The Sloan Digital Sky Survey ImgCutout: The universe at your fingertips

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The Sloan Digital Sky Survey ImgCutout The
universe at your fingertips
Maria A. Nieto-Santisteban nieto_at_pha.jhu.edu Johns
Hopkins University
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The Sloan Digital Sky Survey ImgCutout The
universe at your fingertips

• 1 TByte astronomical database on the internet.

• Available to professional astronomers general
  public.

• A photometric and spectral catalog of 100
  million objects.

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The big picture of the sky
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The big picture of the sky

• Each tile corresponds to 5 images taken in
  different wavelengths by the Sloan telescope.

• Originally in FITS format, images are "glued"
  together to create a JPEG mosaic.

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The big picture of the sky

• Plates show astronomers the boundaries of
  spectroscopic observations.

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The big picture of the sky

• Plates show astronomers the boundaries of
  spectroscopic observations.

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The big picture of the sky

• Plates show astronomers the boundaries of
  spectroscopic observations.

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The big picture of the sky

• Plates show astronomers the boundaries of
  spectroscopic observations.

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The big picture of the sky

• Plates show astronomers the boundaries of
  spectroscopic observations.

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The big picture of the sky

• Yellow crosses mark spectroscopic Targets.

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The big picture of the sky

• Yellow crosses mark spectroscopic Targets.

• Red squares indicate actual Spectroscopic
  observations.

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The big picture of the sky

• Yellow crosses mark spectroscopic Targets.

• Red squares indicate actual Spectroscopic
  observations.

• Blue circles point to Photometric observations.

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Looking at data quality

• 10 - 15 of the observations are lost due to
  bad weather, bright stars, satellite trails,
  meteors, etc.

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Looking at data quality

• 10 - 15 of the observations are lost due to
  bad weather, bright stars, satellite trails,
  meteors, etc.

• Masks delimit such bad areas.

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Looking at data quality

• 10 - 15 of the observations are lost due to
  bad weather, bright stars, satellites trails,
  meteors, etc.

• Masks delimit such bad areas.

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Looking at data quality

• 10 - 15 of the observations are lost due to
  bad weather, bright stars, satellite trails,
  meteors, etc.

• Masks delimit such bad areas.

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Looking at data quality
Meteor Trail

• Astronomers need to identify bad areas in order
  to improve their science.

Bright Source
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Looking at known sources

• Astronomers can enter a list of coordinates to
  get an initial view and decide whether or not
  proceed further.

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Preparing new observations
Looking at known sources

• Finding charts are invaluable tools when
  observing with a real telescope.

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Querying the database for new discoveries
Find galaxies with specific spectra
Search for quasars

• Users can search for new objects online and get
  answers in real time.

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Querying the database for new discoveries
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Querying the database for new discoveries

• These three objects might form a previously
  unknown lensed quasar!

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Querying the database for new discoveries

• Photometric data?

• Background?

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Looking in detail

• Digging for more information

• Types and magnitudes

• Boundaries

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Looking in detail

• Digging for more information

• Types and magnitudes

• Boundaries

• Outlines

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Looking in detail

• Digging for more information

• Types and magnitudes

• Boundaries

• Outlines

• Photometry, Spectro, Cross Identifications and
  more

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SkyServer

• Photometry, Spectro, Cross Identifications and
  more from SkyServer

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SkyServer

• Photometry, Spectro, Cross Identifications and
  more from SkyServer

Quasar Spectrum
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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

• Move around E W, N S.

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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

• Move around E W, N S.

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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

• Move around E W, N S.

• Recenter.

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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

• Move around E W, N S.

• Recenter.

• Zoom in out.

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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

• Move around E W, N S.

• Recenter.

• Zoom in out.

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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

• Move around E W, N S.

• Recenter.

• Zoom in out.

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Exploring the neighborhood

• Select objects.

• Move around E W, N S.

• Recenter.

• Zoom in out.

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ImgCutout
Visual exploration of

• the 1 TeraByte SkyServer database,

• its 100 million celestial objects,

• their images and spectra,

• complex spatial relations, boundaries.

Enables instantaneous discoveries.
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The Universe at your fingertips
ImgCutout
Johns Hopkins University http//skyservice.pha.jh
u.edu/dr1/ImgCutout/