lightkurve.LightCurve.fold#

LightCurve.fold(period=None, epoch_time=None, epoch_phase=0, wrap_phase=None, normalize_phase=False)[source]#

Returns a FoldedLightCurve object folded on a period and epoch.

This method is identical to AstroPy’s fold() method, except it returns a FoldedLightCurve object which offers convenient plotting methods.

Parameters
periodfloat Quantity

The period to use for folding. If a float is passed we’ll assume it is in units of days.

epoch_timeTime

The time to use as the reference epoch, at which the relative time offset / phase will be epoch_phase. Defaults to the first time in the time series.

epoch_phasefloat or Quantity

Phase of epoch_time. If normalize_phase is True, this should be a dimensionless value, while if normalize_phase is False, this should be a Quantity with time units. Defaults to 0.

wrap_phasefloat or Quantity

The value of the phase above which values are wrapped back by one period. If normalize_phase is True, this should be a dimensionless value, while if normalize_phase is False, this should be a Quantity with time units. Defaults to half the period, so that the resulting time series goes from -period / 2 to period / 2 (if normalize_phase is False) or -0.5 to 0.5 (if normalize_phase is True).

normalize_phasebool

If False phase is returned as TimeDelta, otherwise as a dimensionless Quantity.

Returns
folded_lightcurveFoldedLightCurve

The folded light curve object in which the time column holds the phase values.