<p><code>.mt</code> files are the output files (or possibly intermediate ones as the final products in the <a href="https://archive.eso.org/scienceportal/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ESO archive</a> have <code>.fits</code> extensions) produced by the <a href="https://www.eso.org/sci/software/esomidas/doc/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ESO-MIDAS</a> data reduction system for the (in this case) <a href="http://www.ls.eso.org/lasilla/Telescopes/2p2/E2p2M/FEROS/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">FEROS echelle spectrograph</a>. The individual echelle orders have been extracted from the original 2D CCD images, flattened, wavelength calibrated and joined together into a 1D spectrum.</p>
<p>The <code>.mt</code> files are FITS files however the fact that they are 1D can cause some issues for normal image viewers; the ESO archive has <a href="http://archive.eso.org/cms/eso-data/help/1dspectra.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">some help</a> on how to setup various tools (including <code>fv</code>) for displaying 1D spectra. In this case, since the file is a standard FITS file, regular FITS tools e.g. AstroPy, IRAF, MIDAS etc will work to convert the file and the ESO archive link above has info on how to do this in Python, IDL and IRAF.</p>
<p>One relatively pain-free option could to use <a href="http://star-www.dur.ac.uk/%7Epdraper/splat/splat-vo/splat-vo.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Splat-VO</a> to do the plotting, investigation and conversion. (When loading the <code>.mt</code> spectrum you will need to either rename the extension to <code>.fits</code> or tell Splat-VO the file format is FITS as it won't be auto-recognized). Once it's loaded in, you can convert to a variey of formats, including ASCII/text.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-10T19:23:39.810Z
Thank you very much. And is it possible en masse in Splat-VO?
Elena Greg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-10T19:32:48.350Z
Not really, Splat-VO is meant as an interactive investigation tool. Not knowing the level of FITS spectra experience of you or future readers of this question, it seemed a good starting point. For en-masse data conversion/manipulation, a data reduction environment such as Starlink, IRAF or MIDAS (ordering based on my level of knowledge) or programming language such as Python+specutils or IDL would be better with choice based on preference and current and future use
astrosnapper
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-10T19:40:42.540Z
Thank you very much
Elena Greg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-10T19:20:01.267Z
2021-04-10T19:20:01.267Z
astrosnapper
<p>How to convert .mt file with a spectrum to a more convenient format, please? I am able to display that in fv: Fits Viewer, but I am lost in converting. Thank you</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-09T22:01:16.257Z
Can you please edit your question to include a link to an example file ?
astrosnapper
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-10T03:24:08.257Z
Sure, I have added it.
Elena Greg
<spectra>
.mt file convert to .fits/.ascii/.dat
Elena Greg
# .mt file convert to .fits/.ascii/.dat

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-04-09)

How to convert .mt file with a spectrum to a more convenient format, please? I am able to display that in fv: Fits Viewer, but I am lost in converting. Thank you

**Tags:** spectra
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you please edit your question to include a link to an example file ?  
> **username_0**: Sure, I have added it.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-04-10. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

`.mt` files are the output files (or possibly intermediate ones as the final products in the [ESO archive](https://archive.eso.org/scienceportal/) have `.fits` extensions) produced by the [ESO-MIDAS](https://www.eso.org/sci/software/esomidas/doc/index.html) data reduction system for the (in this case) [FEROS echelle spectrograph](http://www.ls.eso.org/lasilla/Telescopes/2p2/E2p2M/FEROS/). The individual echelle orders have been extracted from the original 2D CCD images, flattened, wavelength calibrated and joined together into a 1D spectrum.

The `.mt` files are FITS files however the fact that they are 1D can cause some issues for normal image viewers; the ESO archive has [some help](http://archive.eso.org/cms/eso-data/help/1dspectra.html) on how to setup various tools (including `fv`) for displaying 1D spectra. In this case, since the file is a standard FITS file, regular FITS tools e.g. AstroPy, IRAF, MIDAS etc will work to convert the file and the ESO archive link above has info on how to do this in Python, IDL and IRAF.

One relatively pain-free option could to use [Splat-VO](http://star-www.dur.ac.uk/%7Epdraper/splat/splat-vo/splat-vo.html) to do the plotting, investigation and conversion. (When loading the `.mt` spectrum you will need to either rename the extension to `.fits` or tell Splat-VO the file format is FITS as it won't be auto-recognized). Once it's loaded in, you can convert to a variey of formats, including ASCII/text.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you very much. And is it possible en masse in Splat-VO?  
> **username_1**: Not really, Splat-VO is meant as an interactive investigation tool. Not knowing the level of FITS spectra experience of you or future readers of this question, it seemed a good starting point. For en-masse data conversion/manipulation, a data reduction environment such as Starlink, IRAF or MIDAS (ordering based on my level of knowledge) or programming language such as Python+specutils or IDL would be better with choice based on preference and current and future use  
> **username_0**: Thank you very much  

---

