Calibrating Images
Images often need to be calibrated to convert
observed values to standard values that correctly represent
measurements in the real world. Calibration may be done in two
realms:
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Intensity (or "luminance") Calibration:
This calibration converts the pixel values to a proportional or
exact representation of the true signal. The calibration may also
be in terms of physical units. Aperture photometry is an addition
type of intensity calibration.
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Spatial Calibration: This calibration
converts positions on the image from the native
pixel coordinates of (column,row) to a
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world coordinate system, like the celestial
coordinate system of Right Ascension and Declination.
After calibration, image values and positional
measurements may be made using a calibrated system. For example,
after spatial calibration is performed, image positions, distances,
and angles are measured and reported in the calibrated units. FITS
format supports these types of calibration and is designed to hold
information in the image header which is necessary for
accomplishing calibration. For this reason, many Mira calibration
commands work only on FITS format images.
Most calibration procedures require information
from the image header, including the exposure time, filter name,
and others. Before calibrating, you may need to add or correct
header keyword information to standardize your images. Mira
provides a tool for this which adds, replaces, or rename keyword
information. The
Modify Keywords command is designed to accomplish
this task efficiently.
Mira provides a wealth of tools to accomplish
intensity calibration and spatial calibration.
Intensity Calibration
Commands for intensity calibration are exposed in
the Calibration menu and others as well as the Calibration
Toolbar of Mira's main window:
Commands on the Calibration Toolbar are
described in the table below.
Commands for Intensity Calibration
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Express Image Calibration
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Apply bias, dark, flat, and cosmetic corrections
to images.
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Create Master Bias
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Create a master bias frame from raw images.
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Create Master Dark
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Create a master dark frame from raw images.
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Create Master Flat
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Create a master flat frame from raw images.
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Create Illumination Flat
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Create a master illumination flat from raw
images.
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Create Pixel Flat
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Create master pixel response flat(s) from raw
images.
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Combine Image Set
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Combines the images of a displayed image set to
create a master image.
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Combine Files
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Use this command to combine files for making high
signal-to-noise ratio master images without first opening the
images. This is useful for calibration and other purposes.
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Create Pixel Mask
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Create a pixel mask file by scanning an image
showing point defects, such as a dark frame.
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Edit Pixel Mask
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Create or edit a list containing descriptions of
isolated point defects. This is not available from the
Calibration Toolbar.
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Apply Pixel Mask
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Apples a pixel mask to correct point artifacts in
an image.
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Edit Blemish Mask
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Create or edit a list containing descriptions of
defects in points, lines, and regions. This is not available from
the Calibration Toolbar.
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Apply Blemish Mask
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Apples a blemish mask to correct extended
artifacts in an image.
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Interactive Repair
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Opens a toolbar with commands for interactively
removing point defects from images.
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Clean Image Set
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Removes artifacts from an image set by comparing
statistical properties of the images.
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Modify Keywords
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Changes the values of image header keywords, adds
new keywords and values, or renames keywords already present in the
image header.
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Trim Image Section
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Crops an image using the region description stored
in a trim section type keyword in the image header.
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Set Brightness Units
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Assign quantitative units for the pixel value,
such as ergs/s/cm2 or jansky. This is not available
from the Calibration Toolbar.
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Photometric Zero Point Calibration
In addition, aperture photometry can be used to
calibrate the photometric zero point of an image but is not
strictly a tool for intensity calibration.
Aperture Photometry
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Calibrate the image brightness to a photometric
magnitude system using standard stars.
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Spatial Calibration
You may also wish to use the
Create Synthetic Image command, with or without
artificial stars, to evaluate calibration techniques and to explore
the propagation of noise through a calibration or processing
strategy.
Related Topics
Contents
Processing Images
Pixel Coordinate Definition
Subpixel Coordinate Definition
Tutorial: Introduction to Astrometric
Calibration
MIRAPROC Keyword
Mira Pro x64 User's Guide, Copyright Ⓒ 2023 Mirametrics, Inc. All
Rights Reserved.
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