GALFITools: A Python library to enhance GALFIT usage in galaxy image modeling

GALFITools: A Python library to enhance GALFIT usage in galaxy image modeling - Published in JOSS (2025)

https://github.com/canorve/galfitools

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A library for GALFIT

README.rst

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============
GALFITools
============

`GALFIT `_, a well-established two-dimensional image fitting algorithm, 
as outlined in the work by Peng et al. (2002, AJ, 124, 266), 
serves as the basis for precise astronomical image surface brightness 
analysis. In pursuit of optimizing the utilization of GALFIT, GALFITools emerges 
as an collection of Python routines. These routines 
enhances the input and output parsing associated with GALFIT.


GALFITools extends its utility through an array of functionalities, 
including the facilitation of mask creation, star selection for PSFs, generation 
of multiple initial parameters, simulate galaxy images, multigaussian 
expansion (MGE) fitting, as well as computation of sky background 
and other pertinent photometric variables.


**NOTE:** GALFITools assumes the user has a basic knowledge of GALFIT and SaoImage DS9.  
How to use GALFIT is found in the official `GALFIT `_ webpage.  
The DS9 webpage can be found `here `_ and a basic tutorial `here `_.
Useful concepts with related functions and CLI commands can be found 
`here `_.


.. _GALFIT: https://users.obs.carnegiescience.edu/peng/work/galfit/GFAQ.html
.. _GALFIT2: https://users.obs.carnegiescience.edu/peng/work/galfit/galfit.html
.. _ds9: https://sites.google.com/cfa.harvard.edu/saoimageds9
.. _ds9_tutorial: https://astrobites.org/2011/03/09/how-to-use-sao-ds9-to-examine-astronomical-images



-----------------------------------

**Installation Instructions**
-----------------------------------

First of all, install `GALFIT`_ if you haven't done so. Check
instructions `here `__.
Make sure that GALFIT can run in any path in your *linux/macOS* terminal.

If you want to learn how to use GALFIT, click `here `__.

GALFITools supports Python 3.9 through 3.13.   
*Optionally*, we recommend using a virtual environment

Install GALFITools via pip:

::

   pip install GALFITools 


Here is a detailed video tutorial on installing GALFITools 
using a virtual environment created with Conda:


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------------------------------------

**Get Started with GALFITools**
-----------------------------------

Once installed, you can test GALFITools using any of 
the commands in the console. 

In the example below, the command *getReComp* is executed in a terminal 
using the GALFIT output file 
`galfit.01 `__  to 
calculate the effective radius of a model 
with three Sersic components:

::
   
  $ getReComp galfit.01
  GALFITools: a library for GALFIT
  Version: 1.14.1
  webpage: https://github.com/canorve/GALFITools

  number of model components:  3
  Using a theta value of : 14.13 degrees 

  Total Magnitude of the galaxy: 9.79 

  Surface brightness at radius of 50% of light (μr): 21.15 mag/'' 

  Mean Surface Brightness at effective radius (<μ>e): 20.27 mag/'' 

  The radius at 50% of light is 199.64 pixels or 49.91 " 


-------------------

**Documentation**
-------------------

Full documentation along usage guide can be found in `https://galfitools.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ `__.



------------------------------

**Contributing and Support**
-------------------------------

Let us know if you have issues, questions or innovative suggestions arise, 
we encourage you to reach out via email to  canorve [at] gmail [dot] com  
or initiate a discussion by opening an  `issue `__.  
Your input is invaluable in fostering the continual refinement of 
GALFITools, for the betterment of the *GALFIT* community and beyond.


- Issue tracker: `https://github.com/canorve/GALFITools/issues `__. 

- Source code: `https://github.com/canorve/GALFITools `__. 

- `Contributions and help `__. 


--------------

**License**
--------------

The codebase of GALFITools is governed by the terms of the **MIT** license.


----------------------

**Credit / Citation**
-----------------------

If you find this code useful in your research, 
we kindly request that you cite it as follows:

Añorve, C. (2024). canorve/GALFITools: GALFITools v1.15.0 (v1.15.0). 
Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13994492


cite all versions using the DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8216472



--------------------------

**Additonal Resources**
--------------------------


For further capabilities and valuable extensions 
pertaining to GALFIT output, such as the generation of 
surface brightness profiles and estimation of other 
photometric parameters, we invite you to explore the 
EllipSect tool: 

`EllipSect `__


.. _pyscaffold-notes:


====

Note
~~~~~~

This project has been set up using PyScaffold 4.2.1. For details and usage
information on PyScaffold see https://pyscaffold.org/.

JOSS Publication

GALFITools: A Python library to enhance GALFIT usage in galaxy image modeling

Published

December 31, 2025

DOI

10.21105/joss.09534

Volume 10, Issue 116, Page 9534

Authors

Christopher Añorve
Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra y el Espacio, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, México

Editor

Warrick Ball

Tags

astronomy galaxy modeling GALFIT photometry

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