The ORAC Project
Scottish Mirror
Hawaiian Mirror
Latest News :
Orac Commissioning Run, October 1999
Draft ORAC userguides
available here
Project Description
What is it?
ORAC = Observatory Reduction and Acquisition Control
It is a project which addresses the future of UKIRT data reduction and high
level instrument control.
Three major instrumentation software requirements have been identified as
being of importance to UKIRT's long term future:
- An improved observing preparation system which will become the core
of the observing interface to UKIRT. This will replace the current
UKIRT_PREP system with one that uses astronomically based input and can be
run from the observer's home institution with the minimum of software
requirements.
- An improved on line data reduction system for current and future
UKIRT instruments (UKIRTDR). This will be a complete replacement for
CGS4DR and IRCAMDR, supporting pipelined image and spectroscopic
data reduction
- An Observatory Control System (OCS) which will be used for
planning, scheduling and running observations at the telescope. This
will result in increased observing efficiency and flexibility, thereby
maintaining UKIRT's competitiveness in the Gemini era.
Who is doing it?
The project is a joint project between the UK Astronomy Technology Centre and
the Joint Astronomy Centre, Hilo, Hawaii.
- Project Scientist
- Gillian Wright (UKATC)
- Project Manager
- Alan Bridger (UKATC)
- Project team
- Frossie Economou (JAC)
- Malcolm Currie (JAC)
- Min Tan (UKATC)
In addition there is overlap with the Michelle project software and thus
there will be also be effort from members of the Michelle software team.
Finally, of course, astronomers and instrument builders at JAC and ATC will
be consulted, and UKIRT observers are particularly encouraged to comment.
Is there more information?
The documentation for the ORAC project is being produced mostly in Framemaker
and is being made available on the WWW. If you are interested in finding out
more take a look at the documentation index.
A poster paper on ORAC was given at the ADASS '97 conference in Sonthofen,
Baviaria in September 1997. This will appear in the proceedings, to
be published as part of the ASP Conference Series. The slides
from the paper are also available.
Last Modification Date 1999/03/17 - Last Modification Author:
Alan Bridger