Trouble loading TIF file from DSS

[ajreynolds]

I'm just starting out in astrophotography and StarTools was recommended, so I'm trying to run the trial version. I've taken some images, stacked them in DSS, and generated a TIF file, but when I try to open the file in StarTools, it says it can't read the file. I can load the same TIF file back into DSS and it displays fine. Fitswork and Photoshop Elements can also display it. I'm using the beta version 3.3.3 build 51 of DSS since the release version doesn't support my camera's raw format (Canon T3i). Can you give me any suggestions on how to load my files?

Thanks.
Andy

[admin]

I'm just starting out in astrophotography and StarTools was recommended, so I'm trying to run the trial version. I've taken some images, stacked them in DSS, and generated a TIF file, but when I try to open the file in StarTools, it says it can't read the file. I can load the same TIF file back into DSS and it displays fine. Fitswork and Photoshop Elements can also display it. I'm using the beta version 3.3.3 build 51 of DSS since the release version doesn't support my camera's raw format (Canon T3i). Can you give me any suggestions on how to load my files?

Thanks.
Andy

Hi Andy,

The trouble typically stems from a proprietary non-standard LibTIFF compression format that DSS uses (very annoying). You should be able to save the files uncompressed, or better yet, save them as FITS files. These should load fine in StarTools.

Do let me know if you have any further trouble.

Clear skies!

[ajreynolds]

That did it. I was using the autosave.tif and that didn't work. Saving it as an uncompressed 16 bit TIF worked. Would using one of the 32 bit outputs give me better results? Also, you mentioned using FITS instead of TIF, is there a benefit in using FITS?

Thanks,
Andy

[admin]

Great!

A higher bit depth is often unnecessary if the device that recorded the data does not produce higher bit-depth (most DSLRs produce 12-bit to 14-bits at most for example). It will (slowly) start paying off though if you *average* a lot of 12-bit or 14-bit frames (and not use any sample rejection method like median stacking).

I typically save as 32-bit integer FITS, just to be safe and for the fact that FITS is the 'gold standard' of scientific, raw data.

[ajreynolds]

Sounds good, I'll follow your example and use 32 bit integer FITS.

Thanks,
Andy