Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility
Encyclopedia
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
(HST). It was established in 1984 by the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
(ESA) and the European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
(ESO), and is located at the ESO headquarters in Garching bei München
Garching bei München
Garching bei München or Garching is a city in Bavaria, Germany near Munich. It is the home of several research institutes and university departments. It became a city on 14 September 1990.-Location:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The ST-ECF provides detailed technical information about the HST and its science instruments, supports European astronomers who are preparing HST observing proposals and coordinates the development of computer software tuned to the specific data analysis needs of HST users. In all these duties the ST-ECF staff maintain close contacts with the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, which is charged with the scientific operation of the HST observatory.
The ST-ECF is headed by Robert (Bob) Fosbury
Robert Fosbury
Robert Fosbury is an astronomer working for the European Space Agency as part of ESA's collaboration with NASA on the Hubble Space Telescope project at ST-ECF. Based at the European Southern Observatory near Munich in Germany, Fosbury joined this initiative in 1985, more than 5 years before...
. Deputy is Jeremy Walsh
Jeremy Walsh
For the suffragan bishop of Tewkesbury see Jeremy Walsh Jeremy R. Walsh is an astronomer working for the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility where he is leading the Advanced Data Products group...
.
User Support
Founded before the era of the internet and widely available computer resources the ST-ECF was founded with user support for European astronomers as the main goal.When internet connections across the Atlantic and powerful computers became the mainstay, the focus of the organization shifted towards data product and dedicated instrument science support.
Instrument science
The ST-ECF is actively engaged in software development in many areas related to HST data calibration, analysis and visualisation for especially the Hubble instruments Faint Object SpectrographFaint Object Spectrograph
The Faint Object Spectrograph was a spectrograph installed on the Hubble Space Telescope. It was replaced by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph in 1997, and is now on display in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. -FOS facts:...
, STIS, and Advanced Camera for Surveys
Advanced Camera for Surveys
The Advanced Camera for Surveys is a third generation axial instrument aboard the Hubble Space Telescope . The initial design and scientific capabilities of ACS were defined by a team based at Johns Hopkins University. ACS was assembled and tested extensively at Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp...
. For example:
- aXeAXe Spectral ExtractionThe aXe - Spectral Extraction and Visualization software is designed to process large format astronomical slitless spectroscopic images such as those obtained with the Advanced Camera for Surveys on the Hubble Space Telescope...
- Slitless Spectroscopy Extraction software - SLIMSLIMSLIM is developed at the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility and is a slitless spectroscopy simulator programme created to produce simulated ACS grism and prism images. It is written in Python programming language and covers all spectral elements available in the Advanced Camera for...
: A Slitless Spectroscopy Simulator for ACS - Faint Object SpectrographFaint Object SpectrographThe Faint Object Spectrograph was a spectrograph installed on the Hubble Space Telescope. It was replaced by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph in 1997, and is now on display in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. -FOS facts:...
Post Operational Archives calibration pipelinePOA CALFOSPOA CALFOS is the improved Post Operational Archive version of the Faint Object Spectrograph calibration pipeline, an earlier instrument aboard the Hubble Space Telescope . STScI made an improved version of the FOS calibration pipeline called POA_CALFOS...
(included in STSDAS, done by the Instrument Physical Modeling GroupInstrument Physical Modeling GroupThe Instrument Physical Modeling Group of the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility develops astronomical instruments and physical models of their operation...
) - The STIS Spectrograph calibration enhancement project (done by the Instrument Physical Modeling GroupInstrument Physical Modeling GroupThe Instrument Physical Modeling Group of the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility develops astronomical instruments and physical models of their operation...
) - NICMOSlookNICMOSlookNICMOSlook is a computer program to analyze spectral data obtained with the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer on board the Hubble Space Telescope . The program was designed at the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility and is programmed in IDL...
and Calnic CCalnic CCalnic C is a program to analyze spectral data obtained with the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer on board the Hubble Space Telescope . The program was designed at the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility and is programmed in IDL. Maintenance of Calnic C has stopped in... - Lucy-Hook coaddition methodLucy-Hook coaddition methodThe Lucy–Hook coaddition method is an image processing technique for combining sub-stepped astronomical image data onto a finer grid. The method allows the option of resolution and contrast enhancement or the choice of a conservative, re-convolved, output....
Science archive
Together with the European Southern Observatory (ESO)European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
the ST-ECF operates and maintains the ESO/ST-ECF Science Archive Facility
ESO/ST-ECF Science Archive Facility
The ESO/ST-ECF Science Archive Facility is an electronic archive for astronomical data. It currently contains more than 40.0 Terabytes of scientific data obtained with the ESA/NASA Hubble Space Telescope , with the ESO New Technology Telescope and Very Large Telescope and with the Wide Field...
from where all the scientific data collected by the Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
can be accessed by the public.
In collaboration with the HST archives at the STScI and the CADC
CADC
CADC could refer to:*United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit*District of Columbia Court of Appeals*Central Air Data Computer* Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor...
data products and access methods are continuously improved to assure the best possible science data for astronomers around the world. Currently this includes work on the Virtual Observatory, On-The-Fly Calibration
On-The-Fly Calibration
An On-The-Fly Calibration system calibrates data when a user's request for the data is processed so that users can obtain data that are calibrated with up-to-date calibration files, parameters, and software.-History of OTFC:...
, and B Associations
Association (astronomy)
An association is a combined or co-added group of astronomical exposures from which cosmic rays have been removed. WFPC2 associations constitute one type of association and are tools in the Hubble Space Telescope archive for using data from the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 . Associations...
. Earlier work pioneered projects like Astrovirtel
Astrovirtel
The ASTROVIRTEL Project was funded from 2000 until 2003. It was supported by the European Commission’s Access to Research Infrastructures action of the Improving Human Potential Programme and managed by the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility on behalf of European Space Agency and...
and Astrophysical Virtual Observatory
Astrophysical Virtual Observatory
The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory Project conducted a research and demonstration programme on the scientific requirements and technologies necessary to build a VO for European astronomy...
.
Public outreach and education
One of the groups at the ST-ECF is the Hubble European Space Agency Information CentreHubble European Space Agency Information Centre
The Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre is a science communication office, established at the Space Telescope - European Coordinating Facility in Munich, Germany late in 1999...
(HEIC), which, since 1999, has been the leading Hubble outreach activities group in Europe. HEIC's mission statement is to fulfill the Hubble Space Telescope outreach and education tasks for the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
.
Over the past few years HEIC has become a very distinguished communication office of experts using the newest software and techniques. The European Hubble office has produced large amounts of astronomical material - press releases, images, brochures, web pages, books etc. - suitable both for educational purposes and wider public consumption. HEIC provides a well-assorted archive that is publicly available on its web page.
The work is centred on the production of news and photo releases that highlight interesting Hubble science results and images. These are often European in origin, and so not only increase the awareness of European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
’s Hubble share (15%), but the contribution of European scientists to the observatory. Furthermore the group produces video releases, innovative educational material, CD-ROMs, brochures, posters, as well as DVDs and museum information kiosks, and much more.
The Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre
Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre
The Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre is a science communication office, established at the Space Telescope - European Coordinating Facility in Munich, Germany late in 1999...
is headed by the science communication specialist Lars Lindberg Christensen
Lars Lindberg Christensen
Lars Lindberg Christensen is a science communicator heading the ESO education and Public Outreach Department in Munich, Germany. He is responsible for public outreach and education for the VLT, La Silla, for ESO’s part of ALMA, E-ELT and ESA’s part of the Hubble Space Telescope, the International...
and the leading graphic designer is Martin Kornmesser
Martin Kornmesser
Martin Kornmesser is a graphic designer working at the ESA/NASA Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre in Munich/Garching. He obtained his degree in graphics design in Munich in 1989. Kornmesser has actively pioneered the exploration of the fascinating and newly emerging world of computer...
.
All publicised material can be found on spacetelescope.org. The group is home to the FITS Liberator
FITS Liberator
The ESA/ESO/NASA Photoshop FITS Liberator is a free plugin for Adobe Photoshop, which makes it possible to process and edit astronomical science data in the FITS format to produce stunning images of the universe....
project and the "Hubble - 15 Years of Discovery" project that also led to the book Hubble - 15 Years of Discovery
Hubble - 15 Years of Discovery
Hubble - 15 Years of Discovery is a book that formed part of the European Space Agency's 15th anniversary celebration activities for the 1990 launch of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope...
.