Use of FITS Images

[Biglewey]

I'm probably being slow here but cannot understand the FITS image format (well I understand it) but use it.  Everybody says FITs and SER are the formats to use.

My problem, camera is Altair Astro GPCAM2 IMX224 Colour on SkyMax 127 MAC..  Using avi format and bmp on my first attempt some very passable images of the moon, Jupiter (attached) and even M13 (didn't bother at this stage with flats, darks or bias - just trying to get a useable picture - one step at a time)using video for moon/Jupiter and stacking and about 20 images in bmp for M13. As I say quite pleased as this was my first night with the camera. As I say these were from avi and bmps.

I did some capture in FITS and SER but cannot for the life of me do anything with them. Please some help with FITS first.

FITS liberator shows the 3 planes (which I think) are the Red Green and Blue. I can do all the stretch and stuff but (and I'm probably being thick here) how do I get them into a  colour TIFF or JPG to put into Photoshop Elements. I can save and load each plane but they are just black and white representations of  each of RG and B.

What do I do with them to get a colour photo?

Any help appreciated.

[Freddie]

Put the FITs into DSS (or whatever you use to stack DSO images) make sure you debayer and then stack and save the colour image as a TIFF to go into PS.

For SER, just put the file into AS!2 as you would an AVI and stack as usual.

[cgarry]

Also, to play a SER file in the way you would an AVI: https://sites.google.com/site/astropipp/ser-player

Cheers,
Chris

[Biglewey]

Thanks will try when I get chance.......