Modern astronomical cameras capture data in a format called a FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) file. FITS files cannot be opened by many common image processing programs. FITS Liberator 4 is a program that opens FITS files and saves them in a format the can be opened and manipulated by common image processing programs. 

 

In this podcast, Robert Hurt (IPAC) talks about FITS files, the history of FITS Liberator, how you can use FITS Liberator 4 to create your own images and some sources of astronomical data.

 

Robert Hurt is an astronomer and visualization scientist working at IPAC, a science and data center for astrophysics and planetary science at Caltech. His primary work has been for NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, but a variety of other communications projects have spanned many other NASA missions across the spectrum including Kepler, WISE/NEOWISE, NuSTAR, GALEX, as well as other Caltech projects like LIGO.

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While his principle interests have been in the visual side of science communications, he has also been involved with many other aspects of the science visualization community including the development of metadata standards for astrophysics outreach, including the AstroPix image site. He has also produced various video projects and podcasts spanning many topics in astronomy.

 

Bio: Rob Sparks is in the Communications, Education and Engagement group at NSF’s NOIRLab.

 

Links:

FITS Liberator 4 annoucement: https://noirlab.edu/public/blog/noirlab-pretty-pictures/

FITS Liberator 4 download: https://noirlab.edu/public/products/fitsliberator/

Coloring the Universe podcast: https://cosmoquest.org/x/365daysofastronomy/2015/12/12/dec-12th-coloring-the-universe/

MAST Archives at Space Telescope Science Institute: https://archive.stsci.edu/

NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive: https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/frontpage/

NOIRLab social media channels can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/NOIRLabAstro

https://twitter.com/NOIRLabAstro

https://www.instagram.com/noirlabastro/

https://www.youtube.com/noirlabastro

 

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