GAPC is a Django-based application designed to manage and catalog observations of asteroids, including metadata from associated FITS files. The project implements astronomical standards, such as VOTable, to facilitate interoperability with other astronomical datasets and tools.
Originally developed for the Gruppo Astronomico della Polse di Cougnes, GAPC is tailored to meet the needs of its members in managing asteroid observation data. However, the platform is designed to be extensible, making it suitable for any group or organization conducting asteroid research and observation.
GAPC allows users to explore a catalog of asteroids, retrieve observation data, and download metadata in VOTable format, supporting linked open data principles.
- Asteroid Catalog Management: Maintain and manage a catalog of asteroids with metadata, including discovery dates, classification, and size.
- Observation Tracking: Store detailed observations of each asteroid, including date, right ascension (RA), declination (Dec), exposure time, and instrument used.
- Instrument Integration: Define instruments (e.g., cameras) with specific metadata, ensuring consistency in observation details.
- FITS Metadata Extraction: Automatically extract metadata from FITS files for each observation and store it in the database.
- VOTable Export: Export observation data in VOTable format for compatibility with IVOA-compliant tools, supporting interoperability.
- Search and Filter: Filter and search the catalog by asteroid name, classification, and discovery date, with ordering options.
This project adheres to the following data standards:
- VOTable: The observation data can be exported in VOTable format, providing interoperability with IVOA-compliant tools.
- FITS Metadata Extraction: Metadata from FITS headers (such as DATE-OBS, EXPTIME, RA, DEC) is automatically parsed and stored with each observation.
- Linked Open Data Principles: The catalog is structured to support linked data standards for discoverability and openness.
The main components of the project include:
models.py: Defines database models for asteroids, observations, and instruments.views.py: Contains the logic for rendering the catalog, filtering, and exporting data.management/commands: Custom management commands for importing FITS files and processing metadata.templates: HTML templates for the front-end, including catalog listing, asteroid details, and export options.
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Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/GAPC.git cd GAPC -
Set up a virtual environment (recommended):
python -m venv env source env/bin/activate # On Windows, use `env\Scripts\activate`
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Install dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt
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Set up environment variables:
FITS_DIR=/path/to/your/fits/files SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key
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Run migrations and start the server:
python manage.py makemigrations python manage.py migrate python manage.py runserver