GRADUATE SEMINAR

AstroImageJ: ImageJ for Astronomy

Karen Collins
ABSTRACT
ImageJ for Astronomy ImageJ (IJ) is a popular, public domain, Java-based image
processing program developed at the National Institutes of Health. Although many of the more
than 1700 users and developers of IJ are from life sciences fields, its image processing capabilities
are useful and extendable to other scientific fields. An extension, referred to as AstroImageJ (AIJ)
has been optimized for the astronomy field. AIJ provides an astronomy specific image display
environment and tools for astronomy specific image calibration and data reduction, analysis,
detrending, modeling, and plotting. Although AIJ is a general purpose package, it is streamlined
for time-series differential photometry, light curve detrending and fitting, and light curve plotting.
ImageJ
Although ImageJ was developed out of the life sciences field, it is a general purpose
scientific image processing and analysis program that has useful applications in many scientific
fields. Its graphical user interfaces allow new users to quickly learn to use the program. It can
display, edit, analyze, process, and save images. It supports 8-bit color and grayscale, 16-bit
integer, and 32-bit floating point images. It also supports many file formats including: TIFF, PNG,
GIF, JPEG, BMP, DICOM, FITS, and more. It is Java based with open source and it can be run
on Windows, OS X, and Linux.
Astronomers need:
1) Easy and precise image scaling (contrast and brightness)
2) Optional automatic image scaling
3) Fast pan and zoom control
4) Image display flip and rotate
5) Pixel scale and orientation on the sky indicators
6) Photometric measurements at the mouse pointer
7) Organized, quick access to tools frequently used by astronomers
8) Integrated multi-curve plotting
9) FITS Header awareness (astronomy specific meta data)
10) World Coordinate System solve and display
11) Multi-image differential photometry
12) Image calibration and alignment

AstroImageJ (AIJ)
AIJ is born out of ImageJ. It inherits all ImageJ functionality. It includes changes to the ImageJ
base code to support the new display and plotting features. ImageJ code changes are implemented
via a script to attempt automated integration of new ImageJ releases. It adds specialized Java
classes, methods, and plugins to the implement the astronomy specific features. Currently
development is done by using NetBeans on a Windows platform. ImageJ2 is also available, but
AIJ is currently based on ImageJ(1).
AstroImageJ Image Display
1) Fast, convenient pan, zoom
2) Precise, fast, convenient contrast and brightness adjustment, or auto-setting
3) Live mouse photometer with peak and net integrated counts
4) Image flip and rotation
5) Aperture display and options
6) Display mpm-destructive Annotations
7) Store annotations in FITS headers
8) Auto plate scale and directional arrows display (with WCS headers)
9) Quick access to frequently used tools (Multi-Aperture, Image Alignment, Astrometry/plate
solve interface, FITS header access)
AstroImageJ Image Calibration
1) Master bias, dark, and flat building
2) Bias, dark and flat correction
3) CCD non-linearity correction
4) Astrometry/Plate solve
5) Photometry and Plotting
6) Real-time or post process modes
Aperture photometry
Aperture photometry is a method to measure the amount of light incident on a detector from a
source. The value of each pixel in an image is a function of the number of photons incident on the
corresponding region of the detector. The summation of all ADU in the region containing light
from a source -> integrated counts Pixels are functions of amount of light and are measured in
bright circular region. The problem is dark region (brightness is zero there) and since the sky is a
bright, the darkness should be subtract, because it can make a signal brighter than it really is. AIJ
currently supports circular apertures.

Photometric uncertainty
Photometric uncertainty is critical to understanding the confidence in a measurement. It is also
required for proper model/fitting of the data. Photometric uncertainty is calculated automatically
by AIJ following the CCD Equation.
Differential Photometry
Differential uncertainty measures the brightness of a source relative to assumed or known constant
brightness sources. It is important in ground-based photometry to remove effects of atmosphere.
It requires photometry of target star and one or more comparison or reference stars. If a reference
star is known to have constant brightness, may need only one comparison star. AIJ provides this
functionality in the Multi-Aperture module.
Multi-Aperture Module
Multi-Aperture Module measures multiple apertures over an image sequence. It has fixed or
variable radius (based on FHWM) apertures. Aperture are positioned by X, Y or RA. MultiAperture model has auto outlier/star removal from aperture background. It also has warning of
potential non-linearity and saturation.
Target vs. Comparison Apertures
Differential flux is calculated differently for comparison and target apertures. Target aperture net
integrated counts divided by the sum of all comp aperture net integrated counts. Comparison
aperture net integrated counts divided by the sum of all other comp aperture net integrated counts
Measurements Table
Measurement table is produced by Multi-Aperture and aperture. It contains columns of data and
measurements that can be plotted and saved.
Relative Flux Uncertainty
Relative flux and differential flux are different. Need to propagate photometric uncertainty through
the relative flux calculation.
Aperture Photometry Settings
1) Alternate locations to set aperture parameters
2) Specify FITS header meta-data to be loaded into measurements table
3) Define CCD specs related to error calculations and saturation warnings
4) Define data to be included in measurements table

Multi-Plot (Multi-curve Plotting)

Multi-curve plotting is used for nightly planets observing.
AstroImageJ Coordinate Converter
Time and astronomical coordinate system conversions and calculations
Data Processor and Multi-Plot use instances of CC for automated calculations
Image Alignment
AIJ supports alignment by translation only at this time without rotation and scaling. Align is using
WCS headers if available, otherwise is using apertures.
Plate Solving / WCS solution
AIJ finds sources in image. AIJ sends partial list of coordinates to astronomy net webserver. WCS
solution with headers and image annotations returned to AIJ. AIJ adds WCS headers and
annotations to image. AIJ optionally automatically saves image with new header info. It processes
single image or entire stack.