How to deal with various LSR definitions?
- Dominant language
- Python
- Stars
- 5.3k
- Forks
- 2.2k
- Avg merge
- 1d 19h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 75
Description
The wonderful new `SpectralCoord` PR (#10185) also introduced two new frames, `LSRK` and `LSRD`, and in hindsight I wonder if it is the right approach to define two new frames rather than, like for `GalactoCentric` allow the user to specify the assumed LSR velocity via a `ScienceState` - https://docs.astropy.org/en/latest/coordinates/galactocentric.html
This in part since I'm not sure our current definitions are entirely consistent: e.g., `LSRK` defines the velocity vector in `FK4` - isn't it strictly defined as co-moving with `FK4` then? It's quite likely that in practice this does not matter, but I worry a bit about mixing rough and fairly precise items in our transform graph.
Anyway, this mostly simply as a question, though one that we should answer before 4.1, hence the milestone. cc @astrofrog, @eteq, @adrn.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start by reading PR #10185 and the GalactoCentric documentation linked in the issue, then compare how the LSRK and LSRD frames define their velocity vectors. Done means reaching and recording a decision on whether these should remain separate frames or use a configurable ScienceState before the 4.1 milestone.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- backend
- Issue type
- Refactor
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100