astropy · Debajeet-1411 · Jul 12, 2026 · Jul 14, 2026 · Jul 20, 2026
@@ -1338,12 +1338,9 @@ def _load_data(cls, fileobj, coldefs=None):
        """
        Read the table data from the ASCII file output by BinTableHDU.dump().
        """
-        close_file = False
-
        if isinstance(fileobj, path_like):
-            fileobj = os.path.expanduser(fileobj)
-            fileobj = open(fileobj)
-            close_file = True
+            with open(os.path.expanduser(fileobj)) as f:
+                return cls._load_data(f, coldefs=coldefs)

        initialpos = fileobj.tell()  # We'll be returning here later
        linereader = csv.reader(fileobj, dialect=FITSTableDumpDialect)
@@ -1474,9 +1471,6 @@ def format_value(col, val):

                col += 1

-        if close_file:
-            fileobj.close()
-
        return data

    @classmethod
@@ -1485,12 +1479,9 @@ def _load_coldefs(cls, fileobj):
        Read the table column definitions from the ASCII file output by
        BinTableHDU.dump().
        """
-        close_file = False
-
        if isinstance(fileobj, path_like):
-            fileobj = os.path.expanduser(fileobj)
-            fileobj = open(fileobj)
-            close_file = True
+            with open(os.path.expanduser(fileobj)) as f:
+                return cls._load_coldefs(f)

        columns = []

@@ -1507,9 +1498,6 @@ def _load_coldefs(cls, fileobj):
                kwargs[key] = word
            columns.append(Column(**kwargs))

-        if close_file:
-            fileobj.close()
-
        return ColDefs(columns)



@@ -4529,3 +4529,17 @@ def test_zero_row_string_column(tmp_path):
    with fits.open(outfile) as hdul:
        table_data = hdul[1].data
    assert table_data.shape[0] == 0
+
+
+def test_bintable_load_exception_closes_files(tmp_path):
+    datafile = tmp_path / "data.txt"
+    cdfile = tmp_path / "coldefs.txt"
+    datafile.write_text("1 2.0\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    cdfile.write_text("MALFORMED_LINE\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    with pytest.raises(IndexError):
+        fits.BinTableHDU.load(datafile=datafile, cdfile=cdfile)
+
+    # Verify files are closed and can be unlinked immediately (prevents WinError 32 on Windows)
+    cdfile.unlink()
+    datafile.unlink()