A.1 IRAF Overview
The Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF), developed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO), forms the basis of the Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS). IRAF contains numerous packages of programs, called tasks, that perform a wide range of functions from reading data from storage media to producing plots and images. Most astronomers will already be familiar with IRAF, but we provide this tutorial for HST observers who are beginners in IRAF. It includes information on:
- How to set up IRAF the first time you use the software.
- How to start and stop an IRAF session.
- Basic concepts, such as loading packages, setting parameters, etc.
- How to use the online help facility.
Additional information on IRAF, in particular A Beginner's Guide to Using IRAF is available through the NOAO IRAF page at:
http://iraf.noao.edu
