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APM catalogue interrogation recipe

Finding Chart and Search recipe for small numbers of objects:

Logon to APM3 either via SPAN (63521) or internet (131.111.68.56) using captive account CATALOGUES.

1. Create a file with your coordinate list (B1950 or J2000 - not mixed) in the form hh,mm,ss dd,mm,ss .................... one object per line using EDIT, or FTP over a suitable file.

2. >PALCORD (North) or UKSTCORD (South) - and answer simple questions.

3. >TYPE palout.dat (ukstout.dat) - note the plate/field name for each object of interest and whether measured or not. There will be a series of files *.tar which contain your input list partitioned into targets for the named plates/fields and a series of command procedure files *.com which you can ignore.

4. >FCHART_RED - to get finding chart pictures and image list (red or blue)

   >SEARCH_RED - to get list of all objects (red and blue)

   These two command procedures provide a simple interface to the software using only a restricted set of options, which should satisfy most demands.

   Example: To get a J2000 red 5 arcmin finding chart and list for eo1396 (north)

   >FCHART_RED eo1396 r 5 j To get a B1950 list of images within 60 arcsec of target list on f824 (south)

   >SEARCH_RED f824 60 b The output plots would be called eo1396.plt and the lists eo1396.asc etc.

   If you type FCHART_RED or SEARCH_RED you will be prompted for the parameters which are: FCHART_RED field name, R(ed) or B(lue) plate, size of chart in arcmin, B(1950) or J(2000) SEARCH_RED field name, size of "radius" of box for search in arcsec, B(1950) or J(2000)

   More flexible interaction can be obtained using: >FCHART - to get finding chart pictures or >SEARCH - to get list of objects on both red and blue plates Try the command procedures first to see what optional parameters there are.

   The input POSS data file (APM file) is called eofiles:eonnn.cmer where nnn is the POSS field no. for each object from step 4. If you need calibration coefficients they are called eofiles:eonnn.cof - UKST fields are called ukfiles:fnnn.cmer and .cal The input coordinate files are *.tar files from step 3.

   You will have to run this step once for each field you have objects in. It is generally best to create postscript plots. You can then FTP or otherwise (using ASCII transfer for the lists as well as plots) the output back to base camp.

5. >LOGOUT

Bugs/features:

The FTP name database is limited you may need to use the IP no. to connect.

You cannot FTP in but you can FTP out.

File UKSTOUT.DAT does not yet flag whether field is measured or not.