WCSAxes

WCSAxes is a Python package that provides functionality for plotting astronomical data with World Coordinate System (WCS) information. It integrates with the Matplotlib plotting library, allowing users to create figures where the axes are automatically labeled and scaled according to the WCS information embedded in astronomical images or catalogs. This means that positions on the plot correspond directly to celestial coordinates like Right Ascension and Declination.

The primary purpose of WCSAxes is to simplify the process of visualizing astronomical data. Instead of manually calculating and setting axis ticks and labels, WCSAxes reads the WCS header from FITS files and applies it to the plot. This ensures accurate representation of spatial information and facilitates comparisons between different astronomical datasets.

Key features of WCSAxes include automatic generation of celestial coordinate labels, support for various astronomical projections, and the ability to overlay multiple WCS-aware plots. It handles complexities such as coordinate transformations and non-linear projections, making it a powerful tool for astronomers and researchers working with sky-based data. The package is open-source and widely used within the astronomical community.