2:

import pyfits
>>> im = pyfits.getdata('pix.fits')
>>> hdr = pyfits.getheader('pix.fits')
# or >>> data, hdr = pyfits.getdata('pix.fits', header=True)
>>> print hdr['object']
m51  B  600s
>>> print im[:,9]
[37 41 37...
...
50 49 55 53 55 54]

3:

>>> scaledim = 2.3*im
>>> print scaledim.sum()/scaledim.nelements()
256.927575684


4:

>>> pyfits.writeto('pix2.fits',scaledim[192:-192,192:-192], hdr)
>>> pyfits.info('pix2.fits')
Filename: pix2.fits
No.    Name         Type      Cards    Dimensions   Format
0    PRIMARY     PrimaryHDU      68   (128, 128)    Float64

5:

>>> from numarray import *
>>> y, x = indices((500,500)) # ints, next statements makes floats
>>> y = y - 250.
>>> x = x - 250.
>>> im = sin(x/pi)*exp(-(x**2+y**)/2500.)
>>> from numarray.fft import *
>>> fim = fft2d(im)
>>> import numdisplay
>>> numdisplay.display(abs(fim))