Fits images

[JemC]

As per the title, what are these all about ? 

Can any body explain in layman's terms how i go about stacking and processing type of files please  

Many thanks

[Budgie1]

You can stack FITs in DeepSkyStacker, same as you can Canon CR2 RAW files. Other software like PixInsight or AutoStakkert will also do the same.

With DSS, the stacked images are produced in a TIFF file, so you can do the post processing in PhotoShop, PixInsight, GIMP ect.

I forgot to add; If you've got a ZWO camera then download ASI Studio and it includes a FIT Viewer, so you can scroll through the subs before stacking.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Budgie1
More detail.

[The Lazy Astronomer]

From Wikipedia:

Flexible Image Transport System is an open standard defining a digital file format useful for storage, transmission and processing of data: formatted as multi-dimensional arrays, or tables. FITS is the most commonly used digital file format in astronomy

As mentioned above, all the astro stacking programs will handle FITS files. I think all astro-specific post-processing software will also handle them, so you can output your stack as FITS as well.  The newer versions of GIMP can open FITS, Photoshop requires an extra piece of software. Plenty of freely available FITS viewers on the web - I use the one that comes with ZWO's ASI Studio for viewing to weed out bad subs before stacking. 

[Stu Wilson]

Fits files also work ALOT faster than CR2 or .tiff files in DSS.