The SExtractor - Version: V2.5.0

What is SExtractor?
SExtractor (Source-Extractor) is a program that builds a catalogue of objects from an astronomical image. It is particularly oriented towards reduction of large scale galaxy-survey data, but it also performs well on moderately crowded star fields.

Authors: Emmanuel Bertin (bertin@iap.fr) Source: ftp://ftp.iap.fr/pub/from_users/bertin/sextractor/

Documentation (not complete yet!)

• The most recent version of manual can be found here: SExtractor v2.5
• A cookbook by Benne Holwerda: Source Extractor for Dummies

Few tips for local use:

• Default config files are in:

  /usr/local/sextractor-2.5.0/config
  

  block_3x3.conv      gauss_3.0_5x5.conv   mexhat_5.0_11x11.conv
  default.conv        gauss_3.0_7x7.conv   README
  default.nnw         gauss_4.0_7x7.conv   tophat_1.5_3x3.conv
  default.param       gauss_5.0_9x9.conv   tophat_2.0_3x3.conv
  default.sex         mexhat_1.5_5x5.conv  tophat_2.5_3x3.conv
  gauss_1.5_3x3.conv  mexhat_2.0_7x7.conv  tophat_3.0_3x3.conv
  gauss_2.0_3x3.conv  mexhat_2.5_7x7.conv  tophat_4.0_5x5.conv
  gauss_2.0_5x5.conv  mexhat_3.0_9x9.conv  tophat_5.0_5x5.conv
  gauss_2.5_5x5.conv  mexhat_4.0_9x9.conv 
  

• Typical use: (In your working directory)

  se_run xxx.fits (name of an image file with fits extension)
  se_run xxx.fits xxx.cfg (name of a user configuration file

  Example: se_run r10.fits
  Run with default settings. You will find default files in your working directory and output file test.cat for your ccd frame.
  

  default.sex : sextractor default input parameters used
  default.param: default requested output parameters
  test.cat: cataloque of extracted sources
  se_0.cfg & se_1.cfg : short & extended configuration files. (You are free to edit 'se_?.cfg' and 'default.param')

  Example: se_run r10.fits se_1.cfg
  Run with user settings. You can customize all parameters in files: 'se_?.cfg'
  You can also cusomize 'default.param' for the output parameters.