FITS Liberator 3.01
Apr 16, 2020 19:33:03 #
Sonny had asked about FITS files and wondering if they were mono files. The answer might be interesting others, so I put it here. FITS file are like RAW files and contain information for each pixel. But the file itself knows nothing about the Bayer Matrix filter. Thus, they cannot directly be used to generate a color image if the file had been generated with an OSC type camera. What's needed is a way to Demosaic this file (sometimes called De-Bayer) into a color TIFF file.
There are many ways to do this. For example, DSS provides a way to do this, and other Astro processing packages are able to do this too.
But there is a way to process these FITS files into TIFF files and it can be done with a free application called FITS Liberator 3.01. It is available for both Windows and OS.
Here are some links providing some additional info on this:
https://photographingspace.com/how-to-use-fits/
https://www.spacetelescope.org/projects/fits_liberator/
https://en.freedownloadmanager.org/Windows-PC/FITS-Liberator-FREE.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FITS_Liberator
Using FITS Liberator, you can generate those tons of FITS files and turn them into TIFF files, ready for stacking.
There are many ways to do this. For example, DSS provides a way to do this, and other Astro processing packages are able to do this too.
But there is a way to process these FITS files into TIFF files and it can be done with a free application called FITS Liberator 3.01. It is available for both Windows and OS.
Here are some links providing some additional info on this:
https://photographingspace.com/how-to-use-fits/
https://www.spacetelescope.org/projects/fits_liberator/
https://en.freedownloadmanager.org/Windows-PC/FITS-Liberator-FREE.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FITS_Liberator
Using FITS Liberator, you can generate those tons of FITS files and turn them into TIFF files, ready for stacking.
Apr 17, 2020 01:49:31 #
Thought I'd better try this new version of FITS_Liberator 3.0 out and see how well it worked out. The first image shown is a screen shot of what the SW panel looks like. I have loaded an image of Pleiades taken with an Atik Infinity OSC using a Rokinon 135mm f2 lens for something to work with, A single FIT file. At the bottom, you see the scaling and stretch screen to work with.
I also used the same FIT file and loaded it directly into Photoshop where the older FITS Liberator worked as a Photoshop Plug-in.
My observations:
It was real easy to stretch too far and bring up too much noise using Liberator 3. And it was too easy to make the stars start to bloom as they became too saturated.
And, I expected Liborator 3 to DeMosaic the FIT file and produce an RGB image. It did not. When I loaded the result into Photoshop, it was a Grayscale TIFF file. I had to convert it to RGB myself.
Next, I went back to the older version of Liberator and loaded the FIT file directly into Photoshop. The file immediately loaded as a RGB file.
Then, because the image was dark, I used curves and levels to stretch it quite a bit and finally treated the noise with Topaz Denoise AI.
Surprisingly, I liked the results from the older version better. I had much better fine tuning control with Photoshop's curves adjust and the results showed it.
Went back to Liberator 3 and tried several more times to match what I got on the first try with the older Liberator and never succeeded.
The second image is one fit file, and I don't know how many seconds it was. The Infinity is quite sensitive, and the 135mm lens was at f2, so I suspect it wasn't many seconds. But I liked using the older Liberator in Photoshop rather than the newer stand-alone. Keep in mind that the brighter stars in Pleiades are always fuzzy which can be see in this image.
The 3rd image is the unstretched contents of the FIT file to show that it really needed the stretching.
I also used the same FIT file and loaded it directly into Photoshop where the older FITS Liberator worked as a Photoshop Plug-in.
My observations:
It was real easy to stretch too far and bring up too much noise using Liberator 3. And it was too easy to make the stars start to bloom as they became too saturated.
And, I expected Liborator 3 to DeMosaic the FIT file and produce an RGB image. It did not. When I loaded the result into Photoshop, it was a Grayscale TIFF file. I had to convert it to RGB myself.
Next, I went back to the older version of Liberator and loaded the FIT file directly into Photoshop. The file immediately loaded as a RGB file.
Then, because the image was dark, I used curves and levels to stretch it quite a bit and finally treated the noise with Topaz Denoise AI.
Surprisingly, I liked the results from the older version better. I had much better fine tuning control with Photoshop's curves adjust and the results showed it.
Went back to Liberator 3 and tried several more times to match what I got on the first try with the older Liberator and never succeeded.
The second image is one fit file, and I don't know how many seconds it was. The Infinity is quite sensitive, and the 135mm lens was at f2, so I suspect it wasn't many seconds. But I liked using the older Liberator in Photoshop rather than the newer stand-alone. Keep in mind that the brighter stars in Pleiades are always fuzzy which can be see in this image.
The 3rd image is the unstretched contents of the FIT file to show that it really needed the stretching.
Apr 18, 2020 14:19:47 #
Thank You Jim!
I will be back to this.
But we have 3 kids in the heated pool I need to go help with.
My trials and tribulations continue....
I will be back to this.
But we have 3 kids in the heated pool I need to go help with.
My trials and tribulations continue....
Apr 22, 2020 03:22:53 #
Jim,
I'm bustin a move on this because I'm in a trial period with Sequence Generator Pro.
I only records fits file format, which to me, is a real bummer. But wow, boy howdy, I built 3 sequences to test tonight (Hope it is as clear up your way as it is here!).
The Pinwheel Galaxy, took right off and I was a bit disappointed at first. But after a few tries it plate solved and is collecting fits images.
I just randumbly chose 120s with an Atik Infinity OSC to see what came of it.
So I'm hoping for a pile of files to run through Fits Liberator tomorrow for fun.
One very big drawback for SGP is it ONLY takes fits files. Not only that, the developer goes so far as to suggest any discussion about modifying it to do any of the other formats, well go use their program.
http://forum.mainsequencesoftware.com/t/sgp-and-osc/5496/16?u=sonnye
Anyway, back to collecting files...
I'm bustin a move on this because I'm in a trial period with Sequence Generator Pro.
I only records fits file format, which to me, is a real bummer. But wow, boy howdy, I built 3 sequences to test tonight (Hope it is as clear up your way as it is here!).
The Pinwheel Galaxy, took right off and I was a bit disappointed at first. But after a few tries it plate solved and is collecting fits images.
I just randumbly chose 120s with an Atik Infinity OSC to see what came of it.
So I'm hoping for a pile of files to run through Fits Liberator tomorrow for fun.
One very big drawback for SGP is it ONLY takes fits files. Not only that, the developer goes so far as to suggest any discussion about modifying it to do any of the other formats, well go use their program.
http://forum.mainsequencesoftware.com/t/sgp-and-osc/5496/16?u=sonnye
Anyway, back to collecting files...
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