The Automated Photometry of Transients (AutoPhOT) pipeline allows for rapid and automatic analysis of image data for transient events.

The novel pipeline is built from the ground up, based on Python3 and makes use of Astropy packages. AutoPhOT is able to handle homogenised data from different telescopes and applies techniques such as image calibration, image subtraction and novel PSF fitting in an automated and intelligent way.

Project is currently in beta stage. Feedback is appreciated. email: sean.brennan2@ucdconnect.ie [subject: github autophot]

• Colour terms still in testing/development
• Currently astrometry.net, HOTPANTS and astoalign needs to be installed by USER.
• PSF selection will look for bright isolated sources, however this can lead to sources being selected near the image boundaries. Future update with annulus selection procedure

• Some packages require conda-forge in channel list:

conda config --add channels conda-forge.

• Install AutoPhOTv via conda istall:

conda install -c astro-sean autophot

• Image alignment can use astroalign over WCS alignment from astropy see here. Install via

pip install astroalign

• Code relies on Astrometry.net by Dustin Lang to solve for WCS. Code can be downloaded/installed here and here Once installed, locate the solve-field executable [default location: /usr/local/astrometry/bin/solve-field] and update (if needed) 'solve_field_exe_loc' in syntax (see here). If the user trusts there WCS this step can be ignore as Astrometry.net is not used.

• Image subtraction uses HOTPANTS by Andy Becker - HOTPANTS can be found here. Once installed, locate the hotpants executable and update 'hotpants_exe_loc' in syntax see here. If the user has no need for image subtraction this step can be ignored.

Known error with installation of HOTPANTS

if installing on MacOS - if upon installation you get 'malloc.h' file not found, replace

#include <malloc.h>

with

#if !defined(  MACH  )
#include <malloc.h>
#endif
#if defined(  MACH  )
#include <stdlib.h>
#endif

to every .c file.

• For quick use see here.

• For an example on the preparation and file structure (although this is automated in quick use example) see here.

• For more detailed explanation see here (work in progress)

• AutoPhOT is still under development, if you use the code and wish to publish data please email me to discuss.

• Awaiting user feedback

Basic operation of AutoPhOT for complete photometric calibration of a transient

• 0.1 Initial upload