Feature Request: add support for cross-matching to `astroquery.mast.Catalogs`.
- Dominant language
- Python
- Stars
- 791
- Forks
- 451
- Avg merge
- 1d 3h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 4
Description
Bulk cross-matching is an important feature to allow users to minimize the load they place on catalog servers. Right now the [`astroquery.VizieR`](https://astroquery.readthedocs.io/en/latest/vizier/vizier.html#query-with-table) api supports cross-matching by the simple method of feeding it a table of coordinates with columns `"_RAJ2000"` and `"_DEJ2000"`. Since [MAST's API](https://catalogs.mast.stsci.edu/docs/panstarrs.html#crossmatch) supports cross-matching, it would be nice if AstroQuery wrapped this functionality, too. Whether to mimic the `astroquery.VizieR` functionality, use a list of Astropy coordinates, or what I have no preference.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start by inspecting astroquery.mast.Catalogs and the existing astroquery.VizieR table cross-matching API, then read the MAST crossmatch documentation linked in the issue. Decide and document the supported input interface, implement the MAST-backed behavior, and verify that bulk coordinate cross-matching works without adding unnecessary catalog-server load.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- api, data
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100