Table of Contents

Introduction to the HST Data Handbooks

Preface

Typographic Conventions

Visual Cues

Comments

Chapter 1: Obtaining HST Data

1.1 Archive Overview

1.1.1 Archive Processing

1.1.2 Archive Registration

1.1.3 Archive Documentation and Help

1.2 Obtaining Data via the MAST Web

1.2.1 MAST Overview

1.2.2 Hubble Legacy Archive

1.2.3 High-Level Science Products

1.3 Obtaining Data with StarView

Chapter 2: HST File Formats

2.1 HST Data Files

2.2 Multi-Extension FITS File Format

2.2.1 Working with Multi-Extension FITS Images in IRAF

2.2.2 Working with FITS Table Extensions

2.3 GEIS File Format

2.3.1 Converting waivered FITS to GEIS

2.3.2 GEIS Data Groups

2.3.3 Working with GEIS Files

2.3.4 Waivered FITS Format

Chapter 3: Analyzing HST Data

3.1 Analysis Options for HST Data

3.1.1 IRAF/STSDAS

3.1.2 PyRAF

3.1.3 Python

3.1.4 Interactive Data Language (IDL)

3.1.5 Fortran and C

3.1.6 Java

3.2 Navigating STSDAS

3.2.1 STSDAS Structure

3.2.2 Packages of General Interest

3.3 Displaying HST Images

3.3.1 The Display Task

3.3.2 Working with Image Sections

3.4 Analyzing HST Images

3.4.1 Basic Astrometry

3.4.2 Examining and Manipulating Image Data

3.4.3 Working with FITS Imsets

3.4.4 Photometry

3.4.5 Combining Dithered HST Datasets with MultiDrizzle

3.5 Displaying HST Spectra

3.5.1 Specview

3.5.2 COS and STIS Spectra

3.5.3 FOS and GHRS Spectra

3.5.4 Producing Hardcopy

3.6 Analyzing HST Spectra

3.6.1 Preparing COS and STIS Spectra for Analysis in IRAF or PyRAF and STSDAS

3.6.2 Preparing FOS and GHRS Data

3.6.3 Photometry

3.6.4 General Tasks for Spectra

3.6.5 STSDAS Fitting Package

3.6.6 Specfit

3.7 References

3.7.1 Available from STScI

3.7.2 Available from NOAO

3.7.3 Other References Cited in This Chapter

Chapter 4: IRAF Primer

4.1 IRAF Overview

4.2 Initiating IRAF

4.2.1 Setting Up IRAF in Unix/Linux

4.2.2 Starting and Stopping an IRAF Session

4.3 IRAF Basics

4.3.1 Loading Packages

4.3.2 Running Tasks

4.3.3 Getting Help

4.3.4 Setting Parameters

4.3.5 Setting Environment Variables  

4.3.6 File Management

4.3.7 Troubleshooting

4.4 PyRAF Capabilities

4.5 Accessing IRAF, PyRAF, and STSDAS Software

4.5.1 Accessing the Synphot Data Set

Chapter 5: HST File Names

5.1 File Name Format

5.2 Rootnames

5.3 Suffixes of Files Common to All Instruments

5.3.1 Historical File Structures

5.4 Associations

Chapter 6: Observation Logs

6.1 Observation Log Files

6.1.1 Jitter File Contents

6.2 Retrieving Observation Logs

6.3 Using Observation Logs

6.3.1 Guiding Mode

6.3.2 Guide Star Acquisition Failure

6.3.3 Moving Targets and Spatial Scans

6.3.4 High Jitter