Raw data from your astro camera is the untouched light information straight from the sensor. Unlike JPEGs, raw files are uncompressed and unaltered, preserving subtle luminance variations and details.
This data includes sensor artifacts like noise and hot pixels, which require calibration frames to correct. Most color cameras use a Bayer filter, meaning color data is recorded but not yet processed.
Think of raw files as your digital negative—full of potential but needing careful processing to reveal the night sky’s wonders.
