Introduction to the HST Data Handbooks
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Version 8.0 May 2011 Introduction to the HST Data Handbooks Space Telescope Science Institute 3700 San Martin Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21218 [email protected] Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration User Support For prompt answers to any question, please contact the STScI Help Desk. • Send E-mail to: [email protected]. • Phone: 410-338-1082. • Within the USA, you may call toll free: 1-800-544-8125. World Wide Web Information and other resources are available on the Web site: • URL: http://www.stsci.edu Revision History Version Date Editors 8.0 May 2011 Ed Smith Technical Editors: Susan Rose & Jim Younger 7.0 January 2009 HST Introduction Editors: Brittany Shaw, Jessica Kim Quijano, & Mary Elizabeth Kaiser HST Introduction Technical Editors: Susan Rose & Jim Younger 6.0 January 2006 HST Introduction Editor: Diane Karakla HST Introduction Technical Editors: Susan Rose & Jim Younger. 5.0 July 2004 Diane Karakla and Jennifer Mack, Editors, HST Introduction. Susan Rose, Technical Editor, HST Introduction. 4.0 January 2002 Bahram Mobasher, Chief Editor, HST Data Handbook Michael Corbin, Jin-chung Hsu, Editors, HST Introduction 3.1 March 1998 Tony Keyes 3.0, Vol. II October 1997 Tony Keyes 3.0, Vol. I October 1997 Mark Voit 2.0 December 1995 Claus Leitherer 1.0 February 1994 Stefi Baum Contributors The editors are grateful for the careful reviews and revised material provided by Azalee Boestrom, Howard Bushouse, Stefano Casertano, Warren Hack, Diane Karakla and Matt Lallo. Citation In publications, refer to this document as: Smith, E., et al. 2011, “Introduction to the HST Data Handbooks”, Version 8.0, (Baltimore: STScI) Send comments or corrections to: Space Telescope Science Institute 3700 San Martin Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21218 E-mail:[email protected] Table of Contents Preface ................................................................................................ vi Chapter 1: Obtaining HST Data...................................1 1.1 Archive Overview.....................................................................1 1.1.1 Archive Processing ................................................................2 1.1.2 Archive Registration ..............................................................4 1.1.3 Archive Documentation and Help .........................................4 1.2 Obtaining Data via the MAST Web.....................................5 1.2.1 MAST Overview....................................................................5 1.2.2 Hubble Legacy Archive .......................................................11 1.2.3 High-Level Science Products...............................................16 1.3 Obtaining Data with StarView ............................................17 Chapter 2: HST File Formats........................................18 2.1 HST Data Files ........................................................................18 2.2 Multi-Extension FITS File Format.....................................20 2.2.1 Working with Multi-Extension FITS Images in IRAF .......21 2.2.2 Working with FITS Table Extensions .................................26 2.3 GEIS File Format....................................................................28 2.3.1 Converting waivered FITS to GEIS.....................................29 2.3.2 GEIS Data Groups ...............................................................30 2.3.3 Working with GEIS Files ....................................................31 2.3.4 Waivered FITS Format ........................................................34 Chapter 3: Analyzing HST Data.................................36 3.1 Analysis Options for HST Data ..........................................36 3.1.1 IRAF/STSDAS ...................................................................36 3.1.2 PyRAF.................................................................................37 3.1.3 Python ..................................................................................37 3.1.4 Interactive Data Language (IDL).........................................38 3.1.5 Fortran and C .......................................................................38 3.1.6 Java ......................................................................................38 iii iv Table of Contents 3.2 Navigating STSDAS..............................................................39 3.2.1 STSDAS Structure...............................................................39 3.2.2 Packages of General Interest................................................41 3.3 Displaying HST Images ........................................................42 3.3.1 The Display Task .................................................................42 3.3.2 Working with Image Sections..............................................46 3.4 Analyzing HST Images .........................................................48 3.4.1 Basic Astrometry .................................................................48 3.4.2 Examining and Manipulating Image Data ...........................50 3.4.3 Working with FITS Imsets ..................................................51 3.4.4 Photometry...........................................................................54 3.4.5 Combining Dithered HST Datasets with MultiDrizzle........59 3.5 Displaying HST Spectra........................................................61 3.5.1 Specview..............................................................................61 3.5.2 COS and STIS Spectra.........................................................61 3.5.3 FOS and GHRS Spectra.......................................................63 3.5.4 Producing Hardcopy ............................................................64 3.6 Analyzing HST Spectra.........................................................66 3.6.1 Preparing COS and STIS Spectra for Analysis in IRAF or PyRAF and STSDAS...........................................66 3.6.2 Preparing FOS and GHRS Data...........................................69 3.6.3 Photometry...........................................................................72 3.6.4 General Tasks for Spectra....................................................72 3.6.5 STSDAS Fitting Package ....................................................76 3.6.6 Specfit ..................................................................................78 3.7 References.................................................................................79 3.7.1 Available from STScI ..........................................................79 3.7.2 Available from NOAO.........................................................79 3.7.3 Other References Cited in This Chapter ..............................80 Chapter 4: IRAF Primer....................................................81 4.1 IRAF Overview ......................................................................81 4.2 Initiating IRAF........................................................................82 4.2.1 Setting Up IRAF in Unix/Linux..........................................82 4.2.2 Starting and Stopping an IRAF Session..............................84 Table of Contents v 4.3 IRAF Basics.............................................................................84 4.3.1 Loading Packages ................................................................85 4.3.2 Running Tasks .....................................................................85 4.3.3 Getting Help.........................................................................87 4.3.4 Setting Parameters ...............................................................88 4.3.5 Setting Environment Variables............................................91 4.3.6 File Management .................................................................91 4.3.7 Troubleshooting ...................................................................93 4.4 PyRAF Capabilities ...............................................................94 4.5 Accessing IRAF, PyRAF, and STSDAS Software.......96 4.5.1 Accessing the Synphot Data Set ..........................................96 Chapter 5: HST File Names ............................................97 5.1 File Name Format ...................................................................97 5.2 Rootnames ................................................................................98 5.3 Suffixes of Files Common to All Instruments.................99 5.3.1 Historical File Structures ...................................................100 5.4 Associations ...........................................................................101 Chapter 6: Observation Logs.......................................102 6.1 Observation Log Files..........................................................102 6.1.1 Jitter File Contents.............................................................103 6.2 Retrieving Observation Logs .............................................104 6.3 Using Observation Logs......................................................105 6.3.1 Guiding Mode ....................................................................105 6.3.2 Guide Star Acquisition Failure ..........................................107 6.3.3 Moving Targets and Spatial Scans.....................................108 6.3.4 High Jitter ..........................................................................109 Index...................................................................................................112 Preface This Introduction