SPXQuery Documentation

SPXQuery is a Python package for automated SPHEREx spectral image data query, download, and time-domain photometry analysis.

SPHEREx (NASA Astrophysics Medium Explorer) obtains 0.75-5 μm spectroscopy across the entire sky using Linear Variable Filters (LVFs). This package provides tools to:

  • Query SPHEREx data from IRSA (NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive)

  • Download spectral images with optional cutouts for reduced file sizes

  • Perform aperture photometry with zodiacal background subtraction

  • Combine multiple observations into 3D spectral data cubes via Drizzle3D

  • Generate time-series light curves and visualizations

  • Apply quality control filtering for robust photometry

Features

  • Automated TAP queries to IRSA SPHEREx archive

  • Image cutout support for storage reduction (e.g., 200px cutout vs full 2040×2040 image)

  • Parallel downloads with progress tracking and resumable pipeline

  • Aperture photometry with configurable parameters and background estimation

  • Batch photometry for multi-source extraction over sky regions

  • Drizzle3D — combine observations into spectral data cubes with inverse-variance weighting

  • Quality control with SNR thresholds and pixel flag filtering

  • Publication-quality plots with customizable visualization parameters

Quick Start

Install via pip:

pip install spxquery

Basic usage:

from spxquery import SPXQueryPipeline, Source, QueryConfig

# Define your astronomical source
source = Source(ra=304.69, dec=42.44, name="My_Star")

# Configure the query with cutout support
config = QueryConfig(
    source=source,
    output_dir="output",
    cutout_size="200px",  # Download only 200×200 pixel region
    sigma_threshold=5.0,  # Minimum SNR for quality control
)

# Run the full pipeline
pipeline = SPXQueryPipeline(config)
pipeline.run_full_pipeline()

This will query IRSA, download cutout images, perform photometry, and generate light curve plots.

Documentation

Indices and Tables