Glossary of Documentation Terms#
- (
n
,)# A parenthesized number followed by a comma denotes a tuple with one element. The trailing comma distinguishes a one-element tuple from a parenthesized
n
. This is from NumPy; see https://numpy.org/doc/stable/glossary.html.- number#
Any numeric type. eg float or int or any of the
numpy.number
.- -like#
Used to indicate on object of that type or that can instantiate the type. E.g.
Quantity
-like includes"2 * u.km"
becauseastropy.units.Quantity("2 * u.km")
works.- unit-like#
Must be an
UnitBase
(subclass) instance or a string or other instance parseable byUnit
.- quantity-like#
Must be an
Quantity
(or subclass) instance or a string parseable byQuantity
. Note that the interpretation of units in strings depends on the class –Quantity("180d")
is 180 days, whileAngle("180d")
is 180 degrees – so check the string parses as intended forQuantity
.- angle-like#
quantity-like, but interpreted by an angular
SpecificTypeQuantity
, likeAngle
orLongitude
orLatitude
. Note that the interpretation of units in strings depends on the class –Quantity("180d")
is 180 days, whileAngle("180d")
is 180 degrees – so make sure the string parses as intended forAngle
.- length-like#
quantity-like, but interpretable by
Distance
.- frame-like#
A
BaseCoordinateFrame
subclass instance or a string that can be converted to a Frame by_get_frame_class
.- coordinate-like#
A Coordinate-type object such as a
BaseCoordinateFrame
subclass instance or aSkyCoord
(or subclass) instance.- table-like#
An astropy
Table
or any object that can initialize one. Anything marked as table-like will be processed through aTable
.- time-like#
Time
or any valid initializer.- buffer-like#
Anything that implements Python’s buffer protocol. See https://docs.python.org/3/c-api/buffer.html#bufferobjects
- writable file-like object#
In the context of a file-like object object, anything that supports writing with a method
write
.- readable file-like object#
In the context of a file-like object object, anything that supports writing with a method
read
.