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\chapter{What is {\sc SExtractor}?}
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{\sc SExtractor} ({\em Source-Extractor}) is a program that builds a catalogue
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of objects from an astronomical \index{image} image. It is particularly oriented
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towards the reduction of large scale galaxy-survey data, but it also performs
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well on \index{mode} moderately crowded star fields. Its main features are:
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\begin{itemize}
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\item Support for multi-extension FITS.
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\item Speed: typically 1--10 Mpixel/s or 10--1000 sources/s with a 2 GHz processor.
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\item Ability to work with very large \index{image} images (up to $65{\rm k}\times65{\rm k}$
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pixels on 32 bit machines, or $2{\rm G}\times2{\rm G}$ pixels on 64 bit machines),
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thanks to buffered \index{image} image access.
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\item Real-time filtering of \index{image} images to improve detectability.
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\item Robust \index{deblending} deblending of overlapping extended objects.
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\item Flexible catalogue output of desired parameters only.
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\item Pixel-to-pixel photometry in dual-image \index{mode} mode.
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\item Fast Point-Spread-Function and galaxy \index{mode} model fitting.
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\item Handling of \index{weight map} \index{weight maps} weight maps and flag maps.
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\item Optimum handling of \index{image} images with variable S/N.
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\item Built-in catalogue \index{cross-identification} cross-identification.
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\item Special \index{mode} mode for photographic scans.
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\item \index{XML} XML \index{VOTable} VOTable-compliant catalogue output.
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\end{itemize}
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Additional information about what the software can or cannot do is provided in
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the Frequently Asked Questions section (\S\ref{chap:faq}).
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