XML and Collaboration: The Common Observatory Definition Workgroup Prototype

Chris Burkhardt  -  Space Telescope Science Institute
Bob Jackson  -  Astronomy Programs, Computer Sciences Corporation
Anuradha Koratkar  -  Space Telescope Science Institute
David Soderblom - Space Telescope Science Institute 

Abstract 

Last fall, the Workshop on Observatory Tools brought engineers and
astronomers from many observatories together.  Among the workgroups 
created at the workshop, the Common Observatory Definition Workgroup 
gave itself the goal of creating a Web accessible tool capable of 
answering the questions:

     1. Where is a telescope/instrument that can obtain the 
        data I want?

     2. How do I get access that telescope/instrument?

     3. What archive data from that telescope/instrument 
        is available?
     
In the year since the Workshop we have defined a prototype tool 
at the Space Telescope Science Institute consisting of XML, JAVA 
and HTML.  The prototype's data focus is on the ACS, WFPC2, FGS, 
and STIS instruments of the Hubble Space Telescope.

This poster presents the progress of the Common 
Observatory Definition Workgroup and describes how XML is used
to accomplish the group's goals.  Details of XML include an 
introduction to XML and how observatory objects are defined 
using XML in our prototype.