diff --git a/astropy_helpers b/astropy_helpers
index 6d5020f3..c55cb6da 160000
--- a/astropy_helpers
+++ b/astropy_helpers
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 6d5020f367d4956bb614e08b64ab44ef53d54dcd
+Subproject commit c55cb6dae107c3a15e93887c76b673678de81e1a
diff --git a/specreduce/target_identify.py b/specreduce/target_identify.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bdb18688
--- /dev/null
+++ b/specreduce/target_identify.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function,
+                        unicode_literals)
+
+
+import logging
+import numpy as np
+from scipy.stats import sigma_clip
+
+
+
+def identify_targets(data, nfind=1, axis=1, background_threshold=3, model_name='gaussian'):
+
+    # assuming target is relatively well aligned with the spatial axis
+    spatial_profile = np.median(data, axis=axis)
+
+
+    # remove background
+    clipped_spatial_profile = sigma_clip()
+
+    # identify peaks
+
+
+    # filter peaks
+
+
+    # construct model and fit
+
+
+    # return model or set of parameters such as target center, width.
+