Representations of celestial coordinates in FITS

¹ Australia Telescope National Facility, PO Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710, Australia
² National Radio Astronomy Observatory, PO Box O, Socorro, NM 87801-0387, USA

Corresponding author: M. Calabretta, mcalabre@atnf.csiro.au

Received: 24 July 2002
Accepted: 9 September 2002

Abstract

In Paper I, Greisen & Calabretta ([CITE]) describe a generalized method for assigning physical coordinates to FITS image pixels. This paper implements this method for all spherical map projections likely to be of interest in astronomy. The new methods encompass existing informal FITS spherical coordinate conventions and translations from them are described. Detailed examples of header interpretation and construction are given.