Data Formats and Visualisation BoF

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges and discussions surrounding multiple data formats in astronomy, focusing on their impact on visualization tools and the lack of consensus on a unified format.

Contribution

It analyzes the implications of multiple data formats in astronomy and highlights the difficulties in creating a universal format or utility for visualization.

Findings

Multiple formats complicate the development of general-purpose visualization tools.

The discussion clarified why reaching a consensus on a unified format is difficult.

No definitive solution or conclusion was reached in the discussion.

Abstract

ADASS used to hold a regular FITS BoF (Birds of a Feather meeting). As other data formats started to be used along with FITS, this became a Data Formats BoF, and there was some element of competition between formats, together with an occasional attempt to create a unified Format that could replace FITS as the only astronomical format needed. The impetus for this year's BoF came from an acceptance that astronomy would have to work with multiple formats in the foreseeable future, and a question: Did the use of multiple formats make it difficult to write general-purpose utilities, for example visualisation programs such as SAOImage/DS9, and if so was this a problem? The resulting discussion was interesting, and although it came to no ultimate conclusion, it at least made it clearer why such a conclusion was hard to reach.