Archive-name: space/data Last-modified: $Date: 93/08/01 23:53:49 $ ONLINE AND OTHER SOURCES OF IMAGES, DATA, ETC. INTRODUCTION A wide variety of images, data, catalogs, information releases, and other material dealing with space and astronomy may be found on the net. The sources with the broadest selection of material are the NASA Ames SPACE archive and the National Space Science Data Center (described below). A few sites offer direct dialup access or remote login access, while the remainder support some form of file transfer. Many sites are listed as providing 'anonymous FTP' (or files referred to as 'FTPable'). This refers to the File Transfer Protocol on the Internet. Sites not connected to the Internet cannot use FTP directly, but there are a few automated FTP servers which operate via email. Send mail containing only the word HELP to ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com or bitftp@pucc.princeton.edu, and the servers will send you instructions on how to make requests. Shorthand for a specific file or directory at an anonymous FTP site is sitename:filename (e.g. ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/FAQ/Index). The FAQ is phasing out the specification of IP addresses and referring to FTP sites only by fully qualified machine name. An ever-increasing amount of space-related data may be searched and retrieved interactively using gopher, WAIS, World Wide Web, and other Internet clients that may be far more convenient than FTP. A description of these applications is beyond the scope of this FAQ; see the Usenet groups comp.infosystems.{gopher,wais,www} for more information. Don't even ask for images to be posted to the net. The data volume is huge and nobody wants to spend the time on it. VIEWING IMAGES The possible combinations of image formats and machines is forebodingly large, and I won't attempt to cover common formats (GIF, etc.) here. To read PDS and VICAR (and many other) formats on Unix systems running X, use XV 3.00, available by anonymous FTP from export.lcs.mit.edu:contrib/xv-3.00.tar.Z, as well as the other standard X11 FTP sites. The FAQ for the Usenet group alt.binaries.pictures discusses image formats and how to get image viewing software. A copy of this document is available from the Usenet FAQ archives in rtfm.mit.edu:pub/usenet/alt.binaries.pictures. ONLINE ARCHIVES NASA AMES Extensive archives are maintained at NASA Ames and are available via anonymous FTP or an email server. These archives include many images and a wide variety of documents including this FAQ list, NASA press releases, shuttle launch advisories, and mission status reports. Please note that these are NOT maintained on an official basis. A listing of files available in the archive is FTPable from ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/Index. To access the archives by email, send a letter to archive-server@ames.arc.nasa.gov (or ames!archive-server). In the subject of your letter (or in the body), use commands like: send SPACE Index send SPACE SHUTTLE/ss01.23.91. The capitalization of the subdirectory names is important. All are in caps. Only text files are handled by the email server at present; use one of the FTP email servers described in the introduction to this section for images or programs. The Magellan Venus and Voyager Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus CD-ROM image disks have been put online in the CDROM and CDROM2 directories. The disks will be rotated on a weekly basis. Thousands of images are available in these collections. The GIF directory contains images in GIF format. The VICAR directory contains Magellan images in VICAR format (these are also available in the GIF directory). A PC program capable of displaying these files is found in the IMDISP directory (see the item "VIEWING IMAGES" below). The NASA media guide describes the various NASA centers and how to contact their public affairs officers; this may be useful when pursuing specific information. It's in MISC/media.guide. Any problems with the archive server should be reported to Peter Yee (yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov). NASA ASTROPHYSICS DATA SYSTEM The ADS is a distributed data retrieval system which is easy to use and provides uniform access to ground-based and space-based astronomy data from NASA data centers across the country. It currently has over 140 data catalogs of radio, infrared, optical, UV, and X-ray data which can be queried by position or any other parameter in the catalog. The ADS also provides tools to manipulate and plot tabular results. In addition, ADS has a Beta version of an Abstracts Service which allows users to query over 125,000 abstracts of astronomy papers since 1975 by authors, keywords, title words, or abstract text words. ADS use requires direct Internet access. For more info and to sign up to become a user, email ads@cuads.coloradu.edu. The User's Guide and "QuickStart" Guide (PostScript files) are FTPable from directory sao-ftp.harvard.edu:pub/ads/ADS_User_Guide. Contact Carolyn Stern Grant (stern@cfa.harvard.edu). NASA DIRECTORY OF WAIS SERVERS A WAIS database describing servers of interest to the space community is described by the source file: (:source :version 3 :ip-name "ndadsb.gsfc.nasa.gov" :tcp-port 210 :database-name "NASA-directory-of-servers" :cost 0.00 :cost-unit :free :maintainer "stelar-info@Hypatia.gsfc.nasa.gov" :description "Server created with WAIS release 8 b5.1 on May 5 14:05:34 1993 by warnock@Hypatia Maintainers of WAIS databases of interest to the NASA community can register their databases with the NASA-directory-of-servers by sending the source file to stelar-info@hypatia.gsfc.nasa.gov. Contact Archie Warnock (warnock@hypatia.gsfc.nasa.gov). NASA JET PROPULSION LAB (MISSION INFORMATION AND IMAGES) pubinfo.jpl.nasa.gov is an anonymous FTP site operated by the JPL Public Information Office, containing news releases, status reports, fact sheets, images, and other data on JPL missions. It may also be reached by modem at (818)-354-1333 (no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit). Contact newsdesk@jplpost.jpl.nasa.gov or phone (818)-354-7170. NASA LANGLEY (TECHNICAL REPORTS) techreports.larc.nasa.gov is an anonymous FTP site offering technical reports. To get started, cd to directory pub/techreports/larc/92 and retrieve files README and abstracts.92. Most files are compressed PostScript. The reports are also in a WAIS database with the following description: (:source :version 3 :ip-name "techreports.larc.nasa.gov" :tcp-port 210 :database-name "nasa-larc-abs" :cost 0.00 :cost-unit :free :maintainer "M.L.Nelson@LaRC.NASA.GOV" :description "NASA Langley Research Center Technical Reports Contact tr-admin@techreports.larc.nasa.gov. NASA SPACELINK SpaceLink is an online service located at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The system is specifically designed for teachers. The data base is arranged to provide easy access to current and historical information on NASA aeronautics, space research, and technology transfer information. Also included are suggested classroom activities that incorporate information on NASA projects to teach a number of scientific principles. Unlike bulletin board systems, NASA Spacelink does not provide for interaction between callers. However it does allow teachers and other callers to leave questions and comments for NASA which may be answered by regular mail. Messages are answered electronically, even to acknowledge requests which will be fulfilled by mail. Messages are generally handled the next working day except during missions when turnaround times increase. The mail system is closed-loop between the user and NASA. SpaceLink also offers downloadable shareware and public domain programs useful for science educators as well as space graphics and GIF images from NASA's planetary probes and the Hubble Telescope. You can dial in at (205)-895-0028 (300/1200/2400/9600(V.32) baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit), or telnet to spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov (128.158.13.250, also known as xsl.msfc.nasa.gov) if you're on the Internet. Anonymous FTP capability (password guest) is now available. Most of this information is also available from the Ames server in directory SPACELINK. NATIONAL SPACE SCIENCE DATA CENTER (NSSDC) The National Space Science Data Center is the official clearinghouse for NASA data. The data catalog (*not* the data itself) is available online. Internet users can telnet to nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (128.183.36.23) and log in as 'NODIS' (no password). You can also get the catalog by sending email to 'request@nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov'. You can also dial in at (301)-286-9000 (300, 1200, or 2400 baud, 8 bits, no parity, one stop). At the "Enter Number:" prompt, enter MD and carriage return. When the system responds "Call Complete," enter a few more carriage returns to get the "Username:" and log in as 'NODIS' (no password). The system is menu-driven; topics available as of 3/93 are: 1 - Master Directory - NASA & Global Change 2 - Personnel Information Management System 3 - Nimbus-7 GRID TOMS Data 4 - Interplanetary Medium Data (OMNI) 5 - Request data and/or information from NSSDC 6 - Geophysical Models 7 - CANOPUS Newsletter 8 - International Ultraviolet Explorer Data Request 9 - CZCS Browse and Order Utility 10 - Astronomical Data Center (ADC) 11 - STEP Bulletin Board Service 12 - Standards and Technology Information System 13 - Planetary Science & Magellan Project Information 14 - Other Online Data Services at NSSDC 15 - CD-ROMS Available at NSSDC For users with Internet access, datasets are made available via anonymous FTP once you select the desired datasets from the online catalog. For other users, data may be ordered on CD-ROM and in other formats. Among the many types of data available are Voyager, Magellan, and other planetary images, Earth observation data, and star catalogs. Viewers for Macintosh and IBM systems are also available. As an example of the cost, an 8 CD set of Voyager images is $75. Data may ordered online, by email, or by physical mail. The postal address is: National Space Science Data Center Request Coordination Office Goddard Space Flight Center Code 633 Greenbelt, MD 20771 Telephone: (301) 286-6695 Email address: request@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SERVICE STEIS contains a large amount of information about the Hubble Space Telescope, such as status reports and newsletters, in addition to material oriented towards HST observers and proposers. FTP stsci.edu:README to begin with. Contact Pete Reppert (reppert@stsci.edu) or Chris O'Dea (odea@stsci.edu). STARCAT The Space Telescope European Coordination Facility, at ESO/Garching provides on-line access to a huge astronomical database, featuring - Observation log files of several satellites/telescopes (IUE,IRAS,HST,NTT...). - Spectra and images (IUE, HST). - Most of the astronomical catalogues (SAO, HR, NGC, PPM, IRAS, Veron, GSC and many others, more than 50) in a very convenient way (give center+radius+kind of objects, and you get the corresponding files!). Log on as ``starcat'' (no password) on node stesis.hq.eso.org (134.171.8.100) or on STESIS (DECnet). The files created can be retreived by FTP. Contact: Benoit Pirenne, bpirenne@eso.org (phone +49 89 320 06 433) at ST-ECF ASTRONOMICAL DATABASES The full SAO stellar database is *NOT* available online, probably due to the 40 MB size. It may be ordered on magnetic tape from the NSSDC. A subset containing position and magnitude only is available by FTP (see "Astronomy Programs" below). nic.funet.fi:pub/astro contains a large collection of astronomical programs for many types of computers, databases of stars and deep sky objects, and general astronomy information. This site is mainly for European users, but overseas connections are possible. ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/MISC/galaxy.dat is a database of 8,436 galaxies including name, RA, declination, magnitude, and radial velocity, supplied by Wayne Hayes (wayne@csri.utoronto.ca). ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/FAQ/constell.* contains constellation boundary data in a form suitable for the construction of star charts and atlases. Directory iris1.ucis.dal.ca:pub/gif has a number of GIFs from Voyager, Hubble, and other sources (most of this data is also in pub/SPACE/GIF on the Ames server). Please restrict access to 5pm - 8am Atlantic time. Directory pomona.claremont.edu:[.YALE_BSC] contains the the Yale Bright Star catalog. Contact James Dishaw (jdishaw@hmcvax.claremont.edu). The Hubble Guide Star catalog is available on CD-ROM for the Mac and PC for $49.95 US (catalog # ST101). Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Ave. San Francisco, CA 94112 Phone: (415) 337-2624 9 AM - 3 PM Pacific Time FAX: (415) 337-5205 For German (and possibly other European) readers, Jost Jahn (j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de) has a mail service to distribute astronomical data to interested amateurs at cost. About 30-40 catalogs are available for DM 6..8/disk. Several floppy disk formats are available. He also has a FAX service with current news on the observable sky. Email him if interested in these services, or write: Jost Jahn Neustaedter Strasse 11 W-3123 Bodenteich GERMANY Phone: FRG-5824-3197 FAX: (49)-581-14824 ASTRONOMY PROGRAMS Various astronomy-related programs and databases posted to the net in the past are archived for anonymous FTP at multiple sites, including ftp.uu.net (137.39.1.9). Also see the ASTRO-FTP list posted to sci.astro monthly, which is more complete than this list. Astonomical/Space-related sources of interest in comp.sources.unix: Volume 8: phoon moon phase and date routines Volume 12,13: starchart starchart program & Yale Star data Volume 15: moontool shows moon phase picture on Suns Volume 16: sao reduced SAO catalog Astonomical/Space-related sources of interest in comp.sources.misc: Volume 8: moon another moon phase program Volume 11: starchart starchart program, version 3.2 Volume 11: n3emo-orbit orbit: track earth satellites Volume 12: starchart2 starchart program, update to version 3.2.1 Volume 13: jupmoons plotter for Jupiter's major moons [in perl] Volume 13: lunisolar lunisolar (not sure what this does) Volume 14: n3emo-orbit patch to orbit 3.7 Volume 18: planet planet generation simulator Xephem is an interactive astronomical ephemeris program for X11R4/Motif 1.1 (or later) X Windows systems. It computes lots of information about the planets and any solar system objects for which orbital elements are available. A sample database of some 16000+ objects is included in the release kit. It's available by anonymous FTP from export.lcs.mit.edu:contrib/xephem/xephem_2.4e.tar.Z and has been submitted to comp.sources.x. Contact Elwood Downey (e_downey@tasha.cca.cr.rockwell.com). Ephem is the forefather of xephem designed for simple 24x80 character displays. It's FTPable from export.lcs.mit.edu:contrib/ephem_4.28.tar.Z. XSAT, an X Window System based satellite tracking program, is available from export.lcs.mit.edu:contrib/xsat1.0.tar.Z. Contact Dave Curry (davy@ecn.purdue.edu) for more information. Xsky 2.0.1, a computerized sky atlas for the X Window System, is available from arizona.edu:[.software.unix.xsky]xsky2-0-1.tarz. Contact Terry R. Friedrichsen (terry@venus.sunquest.com) for more information. The "Variable Stars Analysis Software Archive" is available in directory kauri.vuw.ac.nz:pub/astrophys. This is intended for specialists in this field, and they would appreciate people from outside New Zealand confining their FTP access to the astrophys directory, as they pay a significant amount for Internet access. Contents are relatively sparse at present due to the youth of the archive - contributions are encouraged. Contact the archive administrator, Timothy Banks (bankst@kauri.vuw.ac.nz) for more information. The "IDL Astronomy Users Library" is FTPable from idlastro.gsfc.nasa.gov:README (to start with). This is a central repository for general purpose astronomy procedures written in IDL, a commercial image processing, plotting, and programming language. Contact Wayne Landsman (landsman@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov) for more information. ORBITAL ELEMENT SETS The most recent orbital elements from the NASA Prediction Bulletins are carried on the Celestial BBS, (513)-427-0674. Documentation and tracking software are also available on this system. The Celestial BBS may be accessed 24 hours/day at 300, 1200, or 2400 baud using 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Orbital element sets are FTPable from the following directories: archive.afit.af.mil:pub/space NASA,TVRO,Shuttle ftp.funet.fi:pub/astro/pc/satel NASA,TVRO,Molczan,CelBBS,Shuttle kilroy.jpl.nasa.gov:pub/space NASA,Molczan SPACE DIGEST ARCHIVES Copies of back issues of Space Digest are archived on LISTSERV@UGA.BITNET. Send mail containing the message "INDEX SPACE" to get an index of files; send it the message "GET filename filetype" to get a particular file. LANDSAT AND NASA PHOTOS You can get black-and-white 1:1M prints, negatives, or positives for $10, $18, $12 respectively for any Landsat data more than 2 years old from EDC, (Eros (Earth Resources Orbiting Satellite) Data Center). Call them at (605)-594-6511. You get 80 meter resolution from the MSS scanner, 135x180 kilometers on a picture 135x180 mm in size. I think you have to select one band from (green, red, near IR, second near IR), but I'm not sure. Digitial data is also available at higher prices. Transparencies of all NASA photos available to the public can be borrowed from the NASA photo archive; you can have copies or prints made. NASA Audio-Visual Facility 918 North Rengstorff Ave Mountain View, CA 94043 (415)-604-6270 PLANETARY MAPS The following list gives brief references to maps of all bodies other than Earth for which maps have been drawn - 43 by July 1993. The list will be updated periodically. Where many maps exist for a world (e.g. Mars) the best (or a typical) general purpose global map is listed, subdivided into relief maps (usually with feature names), topography (contours) and geol- ogical maps. Otherwise (e.g. Deimos) the best available map is listed. Some (e.g. Comet Encke) are merely simple diagrams of possible surface features ('sketch' under map type). Users noting errors or omissions are urged to contact Phil Stooke at the address below. References: USGS refers to the U.S. Geological Survey. Order maps by I- number from USGS Map Sales, Box 25286, Denver, Colorado USA 80225. Most sheets cost about $3 each (some listed maps are sets of several sheets), but check cost with USGS before ordering. NASA Tech. Memo. 4395, 'Indexes of Maps of the Planets and Satellites 1992' by J.L. Inge and R.M. Batson, is an excellent guide to sheet maps (i.e. not journal illustrations). Apollo-era Moon maps (LAC, LTO) are mostly out of print, but may still be available from NSSDC (plus NASA CD-ROMs): National Space Science Data Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland USA 20771. Other references are to books and journals. Although not full bibliographic entries (to save space), there should be enough information to enable the item to be found. I will answer questions about planetary maps by e-mail at: stooke@vaxr.sscl.uwo.ca (Phil Stooke). BODY MAP TYPE REFERENCE Mercury relief USGS maps I-1149,1171,1822 geology USGS maps I-1199,1233,1408,1409,1658,1659,1660, 2015,2148 atlas Davies et al., ATLAS OF MERCURY, NASA SP-423, 1978 globe USGS (out of print- see at Cornell U. or LPI) Venus relief USGS map I-2041 (Venera 15/16 data) topography USGS map I-1324 (Pioneer Venus data) + GxDR CD-ROM (Magellan) available from NSSDC geology USGS map I-2059 (Venera 15/16 data) atlas ATLAS POVERKHNOSTY VENERY, Russia, 1989 globe USGS (out of print - see at Cornell U. or LPI) Moon relief USGS maps I-1218,1326,2276 topography NSSDC: LAC maps (earthside)+ LTO maps (Apollo zone) geology USGS maps I-703,948,1034,1047,1062,1162, + Wilhelms, USGS Professional Paper 1348, 1987 atlas LUNAR ORBITER PHOTO ATLAS, NASA SP-206, 1971 + A. Rukl, ATLAS OF THE MOON, Hamlyn, 1990 globe Replogle Globes (via Sky Publishing, SKY+TELESCOPE) Mars relief USGS maps I-1618,2179 topography USGS map I-2160 geology USGS map I-1802 digital MDIM (set of six CD-ROMs) available from NSSDC atlas Batson et al., ATLAS OF MARS, NASA SP-438, 1979 globe Sky Publishing (SKY+TELESCOPE) Phobos outline Thomas, ICARUS, 40: 223-243, 1979 relief Bugaevsky et al., ADV.SPACE.RES. 12(9):17-21, 1992 topography Turner, ICARUS, 33:116-140, 1978 globe Max Planck Institut fur Physik+Astro., 1988 Deimos outline Thomas, ICARUS, 40: 223-243, 1979 relief Stooke, SKY+TELESCOPE 69:551-553, 1985 Amalthea sketch Veverka et al., J.GEOPHYS.RES. 86:8675-8692, 1981 topography Stooke, EARTH,MOON,PLANETS 56:123-139, 1992 Io relief USGS map I-1713 topography Gaskell+Synnott,GEOPHYS.RES.LET. 15:581-584, 1988 geology USGS map I-2209 Europa relief USGS maps I-1241,1493,1499 geology SATELLITES OF JUPITER, Ch.14, U.Arizona Press, 1982 Ganymede relief USGS map I-2331 geology USGS map I-1934,1966 (13 other sheets to come) Callisto relief USGS map I-1239,2035 Prometheus relief Stooke, EARTH,MOON,PLANETS, in press Pandora relief Stooke, EARTH,MOON,PLANETS, in press Janus relief Stooke, EARTH,MOON,PLANETS, in press Epimetheus relief Stooke, EARTH,MOON,PLANETS, in press Mimas relief USGS maps I-1489,2155 geology Croft, NASA TECH.MEM. 4300, 95-97, 1991 Enceladus relief USGS maps I-1485,2156 geology Smith et al., SCIENCE, 215:504-537, 1982 Tethys relief USGS maps I-1488,2158 geology Moore+Ahern, J.GEOPHYS.RES. 88:A577-A584, 1983 Dione relief USGS maps I-1487,2157 geology Moore, ICARUS, 59:205-220, 1984 Rhea relief USGS maps I-1484,1921 geology Moore et al., J.GEOPHYS.RES. 90:C785-C795, 1985 Hyperion sketch Thomas+Veverka, ICARUS, 64:414-424, 1985 Iapetus relief USGS maps I-1486,2159 geology Croft, NASA TECH.MEM. 4300, 101-103, 1991 Phoebe sketch Thomas et al., J.GEOPHYS.RES. 88:8736-8742, 1983 Puck sketch Croft+Soderblom, URANUS, U.Ariz.Press, 1991 Miranda relief USGS map I-1920 topography Wu, LUNAR PLANET.SCI XVIII, 1110-1111, 1987 geology Croft+Soderblom, URANUS, U.Ariz.Press, 1991 Ariel relief USGS map I-1920 geology Croft+Soderblom, URANUS, U.Ariz.Press, 1991 Umbriel relief USGS map I-1920 geology Croft+Soderblom, URANUS, U.Ariz.Press, 1991 Titania relief USGS map I-1920 geology Croft+Soderblom, URANUS, U.Ariz.Press, 1991 Oberon relief USGS map I-1920 geology Croft+Soderblom, URANUS, U.Ariz.Press, 1991 Larissa relief Stooke, in preparation Proteus sketch Croft, ICARUS, 99:402-419, 1992 Triton relief USGS map I-2153,2154,2275 geology Smith et al., SCIENCE 246:1422-1449, 1989 Pluto albedo Buie et al., ICARUS, 97:211-227, 1992 Charon albedo Buie et al., ICARUS, 97:211-227, 1992 4 Vesta sketch Stooke, ASTER.COMET.METEOR.'91 Proceedings, 1992 29 Amphitrite sketch Barucci et al., ASTER.COMET.METEOR.II, 89-92, 1986 532 Herculina sketch Taylor et al., ICARUS, 69:354-369, 1987 624 Hektor sketch Hartmann+Cruikshank, ICARUS, 36:353-366, 1978 951 Gaspra sketch GALILEO MESSENGER no. 29, 1992 Comet Encke sketch Sekanina, ASTRON.J. 96:1455-1475, 1988 Comet Halley sketch Moehlmann+,COM.IN POST-HALLEY ERA,p.764,Kluwer 1991 relief Stooke+Abergel, ASTRON.ASTROPHYS. 248:656-668, 1991 Swift-Tuttle sketch Sekanina, ASTRON.J. 86:1741-1773, 1981 Tempel-2 sketch Sekanina, ASTRON.J. 102:350-388, 1991 COMETARY ORBIT DATA The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams and the Minor Planet Center announce the sixth edition of the Catalogue of Cometary Orbits in IAU Circular 4935. The catalogue contains 1292 entries which represent all known comets through November 1989 and is 96 pages long. Non-subscribers to the Circulars may purchase the catalogue for $15.00 while the cost to subscribers is $7.50. The basic catalogue in ASCII along with a program to extract specific orbits and calculate ephemerides is available on MS-DOS 5.25-inch 2S2D diskette at a cost of $75.00 (the program requires an 8087 math coprocessor). The catalogue alone is also available by e-mail for $37.50 or on magnetic tape for $300.00. Except for the printed version of the catalogue, the various magnetic media or e-mail forms of the catalogue do not specifically meantion non-subscribers. It is possible that these forms of the catalogue may not be available to non-subscribers or that their prices may be more expensive than those given. Mail requests for specific information and orders to: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Cambridge, MA 02138, USA NEXT: FAQ #4/13 - Performing calculations and interpreting data formats