Contents

• Preface
• List of Tables
• The Origin and Purpose of FITS
  • The Need for FITS
  • What FITS Is
  • The Philosophy of FITS
• History
  • The First Agreement
  • Random Groups
  • Generalized Extensions
  • ASCII Tables
  • Floating Point
  • Physical Blocking
  • Image Extension
  • Binary Tables
  • How FITS Evolves
• FITS Fundamentals
  • Basic FITS
    • Primary Header
      • Required Keywords
      • Reserved Keywords
      • Some Hints on Keyword Usage
      • Units
    • Primary Data Array
      • Scaled Integers
      • Undefined Integers
      • IEEE Floating Point Data
  • Random Groups
    • Header
      • Required Keywords
      • Random Parameter Reserved Keywords
    • Data Records
  • Extensions
    • Required Keywords for an Extension Header
    • Reserved Keywords for Extension Headers
    • Creating New Extensions
  • ASCII Table Extension
    • Required Keywords for ASCII Table Extension
    • Reserved Keywords for ASCII Table Extension
    • Data Records in an ASCII Table Extension
  • The Image Extension
    • Header
    • Data Records
  • Binary Tables
    • Required Keywords for Binary Table Extension Headers
    • Reserved Keywords for Binary Table Extension Header
    • Binary Table Extension Data Records
  • Reading FITS Format
  • FITS Files and Physical Media
• World Coordinate Systems
  • Indexes and Physical Coordinates
  • Proposed Conventions
    • Improved Axis Descriptions
    • Sky Images
      • Pixel Regularization
      • Transforming to Projected Sky Coordinate
      • From Pixel to Physical Values
      • Deprojection
      • Conversion to Standard Celestial Coordinates
  • Coordinate Keywords
  • Current Status
• Advanced FITS
  • Registered Extension Type Names
  • Conventions for Binary Tables
    • Variable Length Arrays
    • Arrays of Strings
    • Multidimensional Arrays in Binary Tables
      • TDIMn Keyword
      • Green Bank Convention
    • Some Applications of Binary Tables
      • Replacing Random Groups
      • Multiple Arrays in One HDU
  • Hierarchical Grouping Proposal
  • STScI Inheritance Convention
  • Checksum Proposal
  • Other Proposed Conventions
    • HEASARC
      • Keywords and column names
      • Proposed CREATOR Keyword
      • Proposed TSORTKEY Convention
      • Maximum and Mininum Values in Table Columns
    • World Coordinates in Tables
    • Compression
    • Other Reserved Type Names
    • Developing New Conventions
  • Keyword Domains
  • Polarization
  • Spectra
  • High Energy Astrophysics Applications
• Resources
  • The FITS Support Office
    • On-line Information
    • Documents
    • Software and Test Files
    • Contact Information
  • NRAO FITS Resources
  • HEASARC
  • Some Additional Software Resources
  • Other Network Resources
• Examples of FITS Headers
  • Example 1: VLA Image Header
  • Discussion of Example 1 (VLA Image Header)
  • Example 2: M87 and Jet (KPNO)
  • Discussion of Example 2 (M87 and Jet)
  • Example 3: ASCII Table
  • Discussion of Example 3 (A Galaxy Catalog in an ASCII Table)
  • Example 4: Binary Table Containing Spectra
  • Discussion of Example 4 (A Binary Table Containing Spectra)
  • Example 5: ADC FITS Table Header for AGK3 Catalog
  • Discussion of Example ADC FITS Table Header for AGK3 Catalog
  • Example 6: DIRBE FITS Headers
  • Discussion of Example 6: DIRBE FITS Headers
  • Example 7: ASCA FITS Header
  • Discussion of Example 7: ASCA FITS Header
• IEEE Formats
• References
• About this document ...