(cba:news) CCD photometry software for ST-7

[Jonathan Kemp]

Hi folks,

I must have been sleeping when this one entered my mailbox, so I apologize
for not passing it along sooner.  Kato and the Ouda folks have amended
their reduction software to handle ST-7 produced images and automate large
portions of the reduction process.  The package looks particularly
appealing and I encourage you guys to take a look at it.  I don't know
exactly how applicable it is to ST-6-produced frames, as I realize some of
you currently have that SBIG camera version.  If you have any experiences
or thoughts on this package, please let me know.

Since many of you may not be familiar with or have nearby the software to
decompress lzh files, a zipped file (redst7.zip) is available at
ftp://tristram.phys.columbia.edu/pub/cba/utilities/vsnet/redst7.zip.

Jonathan

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> CCD photometry software for ST-7
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> (vsnet 991)
> 
> After Maurizio's request, I have placed a CCD aperture photometry
> software for ST-7 (probably works with other CCDs after necessary
> modifications of parameters) in the VSNET ftp/WWW. The package was
> first made publicly available via the Japanese BBS NIFTY-Serve FSPACE
> (Ooruri is my handle name there, the name of a Japanese bird :-). This
> online manual is a translation of the corresponding Japanese document.
> 
> ftp://ftp.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/pub/vsnet/others/prog/DOS/redst7.lzh
> 
> The files are compressed using LHA.
> 
>            Automatic Photometry Package for ST-7  (redst7.lzh)
> 
>                   program by Ooruri (T. Kato)
>                              Internet: tkato at kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp
> 
> This program performs automatic reduction (preprocessing and aperture
> photometry) of CCD images. The program is adapted especially for SBIG
> ST-7 CCDs, after some revision from the original version used at Ouda
> Station, Kyoto University. The program handles "low resolution" and
> "full frame" FITS images of ST-7 taken using CCDOPS with a prescribed
> (see below) imaging procedure. This program automatically produces an
> observational log, performs combination of flat-field images, dark
> subtraction, flat-fielding, detection and aperture photometry of
> stars.
> 
> Environment required: DOS compatibles with CPUs 80386 or later
> 
> << How to install >>
> 
> 1) Uncompress (lha e redst7) all files in an appropriate directory and
> add a PATH to this directory. 'sort.exe' included here can be
> substituted by the DOS one.
> 
> 2) Set the following environmental variables.
> 
>   DATA, DOUT, DDRV: should point the drive (not directory) name to store
>        images
>   RAM: should point the drive name of the ram disk.  In case without a ram
>        disk, set this variable to point another drive (for temporay images)
>        different than what the environmental variable DATA points.
>   (The current directories in these drives are used.)
> 
>   PMDETCFG: the file name (full path name) of the photometry parameter.
>        An exmaple 'st7.cfg' is included.
> 
>   A typical settings may be like:
> 
>   set data=b:
>   set dout=b:
>   set ddrv=b:
>   set ram=e:
>   set pmdetcfg=b:\ccd\st7.cfg
> 
> 3) For computers other than NEC PC-9801 and compatibles, replace
> chshow.exe with a dummy program or delete it. This program is a
> graphical quick look viewer severely dependent on NEC machines.
> 
> << CCD imaging procedure >>
> 
> Precautions before using this system.
> 
> 1) Save images in the FITS format. (There may be a possibility of
> different FITS header format depending on the version of CCDOPS. This
> program assumes the header size of 5760 bytes, necessary keywords
> DATE-OBS and UT. When your CCDOPS does not fit this requirement,
> consider a new version or write a conveter program). Always take
> images in 'no dark' mode (take dark and object frames separatedly).
> 
> 2) The program is confirmed to work under the combination of ST-7,
> full frame images and low resolution (3x3 binning). Might not work in
> other combinations. For photometric purposes, use "non-ABG" CCDs.
> 
> 3) File names for flat-field images (twilight etc.) should begin with
> 'FLAT' (flat000.st7 etc.). Be sure flat-field images are not
> saturated. In practice with CCDOPS, display a histogram and take 10
> images or more with average counts of 10000. When taking the twilight,
> swicth off the telescope drive.
> 
> 4) Dark frames should begin with 'DARK' (dark000.st7 etc.). Take dark
> images of the same exposure time as the object frame. It is not
> necessary to take dark frames for every object frame, but when you
> change the object exposure time, always take a set of dark frames of
> exposures before and after the change. Remember to take dark images
> before and after taking flat-field images.
> 
> 5) The program can handle the automatic exposure sequence of CCDOPS.
> 
> << How to use the program >>
> 
> 1) Copy all files of a night to an appropriate directory under the
> drive pointed by the DATA environment variable. Set this directory to
> the current. Please remember to save raw images to other media before
> running the program. The program will make changes to files.
> 
> 2) Execute 'totoday'. This program produces the file todayobs.dat, and
> renames image files to 'ST?????.IMG'.
> 
>     Note 1) This programs checks FITS files in the directory.  Do not place
>             FITS files other than the data for processing.
>     Note 2) Some version of CCDOPS has a dating bug when crossing 0h local
>             time.  If the date is not properly counted, edit todayobs.dat
>             so that todayobs.dat reflects the proper time series.
> 
> 3) Execute 'redst7'. This program first performs combination of
> flat-field images (stars will be removed), and stores the result to
> flat.inf and *.flt files. The program next performs star detection and
> photometry of all object images and stores the result to ST?????.VCH.
> 
> 4) You may also get a de-biased and flat-fielded image of a certain
> image simply by executing 'calib fname' (such as calib ST00001). This
> procedure stores the processed image as fname.cal. The resultant image
> is a 16-bit binary without a header.
> 
> For further discussion, use vsnet-chat mailing list (Japanese readers
> can also use NIFTY-Serve FSPACE forum). In order to share information,
> the author may not respond to private queries.
> 
> Regards,
> Taichi Kato
> 
> [Image] Other programs on the VSNET WWW
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