AVI is a videofile format. BMP is an image file format, typically. Same for
JPG. When using webcams for planets and the moon, you need to take hundreds of
images quickly. Taking individual images is just not the way to go, so video is
the choice, and I guess AVI is one standard that's widely used.

--- Dave
--
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Pinprick holes in a colorless sky
Let inspired figures of light pass by
The Mighty Light of ten thousand suns
Challenges infinity, and is soon gone




"Tom Rauschenbach" wrote in message
news


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 ?

I'm also surprised by the heavy prevelance of Windows software for this.
Are FreeBSD, OSX, Linux, Solaris really as rare as they seem to be within
the Astro imaging crowd ?