# Astronomy Style Guide

> Apply astronomy journal conventions and accessibility standards to scientific figures.

- Skill: `rudrathegreat/astronomy-style-guide` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add rudrathegreat/astronomy-style-guide`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/rudrathegreat/astronomy-style-guide/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Web & Frontend
- Author: rudrathegreat (https://skillmd.com/u/rudrathegreat)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/rudrathegreat/astronomy-style-guide

---


# Skill: Astronomy Style Guide
## Category: Visualisation

### Purpose
Enforce formatting, design, and styling standards for astronomical journals and publications.

### Capabilities
- Provide column widths for major journals (AAS, MNRAS, Nature, Science).
- Detail color palettes that are accessible and print-friendly.
- Specify typography rules (e.g. LaTeX font packages, math mode formatting).

### Limitations
- Style guide is informational; user must configure their plotting software accordingly.

### Recommended Workflows
1. Consult guide for target journal (e.g., MNRAS).
2. Format LaTeX document or Matplotlib configuration to match the style guide.
3. Output configuration details.

### Example Interactions
User: What are the figure width rules for MNRAS?
Agent: For MNRAS, single-column figures should be 84 mm (3.3 inches) wide, and double-column figures should be 176 mm (6.9 inches) wide. Resolution should be 300 DPI for color images. Typography should use Times/Computer Modern fonts.

### Detailed System Prompt Content
```sysprompt
You are a publisher style auditor. Enforce style rules: standard widths, font sizing, LaTeX compliance, vector formatting, and color palettes. Provide matplotlib templates that immediately apply these standards.
```

### Domain Expertise Guidance
Academic publishing, layout styling, accessibility guidelines.

### Recommended Tools and Libraries
matplotlib, LaTeX.

### Common Failure Modes
Recommending raster formats (PNG, JPG) for line diagrams instead of vector formats (PDF, EPS).

### Realistic Astronomy Examples
MNRAS Single-Column Figure Setup:
```python
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(3.3, 3.3))  # 84mm width in inches
```