astropy

Automate astronomical data processing with Astropy for FITS I/O and coordinate transforms.

43|13|Updated Oct 10, 2025
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/lifangda/claude-plugins --skill astropy-lifangda
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: astropy
Source: https://github.com/lifangda/claude-plugins/tree/main/cli-tool/skills-library/scientific-computing/materials-science/astropy
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/lifangda/claude-plugins --skill astropy-lifangda

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires astropy, numpy, and includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

The Astropy skill bundles core astronomy utilities for handling FITS I/O, celestial coordinates, units, time, and cosmology to enable robust astronomical data analysis.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • FITS I/O: Working with FITS files and tables
  • Coordinate transforms: SkyCoord and frame conversions
  • Units & constants: Managing units and physical constants
  • Time systems: Handling diverse time representations in astronomy

Quick Start

Prompt Claude to read a FITS file or transform a coordinate between frames.

Frequently Asked Questions about astropy

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I read and write FITS files in Python?▼

FITS I/O with Astropy lets you open, parse, and modify FITS files and their headers using the `fits` module. Load data with `fits.open()`, access table or image data, update headers, and write changes back to disk efficiently.

How do I transform astronomical coordinates between different reference frames?▼

Coordinate transformations use Astropy's `SkyCoord` object to convert positions between frames like ICRS, Galactic, and AltAz. Specify input coordinates and frame, then transform to your target frame with a single method call.

Can I handle physical units and constants in astronomical calculations?▼

Astropy's units module attaches physical dimensions to numbers and performs unit-aware arithmetic automatically. Access physical constants via the constants module for calculations without manual conversion.

How do I work with different time representations in astronomy?▼

The Time class unifies diverse time formats—ISO, JD, MJD, Unix—into a single object, handles timezone conversions, and performs time arithmetic for scheduling observations and calculating exposure timing.

What's the best way to perform cosmology calculations like redshift to distance?▼

Astropy's cosmology module provides standard models to convert redshift to luminosity distance, compute age of the universe at a given z, and calculate comoving distances without implementing formulas manually.