FITS to MAT Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
Convert MAT image arrays to PNG for reports and previews. If your files are still in FITS format, this page is the shortcut: FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) is the data format of professional astronomy — every image carries a human-readable header with telescope, exposure and world coordinates alongside the raw pixel data.
iLoveConverter processes everything locally on your computer, which makes it private and fast: no upload wait, no server storage, no limits. Add as many files as you like — batch conversion is built in.
How FITS compares to MAT
| FITS | MAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | None (optionally Rice/GZIP) | None / zlib level 9 |
| Transparency | Not supported | Not supported |
| Animation | Not supported | Not supported |
| Metadata | Rich text header (WCS) | Variable names and workspace metadata |
| Best for | Telescope frames, science data | Simulation frames, sensor arrays |
How to convert FITS to MAT
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your FITS files onto the area above, or click to browse. You can add multiple files at once for batch conversion.
- 2
Convert instantly
Click "Convert to MAT". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted MAT file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the FITS format
FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) has carried professional astronomy data since 1981: every file opens with a plain-text header that records telescope, instrument, exposure, filters and world coordinates, followed by raw pixel arrays — often 16-bit or float, sometimes data cubes.
Values can be negative or far above display range, so FITS never looks right in a photo viewer. Converting to PNG applies a simple scaling pass that reveals the nebula or galaxy in the numbers — good for previews, while science pipelines keep the original.
+Strengths
- ✓Self-documenting science headers
- ✓High bit depth (16/32-bit, float)
- ✓The standard of every observatory
!Limitations
- −Not display-ready
- −Files are large and uncompressed
About the MAT format
MAT is the workspace format of MATLAB and its open-source sibling Octave. Image data shows up inside MAT files as numeric arrays — simulation frames, sensor captures, processed microscopy — usually alongside the variables and metadata a research script produced with them.
Converting the image arrays inside a MAT file to PNG makes them viewable and shareable without MATLAB — useful for reports, papers and collaborations where colleagues do not have a MATLAB license.
+Strengths
- ✓Carries numeric precision end to end
- ✓Pairs image data with research variables
- ✓Octave compatibility (open tooling)
!Limitations
- −Requires MATLAB/Octave to open
- −Not an image container by design
Why convert FITS to MAT?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Not display-ready MAT works differently: Carries numeric precision end to end If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this FITS to MAT converter really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily conversion limits. The site is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device — that is what makes it instant and private.
Does it work on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. Anything with a modern browser works: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. No software installation is required.
Will I lose quality converting FITS to MAT?
No — MAT is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original FITS file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
Can I convert several FITS files at once?
Yes — drop as many files as you like into the tool and they are converted in one batch. When more than one file comes out, everything is bundled into a ZIP for a single download.
What happens to EXIF data and other metadata?
Conversions here re-encode the image, and re-encoding generally does not carry the original metadata over. If the EXIF data of your FITS files matters (camera model, GPS, timestamps), keep the original file as the master and treat the converted copy as the shareable version.