Virtual Observatories, Press Release Images, and Web Services Dr. Frank Summers Space Telescope Science Institute November 3, 2005

Collaborators • Lisa Frattare, Zolt Levay • Phil Hodge • Kaushi Bandara • Bob Hanisch, Carol Christian, Nahide Craig

Virtual Observatories • Digital data, digital connections, digital processing • Many telescopes, many repositories, many bandpasses • Define standards, build infrastructure & tools

Press Release Images • Pictures worth a thousand words • VO Problems – Heavily processed – No coordinates – Different metadata

Web Services • User to computer • Computer to computer • XML – self-describing – DTDs, Schema – VOTABLE

Simple Image Access • SIA protocol defines a web service • Input: cone search • Output: list of images • Several types of services: cutout, mosaic, atlas, pointed • www.ivoa.net/Documents

PReSS Images SIA Info Database SIA Query Server Internet NVO Interfaces Public Interfaces

Major Tasks • Gather image data, esp WCS • Assemble image database • Create web service • Register with NVO

PReSS Archive • STScI NewsCenter database • Images • Metadata – Astro info: object, category, instrument – News info: release, primary, composite

Get WCS Info • Identify suitable images • Retrieve FITS files • Run WCS Transfer Tool

Solar system Non-VO Images Non-astronomical Print layout Composite

Astronomical Astronomical w/ notation

FITS & WCS

Process FITS

WCS Transfer Tool • FITS reference image • Public release image • Mark corresponding points – Automatic peak identification – Automatic solution refinement • Python program – Python imaging lib (PIL) – Matplotlib – Tk interface

WCS Results

Create Database • Loop through WCS processed images • Scan through PReSS • Calculate new quantities • Output assembled data • Perl program

HST PR SIA Web Service • Perl programs within Apache web server • Based on SIA 1.0 spec • Process SIA query – Uses modified CGI::Validate • Search database • Create VOTABLE response – Uses GSFC’s ASTRO::VO::VOTABLE – Custom EPO fields • All code will be available

To Do List • Multiple image versions • Test to production server • Document & distribute • Pipeline

Other Things • AAS Astronomy Visualization Session • Webcasts & Audience • Einstein Opera