cfitsio ☆
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Description:
C access to FITS data files with optional Fortran wrappers
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 4.6.3@0  |  Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Other
Tags: astronomy fits scientific-computing data-format library
Install: brew install cfitsio
About:
CFITSIO is a library of C and Fortran functions for reading and writing data files in the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) format. It provides a robust and portable API that abstracts the complexities of the FITS standard, allowing developers to easily access and manipulate header metadata and multi-dimensional data arrays. This library is the de facto standard for astronomical data processing, enabling interoperability across countless scientific tools and missions.
Key Features:
  • Comprehensive API for reading and writing FITS headers and data
  • Support for both primary arrays and multiple extensions within a single file
  • Handles byte-swapping and data type conversions automatically for portability
  • Includes optional Fortran wrappers for easy integration into legacy codebases
Use Cases:
  • Developing custom astronomical data analysis pipelines
  • Reading and writing FITS files from within Python, R, or other languages via bindings
  • Archiving and distributing scientific datasets in a standardized format
Alternatives:
  • astropy.io.fits – A Python-based alternative; CFITSIO is a lower-level C library often used as the backend for higher-level tools like Astropy.
  • fitsio – A Python wrapper for CFITSIO, offering similar functionality but with a focus on performance and a more direct mapping to the C library.
License: CFITSIO
Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, sonoma, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 30, 2025 10:41pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 771be296
Dec 15, 2024 5:08am 1 VERSION_BUMP 5d51b352
Dec 12, 2024 4:09am 0 VERSION_BUMP 3fd914c2
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