Centroid determination (prototype)

[capetillo]

As a user, I would like to get the centroids of objects so that I can measure distances more accurately

• https://photutils.readthedocs.io/en/2.3.0/api/photutils.centroids.centroid_sources.html --> doesn't return uncertainties for solar system objects
• Use BANZAI's photometry code to lower the signal to noise threshold
• Meet with Curtis (04/01) to understand how to get uncertainties for objects in our solar system
• Compare astroimagej's method of centroiding to afterglow's method

[talister]

As a heads-up, the photutils centroiding routines have no means of returning uncertainties for the measured positions (Credit to @carrholt for finding this in her investigations). So for measuring stars, this will likely be fine as the Gaia position will be better known than anything measureable from LCO data but if this is going to be extended to measuring, and in particular reporting (to the Minor Planet Center), positions of asteroids and comets in the future, the lack of uncertainties on the centroids will be a deal breaker.
Just wanted to flag this ahead of time.

[capetillo]

thank you @talister, this is very helpful! I'll let Rachel know