Cycle 3 funding: Improving Compressed Image performance and Dask integration in io.fits

[aaryapatil]

This issue captures execution of the Cycle 3 project “Improving Compressed Image performance and Dask integration in io.fits” (https://github.com/astropy/astropy-project/pull/275). The full text of the proposal is available here.

This project was funded to the level of $22,500.00 , funded from the NASA grant (please submit invoices here).

[astrofrog]

@aaryapatil - we have now completed the first bullet point in part 1 of the proposal which was to remove (as much as possible) CFITSIO from astropy:

• https://github.com/astropy/astropy/pull/14252
• https://github.com/astropy/astropy/pull/14311

These have both been merged (in addition to simplifying/removing a lot of FITS-related code, this works also speeds up compilation of the core package by 40% or so, so it has had benefits beyond just FITS).

We ended up using 138h for this work (invoiced today) instead of the original 100h we budgeted, so we now only have 12h left for the remainder of part 1. We are wondering if the finance committee would be happy to approve the additional 100h of funding we originally requested, as this would allow us to complete part 1 and also do a big fraction of part 2? (see https://github.com/astropy/astropy-project/pull/275#issuecomment-1281315500 for more details)

cross-posted from #275

[eteq]

Sorry for not saying this initially - @astrofrog, this project is funded from the NASA grant, not Moore. I'll take care of moving the funding request over, but just FYI for future invoices here. (@aaryapatil will get back to you on the approving the remainder once we've gotten that finished)

[aaryapatil]

@astrofrog Thank you for your patience. The finance committee discussed and approved the additional 100h of funding for completing part 1 and (fraction of) part 2!

NOTE While this project was originally funded through the NASA grant, we will be allocating the additional 100h from Moore (due to some financial constraints). Therefore, please claim the remaining 12h from NASA, and the additional 100h from Moore, i.e., your next 12h invoice should be directed to https://opencollective.com/astropy/projects/astropy-nasa, whereas the additional 100h to https://opencollective.com/astropy/projects/astropy-moore-8435.

[astrofrog]

@aaryapatil thank you for approving this! Will do regarding invoices 👍

[astrofrog]

Just an update on this project - the following PR now implements the rest of Part 1, namely implementing a new lazy-loading property on CompImageHDU which allows users to load parts of the whole compressed image array without having to load and decompress the whole array:

• https://github.com/astropy/astropy/pull/14353

This is not yet reviewed/merged though, but is otherwise ready.

[astrofrog]

Sorry for not saying this initially - @astrofrog, this project is funded from the NASA grant, not Moore. I'll take care of moving the funding request over, but just FYI for future invoices here. (@aaryapatil will get back to you on the approving the remainder once we've gotten that finished)

Sorry for the mix-up, @aaryapatil did correctly say this at the start of this issue, I forgot to check here before invoicing so it was my bad. The agreement we signed with NumFOCUS mentioned Moore Funding in the Statement of Work so I think that's why I got confused.

[astrofrog]

I'd like to request an extension of this funding until 30th April 2024, which should give plenty of time to bill the remaining hours. Please let me know if you need any information to support this request. Thanks!

[astrofrog]

I have just submitted the final invoice for this project. Most of the work described in the proposal was carried out. I will continue to make improvements to the new functionality and fix issues as part of the general FITS maintainer funding.