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Come analyze HEASARC, IRSA, and MAST data in the cloud! The Fornax Initiative is now welcoming all interested beta users.

HEASARC Software

The following software is supported by the HEASARC. Most of this software is designed for professional researchers and advanced students for the analysis of scientific astronomical observations in FITS format. The 'fv' program is also suitable for more general use by amateurs and educators for viewing astronomical image files. These software packages are to be downloaded to the users machine. Web-based tools are available on our tools page.

HEASARC Software Packages

  • FITSIO - A subroutine library for reading and writing FITS files for C and Fortran programmers.
  • FTOOLS - General FITS file utility programs and mission-specific data analysis tools.
  • FV - Interactive editor and viewer for astronomical data files in FITS format.
  • HEASoft - A unified release of the FTOOLS and X-ray Analysis packages.
  • HEASoft & Docker - Install HEASoft in a Docker container
  • HEASoftPy - A Python 3 interface to HEASoft
  • SciServer - Run the HEASoft tools on the SciServer science platform, without having to install the software packages locally or download any data. Define your own collaboration groups, share code and results, etc.
  • Hera - Run the HEASoft tools on the Hera servers at the HEASARC, without having to install the software packages locally. DEPRECATED
  • Maki - Displays fields of view for various instruments on FITS images. Currently supports the Suzaku XIS & HXD, Chandra ACIS & HRC, XMM EPIC, and RXTE PCA detectors.
  • PIMMS - Program to estimate count rates from fluxes or vice versa, or to estimate count rates in one instrument from those measured in another.
  • Profit - GUI tool for visualizing and modeling high-resolution spectra.
  • SAOImage DS9 - Astronomical Imaging and Data Visualization Application: DS9 supports FITS images and binary tables, multiple frame buffers, region manipulation, and many scale algorithms and colormaps.
  • SkyView-In-A-Jar - Running SkyView on your own computer.
  • Xspec - Spectral analysis program.
  • Xronos - Timing analysis program.
  • ximage - Image analysis program.
  • XSELECT - Multipurpose tool for filtering event files and generating images, spectra, and light curves. Distributed as part of the HEASARC package on the download page.
  • XSTAR - Program for calculating physical conditions and emission spectra in photoionized gases.

ASTRO-Update - Latest Versions of Useful Multi-mission Software

FITS - Data Formats, Standards and HEASARC Conventions for High-Energy Astrophysics Data

LAMBDA Toolbox - Useful Software and Web Tools for Cosmic Microwave Backround and General Astronomy

Mission-Specific Software

ASCA | BeppoSAX | CGRO | Chandra | EUVE | EXOSAT | Fermi | HEAO-1 | INTEGRAL | NuSTAR | OSO-8 | ROSAT | RXTE | Suzaku | Swift | XMM-Newton

Latest News
  • Chandra CALDB 4.12.4 installed at the HEASARC (28 Apr 2026)
    The Chandra CalDB 4.12.4 is now installed in and available from the HEASARC CALDB. Chandra 4.12.4 was released by the CXC on April 28, 2026.
  • IXPE Caldb Updated (28 Apr 2026)
    The IXPE Caldb has been updated for the GPD (version 20260424) and XRT (version 20260331). Downloads are available from the IXPE Calibration page. Users can also access the HEASARC IXPE caldb via remote access.
  • XRISM Caldb Update (15 Apr 2026)
    The XRISM Caldb for the Resolve and XTEND instruments has been updated to version 20260315 (CALDB 13). Tar files can be downloaded from the XRISM Calibration page.
  • NuSTAR Caldb Update (15 Apr 2026)
    The NuSTAR FPM caldb was updated to version 20260407. This release includes a new clock correction file, v226, using a new temperature model. Please see the release notes for more details. In addition, the previous caldb version 20260401, which includes a the clock correction file v225 was also released

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