IRSKY v2.6
An Observation Planning Tool for the Infrared Sky
The Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) continues to support
IRSKY as a software tool for viewing the infrared sky. IRSKY
is available for use on IPAC computers from any host on the INTERNET
equipped with X/Windows. IRSKY offers convenient and efficient access
to the major released science products from the IRAS (Infrared
Astronomical Satellite) mission. It is designed as an environment for
astronomers to plan observations in the context of the known infrared
sky, with special emphasis on observations using
Spitzer.
IRSKY users can use the NED (NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database) to
enter the position of the object of interest, by entering a Target Name
and searching for the named object.
IRSKY users need only specify a position on the sky, and the interface
will display:
- Images from the all-sky IRAS Survey Atlas, with a resolution of
4' in each of the IRAS wavelength bands at 12, 25, 60, and 100 um, with
a model of the zodiacal emission subtracted (the interface allows user
control of image display parameters);
- Markers overlaid on the images showing the location of
entries in
the IRAS Point Source and Faint Source Catalogs, as well as the Hubble
Space Telescope Guide Star Catalog, and the ISO Observations;
- Estimates of the total sky brightness at any wavelength
between 5
and 200 um, and estimates of confusion noise due to source crowding and
emission structure.
- Estimates of background using the COBE DIRBE data.
IRSKY provides a
graphic representation of the Spitzer focal plane.
IRSKY can be accessed from any computer that is an INTERNET host, and that
runs X/Windows including Motif, Sun OpenWindows, DEC Windows, or other
X11-compatible window system, but not SunView.
There is also an electronic mail interface to IRSKY that provides
access to the background estimators and catalog search functions.
Information on how to use the
IRSKY Batch Inquiry System (IBIS)
is available here.
Access Instructions (Changed)
An SSH connection is established with the command:
Login name is irskyssh (on Solaris, the command is ssh -X -l irskyssh irsky.ipac.caltech.edu)
Password is ssh!irsky.
From this point on, the interface
is self-documenting, especially through the HELP options.
Comments and problem reports should be made to the
IRSKY team at
irsky-help@ipac.caltech.edu
Last Update:
Tue Aug 11, 2009: telnet login deleted due to firewall tightening