fitting when model parameters are locked.
    • Added a zoom indicator to upper-left of plot when zoomed in.
    • Allow spline fitting masking of data using Left trim and Right Trim settings.
    • Improved plot rendering time by minimizing unnecessary duplication of calculations.
    • Plot zooming and panning performance significantly improved.
  • Color image processing
    • Fix virtual stack debayering problem caused by reading header value from wrong image slice.
• 5.3.2.00

  Jan 8, 2024

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 21

  New Features

  • Added Windows, Mac, and Linux fresh install packages; AIJ may now be installed in Program Files folder and file type associations selected at installation.
  • Fixed manual AIJ memory setting on Mac; Move to universal mac startup (development note).
  • Added Mac Codesign and notarization to IDE/gradle builds (development note).

  Bug Fixes

  • Measurements Table
    • 5.3.0.01: Fix table column display issue
  • Multi-plot
    • 5.3.2.00: Fixed data cleaning exception.
    • 5.3.2.00: Added support for double-click to open plotcfg, aperture, and radec files.
    • 5.3.2.00: Fixed spline fit transit masking.
    • 5.3.1.01: Initial impact parameter b to handle older plotcfg files.
    • 5.3.0.01: Correct order of legend drawing.
    • 5.3.1.00: Fix bug with ref star panel when no aperture in measurement table.
• 5.3.0.00

  Dec 18, 2023

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.54h2 and Java 18

  New Features

  • Signifigant new features
    • Introduces programmable plot titling from FITS headers, filenames, and measurements tables (see help in Multi-plot Main).
    • Introduces arrow symbols on plot to indicate when data points are off the plot (can be disabled in MP Main X and Y settings).
    • Introduces a new implementation of measurements table to speed processing and provide search/copy/paste/goto functions etc.
    • Corrected compressed FITS writing (FPACK) and added compression presets and custom compression setting capability.
    • Fixed Multi-Aperture and other settings panel number editing.
    • Update to ImageJ 1.54h2.
  • General
    • 5.3.0.00: Added Option to allow disabling of beeps.
  • Measurements Table
    • 5.2.1.01: New implementation of measurements table
      1. Provides much faster performance that will enable future development of new features that require larger measurements tables (e.g. multiple aperture sizes per run)
      2. Allows access to individual cells directly
      3. Provides column sorting (right-click on column header name, for example, right-click on JD_UTC to sort data according to time)
      4. Provides table filtering capability (e.g. select all saturated exposures when can then be deleted from the table and plot if desired)
      5. Provides table display sorting (left-click on column name) and filtering without updating the underlying table data and plot
      6. Provides column name filtering to show specific columns (e.g. JD_UTC|AIRMASS|rel_flux_T1 with regex enabled)
      7. Provides a column name “Go to” function to jump to a desired column name (and row if specified)
      8. Linearity and saturation warnings are now optionally flagged in individual table cells using yellow and red backgrounds, respective. The flags are on a per-aperture level.

  Bug Fixes

  • General
    • 5.2.1.04: fixed erroneous error message when trying to close an image
    • 5.2.1.04: more macro bug fixes
    • 5.2.1.01: Fixed problem with double-click on measurements table to open into AIJ
  • Measurements Table
    • 5.3.0.00: Fixed measurements table access null pointer exceptions (NPEs).
    • 5.2.1.03: Color label and slice columns cells when linearity or saturation flagged
    • 5.2.1.02: Fixed spacing of measurements table when font size is changed.
  • Multi-aperture
    • 5.3.0.00: Fixed initialization of impact parameter (b) setting when loading plotcfgs from before the b setting was implemented.
    • 5.3.0.00: Provide for bulk setting of reference star changes and MT update.
    • 5.3.0.00: Fixed spline smoothing normalization to use division instead of subtraction
    • 5.2.1.02: Fixed erroneous beep after “Place Apertures” click.
    • 5.2.1.01: Fixed a bug that caused multi-aperture to not pick up the WCS solution if stating multi-aperture with a slice displayed that does not have a WCS solution, even if the first slice to be processed does have a WCS solution.
    • 5.2.1.01: Fixed a bug which caused the Multi-plot windows to open twice when a new measurements table is loaded.
  • Data Processor
    • 5.2.1.01: Now properly handles fits.fz filetypes in the input fields.
    • 5.2.1.01: When multi-aperture is enabled as part of DP, the multi-aperture will change to “Use previous N apertures” after first image is processed.
  • Multi-plot
    • 5.3.0.00: During data subset output, only flag MF if it the checkbox is eneabled.
    • 5.3.0.00: During data subset output, prepend ‘F’ to fraction timing columns.
    • 5.3.0.00 Transit model plot datapoint density changes according to zoom.
    • 5.3.0.00: Added plot title programmability (see help in Multi-plot Main).
    • 5.3.0.00: Plots can be resized by drag and drop of the plot edges.
    • 5.2.1.01: Fixed spine fit to fit new measurements table values if already enabled before multi-aperture run.
    • 5.2.1.01: When “Fixed apertures from multi images” mode is enabled, the slice indicator scroll bar now updates (the bug happened with place apertures by RA/Dec selected).
• 5.2.1.00

  Aug 8, 2023

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.53k and Java 18

  New Features

  • General
    • 5.2.0.17: stacks with different image zooms are cropped and filled to the same size as the first image in the stack (e.g. ZTF images)
    • 5.2.0.17: New plot zoom modes, scroll/trackpad zoom action zooms in both X- and Y-axis, <control/command>-scroll zooms in X-axis only, <alt/option>-scroll zooms in Y-axis only, <alt/option>-drag in plot drags a zoom-box to define the zoom region. New HELP button in plot windows defines all the plot-mouse-keyboard actions.
    • 5.2.0.17: new aperture options added “Place all new apertures”, “Place first previously used aperture”, “Place N previously used apertures”, and “Place N imported apertures”
    • 5.2.0.17: update WCS and NAXIS of debayered images
    • 5.2.0.17: add color code to debayered images
    • 5.2.0.17: on Mac, files now associated with AIJ (such as .tbl) can be double-clicked to open them into AIJ and Multi-plot
    • 5.2.0.15: Measurements table support precision beyond 6 decimal places.
    • 5.2.0.13: Added macro and macro recorder support to Multi-Aperture and Stack Aligner (for new genericswingdialog windows)
  • Macros
    • 5.2.0.16: Added flags for data processor, multi-aperture, and stack aligner completion
  • Multi-aperture
    • 5.2.0.17: new aperture options added “Place all new apertures”, “Place first previously used aperture”, “Place N previously used apertures”, and “Place N imported apertures”
    • Handle SHUTOPEN keyword for timing extraction (e.g. ZTF images)
    • New “Update image display while running” option can be disabled to significantly speed up Multi-Aperture runs. The downside is that the images can no longer be seen as photometry runs.
  • Multiplot
    • 5.2.0.17: New plot zoom modes, scroll zooms in both X- and Y-axis, <control/command>-scroll zooms in X-axis only, <alt/option>-scroll zooms in Y-axis only, <alt/option>-drag in plot drags a zoom-box to define the zoom region. New HELP button in plot windows defines all the plot-mouse-keyboard actions.
    • 5.2.0.17: Detrend and comp optimization now work when smoothing is enabled.
    • 5.2.0.17: Binning can now show both the binned symbols and unbinned symbols, or just the unbinned symbols (through use of tri-state checkbox)
    • 5.2.0.17: Drawing of binned error bars now available on per lightcurve basis
    • 5.2.0.17: Unbinned error bars are now just a straight line. Binned error bars still have top and bottom horizontal lines.
    • 5.2.0.17: unbinned transparent color data are now hidden when binned symbols are enabled
    • 5.2.0.17: smoothing panel improvements
    • 5.2.0.17: operators are now selected using pop-up window and icons
    • 5.2.0.17: New “multi-state” check boxes in Y-data panel save horizontal space
    • 5.2.0.17: using custom error no longer forces the display of error bars (use “show error” to do so)
    • 5.2.0.16: When binned symbols are shown, the unbinned symbols show in a fainter version of the same color instead of always in grey
    • 5.2.0.16: new “Quick” comp star optimization option (allows optimization of large numbers of comp stars, but may not find the exact lowest RMS)
    • 5.2.0.16: Default TESS data smoothing changed to fixed with a knot spacing of 4 times transit duration
    • 5.2.0.16: Any FITS table can now be opened as a measurements table (including TESS SPOC light curve files)
    • 5.2.0.16: Data binning now happens incrementally instead of after data points are put into bins (to handle long TESS sequences)
    • 5.2.0.13: Merged point deletion in plots ( left- and right-click) with cleaning buffering and undo functions in fitting panel.
    • Added control in MP > Style to allow output of binned error bars
    • Lightcurve fitting now allows Tc to be negative to support phase folded plotting.
    • Change default Tc fitting stepsize from 15 minutes to 1 hour, which encourages AIJ to check from transit centers further from the specificied midpoint of “left” and “right”.
    • Added a “Period Sync” checkbox in the multi-plot main phase folding panel. When enabled, the orbital period specified in the phase folding panel is copied to all enabled fitting panels.
    • Adds new Style menu that will eventually allow various plot style setting (font sizes, symbol sizes, etc.). Currently, only changes to the dot symbol size, binned dot symbol size, and bolded dot symbol size (when mouse cursor is over a symbol in the plot) are available.
  • Image Display
    • 5.2.0.17: The new capability introduced in 5.2.0.08 “Added options to save a new single aperture position for use with the multi-aperture “previous aperture” option. To use, type or paste an RA and Dec into either RA or Dec above an image and press to save a centroided T1 aperture, or press to save a non-centroided T1 aperture. Just press to only save the location identification in the image overlay (as before)” now adds an aperture representation in image overlay to indicated centroid or not.
    • 5.2.0.09: Changed “plot of pixel values at mouse cursor from all slices” keyboard control to require both and be held.
    • 5.2.0.08: Added option to show a plot of pixel values at mouse cursor from all slices when menu option is enabled or the key is held while moving mouse.
    • 5.2.0.08 : Added options to save a new single aperture position for use with the multi-aperture “previous aperture” option. To use, type or paste an RA and Dec into either RA or Dec above an image and press to save a centroided T1 aperture, or press to save a non-centroided T1 aperture. Just press to only save the location identification in the image overlay (as before).
  • Debayer
    • 5.2.0.17: update WCS and NAXIS of debayered images
    • 5.2.0.17: add color code to debayered images
    • Add new option for Luminance image creation [ R + B + ½(G1+G2) ]. The original version R + B +G1 +G2 is still available.
    • 5.2.0.06: Debayer in virtual stack mode would previously keep copy of debayered images in memory, so could still hit a memory limit and crash. This has now been fixed and should allow any number of images to be debayered in virtual stack mode, without limits from available physical memory.
  • Coordinate Converter
    • Now hides warning messages when leap second update connection failures occur
  • AIJ Updater
    • 5.2.0.06: AstroImageJ.exe is now only downloaded under Windows (not under Mac or Linux). Even though it downloaded for Mac and Linux before (and could cause user confusion), it was not saved to disk, so was benign.
  • NEBcheck
    • 5.2.0.07: Multiple measurementsTables processing now also selects T1 aperture.
    • 5.2.0.04: Faster copy of best results.
    • 5.2.0.02: Adds macro number in window title, fixes NEB table naming to match ExoFOP upload script, and turns off log output if checkbox on setup panel is disabled.
    • 5.2.0.01: Now handles detrended data columns that are saved in the measurements table(s).
    • 5.2.0.01: Added timestamps to log messages.
    • 5.2.0.01: Removed request for OK from user to start merging multiple table results. Added a merge progress progress bar.
    • 5.2.0.01: Supports checking for Txx/Cxx changes between different measurements tables.
    • 5.2.0.01: Accommodates multiple tables in the same folder by placing the results folder in the same folder. Otherwise, the results are placed in the parent folder of the first measurements table.
    • 5.2.0.01: Simplified user dialog asking if more files are to be processed.

  Bug Fixes

  • General
    • 5.2.0.17: fixed problems with Multi-Aperture when running under Data Processor (variable aperture and centroiding)
    • 5.2.0.17: On Macs, either or c, x, v can be used to copy, cut, and paste into dialog boxes.
    • 5.2.0.17: plot zooming using the trackpad now works smoothly
    • 5.2.0.16: Significant performance improvements to file opening, photometry, and measurements table handling.
    • 5.2.0.15: Fixer error message when opening TESScut TICA FFIs.
    • 5.2.0.14: AIJ now ignores a trailing dot at the end of an integer in fits header values
  • Macros
    • 5.2.0.17: Fixed another memory leak issue
    • 5.2.0.16: Fixed memory leak issue
    • 5.2.0.16: Fixed hang issues
    • 5.2.0.16: Multi-aperture “automode” now disabled for Stack Aligner runs
  • Astrometry
    • Bug fixed that caused many timeouts when communicating with astrometry.net
  • Data Processor
    • Fixed handling of compressed image names such as fits.fz
  • Multiplot
    • 5.2.0.11: Fixed MP > File > Open plotcfg from file
    • 5.2.0.11: Fixed plotcfg open null pointer exception
    • Fixed problem with Out Binning when phase folding (filtering of NaNs)
    • 5.2.0.10: Fixed laying in PDF image: transit model over binned data over unbinned data.
    • 5.2.0.08: Fixed a problem with data symbol and transit model placement in PDF files.
    • 5.2.0.08: Fixed an exception that caused the Multi-Plot Y-data panel to empty after changes the number of Y-datasets or the number of detrend parameters.
    • 5.2.0.08: Added “Style” option to allow disabling the display of AIJ version number on plot window. Please keep the version number displayed for AIJ general use for traceability of results. This option may be needed when producing PDF files for publication.
    • 5.2.0.07: Added “KeplerSpline” smoothing for long time-series such as from TESS. This smoothing is intended for removing long-term stellar variations from TESS light curves rather than for detrending ground-based data. The smoothing happens before the fit, and not jointly with the fit as with AIJ standard detrending.
  • Stack Aligner
    • Bug fix to prevent loss of header information
  • FITS Handling
    • 5.2.0.17: more updates to fits handling
    • 5.2.0.17: fixed writing of fpacked integer fits files
    • 5.2.0.17: TPC WCS coordinate system now handled (by ignoring distortion corrections) (e.g. ZTF images)
    • 5.2.0.12 Updates to fits reading and writing (update to nom.tam.fits 1.18.0) to correct compression/decompressions differences relative to fpack/funpack utilities.
    • 5.2.0.11 Initial fixes to handle TICA FFIs
  • Image Display
    • 5.2.0.10: Fixed NEB check macro startup from Image Display
    • 5.2.0.09: The “plot of pixel values” PDF plotting now works.
    • 5.2.0.05: Corrected problem with fixed contrast mode not staying at the same contrast level.
  • Stack combiner
    • Fixes a bug with how numeric values were written to the updated headers. The bug caused headers to not show when opened in other programs or re-opened in AIJ.
    • Fix a bug that caused fits headers not to update when using a median stack combine.
  • NEBcheck
    • 5.2.0.11: remove debug line (“TARGET disp: XXX”) seen in the log file output
    • 5.2.0.04: Faster copy of best results.
• 5.2.0.00

  Dec 7, 2022

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.53k and Java 18

  New Features

  • NEBcheck
    • Now supports sorting the best results from multiple AIJ runs using different aperture sizes and selected the best result from all apertures for the merged results. (Many, many thanks to Dennis Conti and Bob Massey of the AAVSO for designing, developing, and test this new significant feature.)
  • FITS Writer
    • FPACK (.fz) compression temporarily reverted to lossless fpacking. The previous compression settings were too lossy. We will later revert to a compressed version that matches LCOGT compression.
  • General
    • It AstroImageJ.cfg does not exist, it is created when a memory change is specified in Toolbar > Edit > Options > Memory & Threads
  • Data Processor
    • Bias, Dark, and Flat master files may now be compressed independent of the science files by using .fits, .fits,fz, .fits.gz, or .fits.fz.gz suffixes in the file name box.
  • FITS Header Editor
    • Provides a new “Track Slice” option that causes the editor contents to update when the slice displayed is changed in the stack.
  • Astrometry
    • Now defaults to same compression format as the originally opened file.
    • Astrometry now overwrites initial image by default, event for compressed images, if auto-save is enabled. Different compression formats can be selected on the astrometry set-up panel instead.
    • Now offers option to save in compressed formats (FPACK and/or GZIP). Use must select the same format as the input files to overwrite the file on disk. A later improvement will allow AIJ to select the same settings as the input file by default.
    • Fix file writing that was defaulting all uncompressed fits files to .fits extension.
  • Stack Combiner
    • Now creates new fits headers appropriate to the combined slices (contributed by Bill Tschumy)
  • Multi-plot
    • A color “transparent” was added to allow plotting a transit model while suppressing the plot of the underlying data.
  • Multi-aperture
    • Multi-aperture option “Auto Fixed apertures from multi-image T1 radial profiles” has an updated algorithm that results in a larger auto-radius.
    • Multi-aperture option “Auto Fixed apertures from multi-image T1 radial profiles” allows radial profile/WCS failures and continues to derive auto-aperture based on the remaining images.
    • Multi-aperture option “Auto Fixed apertures from multi-image T1 radial profiles” now shows stack slider progressing when MA runs.
  • Folder Opener
    • Now shows a warning if no images are available in the specified folder.
  • Stack Aligner
    • Now respects the More Aperture Settings option that indicates that the first slice should be user as the starting slice, no matter what slice was showing when Stack Aligner was launched.
  • FITS Reader
    • Now supports multiHDU images produced by Pixinsight
    • Now maintains full file suffixes, including compression type to allow saving to those compression formats by default.

  Bug Fixes

  • FITS Writer
    • Fixed a bug that causes AIJ’s fpack written files to only be readable by AIJ.
  • General
    • Fixed a null pointer error that was reported when a memory change was attempted and AstroImageg.cfg file existed.
  • Multi-plot
    • Bug fix - Y-data panel missing values in GUI if Preferences > “Open Y-data panel at startup” is not enabled, and then the Y-data panel is later opened.
  • Multi-aperture
    • Fix a problem that caused the base aperture sizes to be changed when auto fixed and variable aperture modes were used.
    • Fixed an optimizer problem that occurred when the “Left Trim” option was used.
    • Fixed a memory leak problem that occurred with virtual stacks when combined with “use prev” and “ra/dec” settings.
• 5.1.3.00

  Oct 9, 2022

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.53k and Java 18

  New Features

  • Multiplot
    • All plots now offer a “Copy” button to allow copying the plot image to the OS’s copy and paste buffer for ease of pasting images into other applications.
  • FITS Handling
    • Multi-plot > File menu and DP now offer fpack and gz compression when writing single images and 3D fits files.

  Bug Fixes

  • Multiplot
    • Fixed dot symbol size in pdf output files
    • Comp star optimizer now ignores cases where RMS <=0
    • Folder opener now sets AIJ to default to the same folder for writing reduced data files
    • Fixed a specific case where certain plotcfg files would fail to load (especially on Mac)
    • Fixed a bug which caused a multi-plot error (and lock-up) when updating plot during a multi-aperture run
  • Multi-aperture
    • Fixed a bug that caused an IndexOutOfBounds error for stack radii
    • Fixed case where multi-aperture and stack-aligner allowed “use previous apertures” even if no previous apertures had been defined.
  • FITS Handling
    • Fixed a bug where improperly formatted LCOGT images would cause an extra image in the stack.
• 5.1.2.00

  Sep 20, 2022

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.53k and Java 18

  Critical bug fixes: Fixed plot not updating when comp star optimization finishes

  New Features

  • Multiplot
    • When optimizer is cancelled, it now returns to the starting state.
  • FITS Handling
    • 3D FITS fpack compression added
    • Now opens fpack compressed multi-HDU FITS files

  Bug Fixes

• 5.1.1.00

  Aug 11, 2022

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.53k and Java 18

  New Features

  • General
    • On MacOS, “command Q” and toolbar menu item “Quit” now save the preferences to disk before AIJ closes.
  • Multiplot
    • File menu now offers an option to produce an AAVSO variable star report (thank you Dennis Conti!) (see link on set-up panel for instructions)
    • Detrend columns with all NaNs are now flagged in the fitting panel if selected
    • Optimization now ignores all NaN columns (previsouly they caused an incorrect optimization)
    • Fixed a detrend optimization bug caused by specific BIC initial condition.
    • Updating of comp star and detrend settings after optimization more efficient (only one table and/or plot update required after each optimization).
  • FITS Handling
    • Fits files (except 3D fits files) can now be written in compressed FPACK (.fz) format (and optionally with gzip compression as well). Previously, only FPACK files could be opened.
    • AIJ now opens gzipped + fpacked fits files when named *.fz.gz.
    • Update nom.tam to 1.17.0 within annotate keyword support overlaid.
    • AIJ now removes NAXIS entry when a 3D fits stack has been opened and then saved as individual images
  • FITS Header Editor
    • Now allows keywords longer than 8 characters, although it violates FITS spec
  • Seeing Profile Stack
    • Multi-plot save-all option now allows saving of the summary image as a png, and/or the full seeing stack as a multi-image gif.
    • New buttons under the seeing profile stack to save images as png or pdf, or the full stack as a multi-image pdf or gif.
  • Aperture Settings
    • The option “Julian Date (J.D.-2400000)” has been renamed to “Time Stamps (JD_UTC, etc.)” since it controls multiple time stamps being written to the measurements table.

  Bug Fixes

  • Multiaperture
    • Now saves target and ref star designations when finished so that the “Recall” button on the Reference Star panel will restore the initial settings (e.g. after a comp star optimization).
  • Multiplot
    • The location of the seeing profile image stack that gets created when using a variable aperture is now recalled correctly from session to session.
  • Fitting Panel
    • All light curves now updated after an optimization operation completes
  • Data Processor
    • Fixed a problem where invalid path names in DP on a Mac could cause an exception and resulting in the file opener icons to be inoperable.
• 5.1.0.00

  Jun 6, 2022

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.53k and Java 18

  Changes

  • Windows Display Scaling
    • Now supported with new AstroImageJ.exe launcher. To install the new launcher, either install the new installation package from the website, or update to 5.1.0.00 (or later) twice.
  • General
    • AIJ notifies user when a new released build is available upon startup.
    • Fixed image display maximization on multiple monitor systems.
    • New installs now default to allow up to 75% of physical system usage, but can still be overridden from Toolbar options setting as before.
    • Windows launcher will update as needed on windows systems.
    • Changed default measurements table file type to .tbl.
    • .tbl filetypes can now be set to open AIJ upon double-click (and .plotcfg if named with the same file prefix as the table file).
    • Fixed export of fractional fps AVI files
    • Added AIJ log file to capture stdout warnings and errors
  • NEBcheck
    • Changed max length of data from 3,000 to 10,000 photometric samples.
  • FITS reading/writing
    • Various new 3D FITS format reading supported (i.e. multi-image FITS files).
    • 3D FITS format writing support (i.e. multi-image FITS files).
    • Load image sequence now allows filtering on up to two fits header values.
    • Fixed opening of 64-bit floating point fits images as rounded 32-bit float images.
    • Allows opening of hanging HDUs generated by original FITS writer
    • Color Image Debayer Support
      1. Revised corrections to debayer pixel interpretations
      2. Renamed debayer options
      3. Support for 8 bit debayering
      4. Fixed debayer not opening on missing keyword
      5. Corrections to debayer pixel interpretations
    • Fixed bug that caused fits writer to not write current slice
  • Multi-plot
    • Fixed but the caused the plot to not update under certain conditions when the comp star ensemble is changed in the Reference Star panel.
    • Fixed save data subset handling of long data column names.
    • Fixed output binning corner-case problem.
    • Fixed optimization bug where some threads remained open
    • Fix for radec export when Multi-Aperture has not been executed
    • Transit fitting bug corrected so that secondary transit location is not fitted with primary transit model
    • Cleaning and optimization now allowed with transit model disabled
  • Multi-Aperture
    • Display panel layout has been changed to hopefully improve useability.
    • Tooltips have been added to each option (hoover the mouse over the option to read the detailed note – wiggle mouse left and right over note to retain onscreen).
    • Fixed variable aperture based on radial aperture usage (sometimes failed and defaulted to user settings)
    • In radial profile variable aperture, a stack of radial profile images is created.
• 5.0.3.00

  Mar 4, 2022

  ImageJ 1.53k

  Java 17

  Changes

  • Multi-Plot
    • Fixed binned RMS calculation for fitted curves
    • Out Bin settings now saved to preferences
  • Color Processing
    • New Debayer mode has been corrected for FITS pixel ordering.
    • New Debayer mode now supports ROWORDER, XBAYROFF, YBAYROFF
    • New Debayer mode now offers options to limit the extraction to specific colors
  • Multi-Aperture
    • Aperture size pixel count and sky background pixel counts now recorded in measurements table correctly for all apertures.
• 5.0.2.00

  Feb 28, 2022

  ImageJ 1.53k

  Java 17

  Changes

  • Color Processing
    • New Debayer mode that extracts 3 independent color stacks and a luminosity stack that sums all 4 pixels R, B, G, and G. In the G image, the two G pixels are averaged. Each image is ½ the size of the original in both X and Y.
    • Compositor now runs channels again, as in IJ 1.47
  • Fit Optimizer
    • Standard data point cleaning (left-click on Clean) uses per-point photometric uncertainties to determine which points are removed from the dataset. This version adds support for model residual RMS cleaning by using shift-left-click on Clean, or a right-click on Clean (see Multi-Plot below).
  • Multi-Plot
    • Output data binning is implemented (which is true binning). The previous “Bin Size” option is now labeled Input Average, which is how it is implemented before data processing. The output binning is done after all processing and does not affect the detrending or light curve fitting.
    • Added RMS cleaning using a shift-click or a right click on “Clean”
    • Alt-left-click on Clean now cleans based on photometric uncertainty outliers (for cleaning obscured/clouded images)
    • Fixed missing help files
    • Transit fit lock-up bug fix
    • Optimizer now works with “Use Transit Fit” disabled
  • Multi-Aperture
    • Improved set-up panel layout
    • Fixed auto-radius not being carried forward when combined with Data Processor
    • Fixed auto-comp star suggestions to provide the N requested stars instead of N-1
  • Astrometry
    • Fixed null pointer exception related to importing annotations from astrometry.net
  • File Opener
    • Fixed file counting bug in import image sequence that was introduced in 5.0.1.3.
    • 16 bit integer images now open as 16 bit, rather than 32 bit images.
  • File Import
    • Provides file size and number of files before opening.
• 5.0.1.00

  Jan 24, 2022

  ImageJ 1.53k

  Java 17

  Changes

  • General
    • Windows HiDPI scaling now supported, except the red crosshatch image cursor is offset from live aperture location
    • Additional improvements to windows HiDPI scaling
  • Fit Optimizer
    • Optimizer includes support for fit width and custom step size
    • Improvements to error messages
  • Multi-Plot
    • Fix conflict between auto and manual data point cleaning
    • Fixed data trimming breaking optimization
  • Multi-Aperture
    • Fixed incorrect removal of aperture when radec list opened.
    • Fixed incorrect aperture centroiding on second MA run after auto-comps are placed
    • Fixed auto-radius aperture sizes not being saved in .apertures file
• 5.0.0.00

  Jan 5, 2022

  Includes

  ImageJ 1.53k and Java 17

  Changes

  • General
    • Requires a fresh installation of AIJ from the University of Louisville website: https://www.astro.louisville.edu/software/astroimagej/installation_packages
  • Under The Hood Changes
    • ImageJ updated to 1.53k
    • Java updated to version 17
  • PDF Support
    • Writes publication quality (vectorized) pdf plots
  • New FITS files supported
    • Reads TESScut image files
    • Reads TESS TICA FFI image files
    • Reads TESS SPOC FFI image files
    • Reads TESS postage stamp image files
    • Opens LCO zipped folders of fits.fz image sequences
  • Multi-Aperture
    • Automatically extract aperture radii from T1 radial profile
    • Automatic selection of comparison star apertures
  • Fit Panel
    • Supports data cleaning based on number of sigmas from fitted model
    • Automatic optimization of comp star ensemble based on RMS minimization
    • Automatic optimization of detrend parameter selection based on BIC