SunPy: A Python package for Solar Physics

Abstract

The Sun, our nearest star, is a local laboratory for studying universal physical processes. Solar physics as a discipline includes studying the Sun both as a star and as the primary driver of space weather throughout the heliosphere. Due to the Sun’s proximity, the temporal and spatial resolution of solar observations are orders of magnitude larger than those of other stars. This leads to significant differences in the data-analysis software needs of solar physicists compared with astrophysicists. The sunpy Python package is a community-developed, free, and open-source solar data analysis environment for Python. It is managed by the SunPy Project, an organization that facilitates and promotes the use of open development and open source packages like sunpy through community engagement and tools such as GitHub, mailing lists, and matrix.