Metadata-Version: 2.4
Name: pyfv
Version: 0.0.0a1
Summary: PyFV: modern Python port of FV for FITS image/table viewing and analysis
Author: Pan Chai
License: BSD-3-Clause
Project-URL: Homepage, https://github.com/your-user/pyfv
Project-URL: Issues, https://github.com/your-user/pyfv/issues
Project-URL: Documentation, https://github.com/your-user/pyfv#readme
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python :: 3
Classifier: License :: OSI Approved :: BSD License
Classifier: Development Status :: 3 - Alpha
Classifier: Intended Audience :: Science/Research
Classifier: Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Astronomy
Classifier: Operating System :: OS Independent
Requires-Python: >=3.9
Description-Content-Type: text/markdown
License-File: LICENSE
Dynamic: license-file

[![Binder](https://mybinder.org/badge_logo.svg)](
  https://mybinder.org/v2/gh/panschai/AstroFV/main?labpath=notebooks%2FAstroFV-lite.ipynb
)

# AstroFV

AstroFV is a modern, open-source rebirth of NASA’s classic FV (FITS Viewer.)

Rewritten in Python, AstroFV provides astronomers, students, and enthusiasts with tools to explore 
and analyze FITS files in a clean, portable, and extensible way.  

Legacy preserved. Future enabled. Open to all.

---

## Features

- FITS Support — Open and explore FITS images and tables
- WCS Integration — Display world coordinate system (RA/Dec) when available
- Plotting — Visualize columns, histograms, and image slices
- Table Viewer — Inspect and filter FITS table HDUs
- Scalings — Linear, logarithmic, sqrt, asinh, and more
- Jupyter Support — Run AstroFV Lite in the browser, no install required (via Binder/Colab, coming soon)

---

## Quick Start

### Local (Python)
Clone the repository and install dependencies:
   git clone https://github.com/YOURUSERNAME/AstroFV.git
   cd AstroFV
   pip install -r requirements.txt

   Run the FITS viewer:

      python src/fv/fv.py data/sample.image.fits

   In Jupyter (AstroFV Lite)

      Notebook demos are available in the notebooks/ folder:

         jupyter notebook notebooks/fv_lite.ipynb

      Binder/Colab badges will be added soon for one-click browser runs.

         Examples
         FITS Image
         FITS Table

Documentation

   Legacy FV help documentation is preserved in the doc/ folder (HTML format).  This includes explanations of FITS formats, plotting, and usage examples.

History and Stewardship

   The original FV (FITS Viewer) was developed at NASA in the late 1990s as part of the HEASARC mission tools suite. I have been its caretaker since 2001, ensuring it continued to serve astronomers, students, and researchers for more than two decades.  

   As my time at NASA comes to a close, I am placing this Python-based FV, renamed as AstroFV, on GitHub to preserve its legacy, ensure its survival, and open it to the future.  

   For the engineers and scientists who first created FV, AstroFV is both a tribute to that history and a new beginning — lightweight, modern, and accessible to all.  

     — Dr. Pan S. Chai, October, 2025

License

   This project is released under the BSD 3-Clause License.
   See the LICENSE file for details.
   © 2025 Pan S. Chai

Acknowledgments

  - The original FV (FITS Viewer) developed and maintained at NASA since the 1990s
  - The Astropy Project for core FITS and WCS functionality
  - The astronomy community for keeping open science alive

About the Author

  Pan S. Chai is a software engineer and scientist with a long history at NASA, where he worked on mission-critical astronomical tools. AstroFV is his effort to ensure that the beloved FV viewer continues to live on for future generations.
