Astrometry.net (Nova)NEW

Level 24: Astronomy & Astrophysics

Science · Level 24

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In short

Astrometry.net (Nova) is an AI tool in the Astronomy & Astrophysics category from Astrometry.net Project in New York, United States. The pricing model is free. It is available in English only.

Company HQNew York, United States· Astrometry.net Project

What is Astrometry.net (Nova)?

Astrometry.net (Nova) is a specialized web service and algorithmic engine designed for blind astrometric calibration of astronomical images. When users upload a photograph of the night sky, the system analyzes the pattern of stars without requiring any prior information regarding pointing, field of view, or camera rotation. It matches the extracted geometric star quads against vast astronomical catalogs such as Gaia or USNO-B.

Upon successful solving, Astrometry.net determines exact celestial coordinates (Right Ascension and Declination), image scale, and orientation. It generates calibrated FITS files embedded with standard World Coordinate System (WCS) headers, alongside annotated visual overlays highlighting cataloged stars, galaxies, and nebulae. A comprehensive REST API allows automated observatories and imaging software to integrate these calibration capabilities seamlessly.

In addition to the hosted Nova cloud platform, the engine is fully open-source and can be compiled locally for offline execution. This local deployment option offers high-speed processing directly at the telescope control computer without relying on network bandwidth. Astrometry.net is widely recognized as an essential tool across amateur and professional astronomy for automated plate solving.

Core features & strengths

  • Blind Plate Solving — Automatically resolves pointing coordinates and image scale from sky photos without requiring prior hints about focal length or field orientation.
  • Standard WCS Integration — Outputs FITS files embedded with standard World Coordinate System metadata, allowing instant compatibility with scientific analysis software.
  • REST API & Local Engine — Provides an API for remote image solving pipelines and supports complete local installation for high-speed offline solving.

Who is this tool for?

Astrophotographers, academic researchers, and automated observatory software developers who require reliable celestial coordinate calibration.

Typical use case

An amateur astronomer captures a deep-sky frame of an unidentified field but lacks exact plate scale and orientation metadata. They submit the image to Nova Astrometry.net via the web form or an automated capture script. Within seconds, the service returns a full coordinate solution, an annotated image displaying deep-sky objects, and a FITS header ready for photometric analysis.

What is Astrometry.net (Nova) good for?

  • Astrophotographers, academic researchers, and automated observatory software developers who require reliable celestial coordinate calibration.
  • An amateur astronomer captures a deep-sky frame of an unidentified field but lacks exact plate scale and orientation metadata.
  • Blind Plate Solving: Automatically resolves pointing coordinates and image scale from sky photos without requiring prior hints about focal length or field orientation.
  • Standard WCS Integration: Outputs FITS files embedded with standard World Coordinate System metadata, allowing instant compatibility with scientific analysis software.
  • REST API & Local Engine: Provides an API for remote image solving pipelines and supports complete local installation for high-speed offline solving.

When a different tool fits better

Not suitable for standard daytime photography, microscopy, or non-astronomical imagery, as the solver relies entirely on celestial star patterns.

Pricing & plans

Astrometry.net provides its service as a free, open project for the scientific community.Free

Supported languages

DEGerman — not supportedENEnglish — fully supported

The user interface and output metadata are available exclusively in English.

Interface = the tool's menu language, content = the language you can work in. Without guarantee — vendors keep expanding their language coverage.

Privacy & GDPR

Operated by an academic group (University of Toronto/NYU). Uploads are public by default but can be set to private per image; an account is optional. No DPA on offer — designed for private and scientific use.

Fact sheet

Fact sheet with the key data
VendorAstrometry.net Project
HeadquartersNew York, United States
CategoryAstronomy & Astrophysics
Pyramid levelLevel 24 – Astronomy & Astrophysics
Pricing modelFree
Free forever optionYes
Open SourceNo
Entry planPublic API / Web Service: 0 $ (0 €)
Germannot supported
Englishinterface and content
Privacy classificationUnclear
Data processing agreementNo commercial enterprise privacy agreements, DPAs, or EU Standard Contractual Clauses are offered, as this is an academic open-source service.

Alternatives to Astrometry.net (Nova)

  • ALeRCE — Free · HQ: Santiago, Chile · Unclear
  • AstroLens — Free · HQ: United States · GDPR / EU
  • ExoMiner — Free · HQ: United States · GDPR / EU
  • Galaxy Zoo — Free · HQ: Oxford, United Kingdom · Unclear
  • GraXpert — Free · HQ: Germany · GDPR / EU

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Frequently asked questions

How much does Astrometry.net (Nova) cost?

Astrometry.net provides its service as a free, open project for the scientific community. Current plans: Public API / Web Service: 0 $ (0 €).

Is Astrometry.net (Nova) free?

Yes. Astrometry.net (Nova) can be used without paying. The service is funded by public research grants (e.g., NSF). There are no paid premium tiers for users.

Does Astrometry.net (Nova) support German?

No. Astrometry.net (Nova) is English-only and has no German interface. The user interface and output metadata are available exclusively in English.

How does Astrometry.net (Nova) handle data privacy?

Uploaded images are processed on servers hosted by academic institutions in the USA to compute celestial coordinates. Submitted images are publicly viewable by default and used for scientific sky indexing, though uploads via API can be flagged as private. Upload only astronomical images and avoid submitting confidential or personal image data.

Who is behind Astrometry.net (Nova)?

Astrometry.net (Nova) is operated by Astrometry.net Project, headquartered in New York, United States.

Where does Astrometry.net (Nova) sit in the AI Tool Pyramid?

Astrometry.net (Nova) sits on level 24 (“Astronomy & Astrophysics”) and belongs to the Astronomy & Astrophysics category. Levels group tools by topic and are not a ranking.

Is Astrometry.net (Nova) GDPR-compliant?

Astrometry.net (Nova) does not publicly document its data processing clearly. Before using it for personal or confidential data, review the vendor's privacy policy and data processing agreement yourself.

What are alternatives to Astrometry.net (Nova)?

Comparable tools in the same category are ALeRCE, AstroLens, ExoMiner, Galaxy Zoo. They differ mainly in pricing model, company location and data protection level, so a direct comparison is worthwhile before deciding.