akarsh
February 24th, 2017, 08:55 PM
Hi
This is not a vendor announcement (after all it's a free website), but I couldn't find a better place to post this, especially given that I'm fishing for publicity for this tool.
http://www.bas.org.in/dssdirect.php
At the above URL, you can find an improved DSS query tool designed for visual observers. It fetches the DSS images from MAST as usual, but is (IMO) a significant improvement on the traditional MAST interface at archive.stsci.edu
For starters, it automatically resolves the object in one step. The resolver used is Sesame of CDS, which uses SIMBAD / NED / VizieR depending on whatever resolves the object. Mostly it uses SIMBAD.
After you enter an object's name, it gives you a bunch of controls, for example:
http://www.bas.org.in/dssdirect.php?id=NGC+891
This include the ability to flip, rotate, and zoom the image, invert colors, and draw an FOV circle (setting the size to 0 removes the circle).
Under the "Automatic Adjustment" section, you will find that if you enter the latitude and longitude of your location, it will auto-rotate the DSS image to match the view through a dob telescope at the present time. Generally, leave it on auto-update as it will update the orientation every minute or so as the field rotation changes.
There is also a convenient interface to change the object without changing the other settings (such as auto adjustment of rotation) at the bottom of the page.
Please give me your feedback and I will try to improve it in my spare time.
Clear Skies
Akarsh
This is not a vendor announcement (after all it's a free website), but I couldn't find a better place to post this, especially given that I'm fishing for publicity for this tool.
http://www.bas.org.in/dssdirect.php
At the above URL, you can find an improved DSS query tool designed for visual observers. It fetches the DSS images from MAST as usual, but is (IMO) a significant improvement on the traditional MAST interface at archive.stsci.edu
For starters, it automatically resolves the object in one step. The resolver used is Sesame of CDS, which uses SIMBAD / NED / VizieR depending on whatever resolves the object. Mostly it uses SIMBAD.
After you enter an object's name, it gives you a bunch of controls, for example:
http://www.bas.org.in/dssdirect.php?id=NGC+891
This include the ability to flip, rotate, and zoom the image, invert colors, and draw an FOV circle (setting the size to 0 removes the circle).
Under the "Automatic Adjustment" section, you will find that if you enter the latitude and longitude of your location, it will auto-rotate the DSS image to match the view through a dob telescope at the present time. Generally, leave it on auto-update as it will update the orientation every minute or so as the field rotation changes.
There is also a convenient interface to change the object without changing the other settings (such as auto adjustment of rotation) at the bottom of the page.
Please give me your feedback and I will try to improve it in my spare time.
Clear Skies
Akarsh