How to evenly spread annotation imageboxes around a scatterplot?

I would like to annotate a scatterplot with images corresponding to each datapoint. With standard parameters the images end up clashing with each other and other important features such as legend axis, etc. Thus, I would like the images to form a circle or a rectangle around the main scatter plot.

My code looks like this for now and I am struggling to modify it to organise the images around the center point of the plot.

import matplotlib.cbook as cbook
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.offsetbox import OffsetImage, AnnotationBbox
import seaborn as sns
#Generate n points around a 2d circle
def generate_circle_points(n, centre_x, center_y, radius=1):
"""Generate n points around a circle.
Args:
n (int): Number of points to generate.
centre_x (float): x-coordinate of circle centre.
center_y (float): y-coordinate of circle centre.
radius (float): Radius of circle.
Returns:
list: List of points.
"""
points = []
for i in range(n):
angle = 2 * np.pi * i / n
x = centre_x + radius * np.cos(angle)
y = center_y + radius * np.sin(angle)
points.append([x, y])
return points
fig, ax = plt.subplots(1, 1, figsize=(7.5, 7.5))
data = pd.DataFrame(data={'x': np.random.uniform(0.5, 2.5, 20),
'y': np.random.uniform(10000, 50000, 20)})
with cbook.get_sample_data('grace_hopper.jpg') as image_file:
image = plt.imread(image_file)
# Set logarithmic scale for x and y axis
ax.set(xscale="log", yscale='log')
# Add grid
ax.grid(True, which='major', ls="--", c='gray')
coordianates = generate_circle_points(n=len(data),
centre_x=0, center_y=0, radius=10)
# Plot the scatter plot
scatter = sns.scatterplot(data=data, x='x', y='y', ax=ax)
for index, row in data.iterrows():
imagebox = OffsetImage(image, zoom=0.05)
imagebox.image.axes = ax
xy = np.array([row['x'], row['y']])
xybox = np.array(coordianates[index])
ab = AnnotationBbox(imagebox, xy,
xycoords='data',
boxcoords="offset points",
xybox=xybox,
pad=0)
ax.add_artist(ab)

for the moment the output looks like this:enter image description here

Ideally I would like the output to look to something like this:
enter image description here

Many thanks in advance for your help

Not an answer but a long comment:

You can control the location of the arrows, but sometimes it is easier to export figures as SVGs and edit them in Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape.

R has a dodge argument which is really nice, but even then is not always perfect. Solutions in Python exist but are laborious.

The major issue is that this needs to be done last as alternations to the plot would make it problematic. A few points need mentioning.

Your figures will have to have a fixed size (57mm / 121mm / 184mm for Science, 83mm / 171mm for RSC, 83mm / 178mm for ACS etc.), if you need to scale the figure in Illustrator keep note of the scaling factor, adding it as a textbox outside of the canvas —as the underlying plot will need to be replaced at least once due to Murphy's law. Exporting at the right size the SVG is ideal. Sounds silly, but it helps. Likewise, make sure the font size does not go under the minimum spec (7-9 points).