On 2005-11-27, Tom Rauschenbach wrote:

From reading this newsgroup I understand that .avu format seems to be the
conventional file format for digital imaging. I usually associate that
format with motion pictures. Why is that the format used for
time exposures through a telescope ? I undertstand that .jpg wouldn't
give one access to the data on a per pixel basis, but wouldn't a .bmp file
work ? Is the .avi format chosen only by Toucam users ?

The software supplied with webcams will produce .avi files. It is only
natural to use them. They aren't used for long exposures, but instead
for collecting a series of images to be stacked and processed. "Raw"
files would give the most control over image processing. The popular
Registax program will stack and process images broken out from .avi
files.

As far as windows is concerned it is a question of having device drivers
for the webcam. If you had linux drivers you could use sane or xsane
to collect the images and the GIMP, IRAF, etc. to process them.

I think that among dedicated astro cameras Finger Lakes advertises
linux drivers. I'm not sure about others.

--
The night is just the shadow of the Earth.