AstroImageJ
ImageJ for Astronomy
Click for other screenshots of AstroImageJ in use
The latest version has many features to enhance astronomical image processing, especially for photometry. These include
a versatile image display, time-series stacks, a link to Astrometry.net for adding coordinates, built-in
AstroCC to set and time and place, links to Simbad for object identification, and exoplanet model fitting. It is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux by
downloading an installation package . After installation, the built-in Help->Update option keeps your version current.
AstroImageJ (AIJ) ...
- Runs on Linux, Windows and Mac OS
- Provides an interactive interface similar to ds9
- Reads and writes FITS images with standard headers
- Allows FITS header viewing and editing
- Plate solves and adds WCS to images seamlessly using the Astrometry.net web interface
- Displays astronomical coordinates for images with WCS
- Provides object identification via an embedded SIMBAD interface
- Aligns image sequences using WCS headers or by using apertures to correlate stars
- Image calibration including bias, dark, flat, and non-linearity correction with option to run in real-time
- Interactive time-series differential photometry interface with option to run in real-time
- Allows comparison star ensemble changes without re-running differential photometry
- Provides an interactive multi-curve plotting tool streamlined for plotting light curves
- Includes an interactive light curve fitting interface with simultaneous detrending
- Allows non-destructive object annotations/labels using FITS header keywords
- Provides a time and coordinate converter tool with capability to update/enhance FITS header content (AIRMASS, BJD, etc.)
- Exports analyses formatted as spreadsheets
- Creates color images and with native ImageJ processing power
- Optionally enter reference star apparent magnitudes to calculate target star magnitudes automatically
- Optionally create Minor Planet Center (MPC) format for direct submission of data to the MPC
- Recently added when you update to the daily build after installation --
- Nearby eclipsing binary star identification from expected depth versus light curve RMS table for TESS follow-up
- Delta-magnitude versus RMS plot
- Enhanced contrast controls
- Annotations are retained when placing apertures
- FITS header search feature
An article on AstroImageJ appears in the
Astronomical Journal (2017).
Additional details on the user interface are available through astro-ph in reference
1701.04817v1. The User Guide may be downloaded
here.
Comments, requests for help and new features, and bug reports should be posted to the
AstroImageJ Forum.
AstroImageJ is ImageJ with astronomy plugins and macros installed.
It includes tools based on the
Göttingen ImageJ astronomical resources
with additions we find useful.
Because it was necessary to modify the original ImageJ code to enable some of these features,
this package should be installed in
its entirety.
AstroImageJ is open source software
and is distributed under the terms of the
GNU General Public License.
It incorporates
ImageJ
components which are in the
public domain.
Windows code Signing Policy
Free code signing provided by SignPath.io, certificate by SignPath Foundation.
Privacy Policy
This program will not transfer any information to other networked systems unless specifically requested by the user or the person installing or operating it.
Useful Links
Last update: September 4, 2025
kielkopf at louisville dot edu