What it does
SAOImage DS9 displays and analyzes astronomical images through multicolor frames, region statistics and linked visual views.
DS9 connects visual regions to numerical inspection: version 8.8 can build a live catalog for the regions in a frame, updating values as regions or image smoothing change. Save the regions themselves when their geometry is part of the work, and choose the coordinate system and file format deliberately. The reference warns that non-DS9 region formats can lose information when written and read back. A saved template has another condition: it can be placed into a FITS image with valid world-coordinate information. These are useful distinctions when a set of regions needs to travel between images or analysis programs.
Strengths
- Multicolor frames with layer controls
- Live measurement catalogs from regions
Best for
- Comparing and measuring astronomical image datasets
Sources
- SAOImageDS9 (Oct 26, 2026)
- DS9 region storage reference (Oct 26, 2026)