The Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS) is the software system for calibrating and analyzing data from the Hubble Space Telescope. The package contains programs-called tasks-that perform a wide range of functions supporting the entire data analysis process, from reading tapes, through reduction and analysis, to producing final plots and images. This chapter introduces the basics of STSDAS, showing you how to display your data, leading you through some simple data manipulations, and pointing you towards more sophisticated tasks, some of which are described in the instrument sections of this handbook.
STSDAS is layered on top of the Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF) software developed at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Any task in IRAF can be used in STSDAS, and the software is portable across a number of platforms and operating systems. To exploit the power of STSDAS effectively, you need to know the basics of IRAF. If you are not already familiar with IRAF, consult the IRAF Primer in Appendix A before reading further.