Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Astronomical Databases: A User Approach

  • Chapter
Data Analysis in Astronomy IV

Part of the book series: Ettore Majorana International Science Series ((EMISS,volume 59))

  • 117 Accesses

Abstract

A few thoughts are presented on astronomical databases and archives from a user point of view. Shortcomings and possible future trends are also mentioned, as well as some considerations on a future ideal environment for direct home applications on real and remotely located astronomical data.

Data Archiving was for many years the most disregarded aspect of all data systems.

(Albrecht & Egret, 1991)

[Accordïng to NASA], scientists have looked at only 10 percent of the data sent back to Earth in the past 20 years, and have analyzed only 1 percent.

(Newsweek, 7 May 1990)

The Hubble Space Telescope is expected to send down yearly to Earth the equivalent of about 500 Gbyte of data.

(see e.g. Russo et al., 1986)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adorf, H.M. 1989, Space Inf. Syst. Newsl. 1, 7–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adorf, H.M. 1991, private communication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adorf, H.M. & Busch, E.K. 1988, in Astronomy from Large Databases - Scientific Objectives and Methodological Approaches, Eds. F. Murtagh & A. Heck, ESO Conf. & Workshop Proc. 28, 143–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albrecht, M.A. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albrecht, M.A. & Egret, D. (Eds.) 1991, Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Astronomical Society 1990, 1991 Membership Directory, Amer. Astron. Soc., Washington, 184 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhardt, G., Esser, U., Hefele, H., Heinrich, I., Hofmann, W., Krahn, D., Matas, V.R., Schmadel, L.D., Wielen, R. & Zech, G. (Eds.) 1990a, Astronomy & Astrophysics Abstracts, Vol. 49A, Literature 1989, Part 1, Springer-Verlag, Heildeberg, xii + pp. 1–640.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhardt, G., Esser, U., Hefele, H., Heinrich, I., Hofmann, W., Krahn, D., Matas, V.R., Schmadel, L.D., Wielen, R. & Zech, G. (Eds.) 1990b, Astronomy & Astrophysics Abstracts, Vol. 49B, Literature 1989, Part 1, Springer-Verlag, Heildeberg, viii + pp. 641–1424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhardt, G., Esser, U., Hefele, H., Heinrich, I., Hofmann, W., Krahn, D., Matas, V.R., Schmadel, L.D., Widen, R. & Zech, G. (Eds.) 1990c, Astronomy & Astrophysics Abstracts, Vol. 50A, Literature 1989, Part 2, Springer-Verlag, Heildeberg, x + pp. 1–656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhardt, G., Esser, U., Hefele, H., Heinrich, I., Hofmann, W., Krahn, D., Matas, V.R., Schmadel, L.D., Wielen, R. & Zech, G. (Eds.) 1990d, Astronomy & Astrophysics Abstracts, Vol. 50B, Literature 1989, Part 2, Springer-Verlag, Heildeberg, viii + pp. 657–1430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benn, Chr. & Martin, R. 1991, Electronic-Mail Directory 1991, Roy. Greenwich Obs., Cambridge, e-mail files.

    Google Scholar 

  • den Helder, J.W. 1991, private communication

    Google Scholar 

  • Egret, D. 1991, Annuaire de l’Astronomie Française 1991, Soc. Française Spécialistes Astron., Paris, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egret, D., Wenger, M. & Dubois, P. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia, M.R. 1991, private communication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia, M.R., McSweeney, J.D., Karakashian, T., Thurman, J., Primini, F.A., Wilkes, B.J. S., Elvis, M. 1990, The Einstein Observatory Database of HRI X-Ray Images (FITS/CDROM Version), Smithsonian Institution Astrophys. Observ., Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grosbøl, P. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heck, A. 1986, Bull. Inform. Strasbourg Data Center 31, 31–33.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Heck, A. 1991a, Astronomy, Space Sciences and Related Organizations of the World 1991 - ASpScROW 1991, CDS Spec. Publ. 16, x + 1182 p. (two volumes).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Heck, A. 1991b, Acronyms & Abbreviations in Astronomy, Space Sciences & Related Fields, CDS Spec. Publ. 18, xii + 530 p.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Heck, A. & Murtagh, F. (Eds.) 1989, Knowledge-Based Systems in Astronomy, Lecture Notes in Physics 329, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, v + 280 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heck, A., Murtagh, F. & Ponz, D.J. 1985, Messenger 41, 22–25.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Helou, G., Madore, B.F., Schmitz, M., Bicay, M.D., Wu, X. & Bennett, J. 1991, in Databases & On -line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurtz, M.J. 1991, in On-line Astronomy Documentation and Literature, Eds. F. Giovane & C. Pilachowski, NASA Conf. Proc., in press

    Google Scholar 

  • Murtagh, F. 1988, Bull. Inform. Strasbourg Data Center 34, 3–33.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Murtagh, F. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murtagh, F. & Heck, A. 1987, Multivariate Data Analysis,D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht, xvi + 210 p.

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Murtagh, F. & Heck, A. (Eds.) 1988, Astronomy from Large Databases - Scientific Objectives and Methodological Approaches, ESO Conf.& Workshop Proc. 28, xiv + 512 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murtagh, F., Heck, A. & di Gesù, V. 1987, Messenger 47, 23–24.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ochsenbein, F. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsaye, K., Chignell, M., Khoshafian, S. & Wong, H. 1989, Intelligent Databases, J. Wiley & Sons, New York, xvi + 480 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasian, F. & Richmond, A. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plummer, D., Schachter, J., Garcia, M. & Elvis, M. 1991, The Einstein Observatory IPC Slew Survey (FITSA3D/CD-ROM Version), Smithsonian Institution Astrophys. Obs., Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rolfe, E.J. (Ed.) 1983, Statistical Methods in Astronomy, European Space Agency Spec. Publ. 201, x + 262 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russo, G., Richmond, A. & Albrecht, R. 1986, in Data Analysis in Astronomy eds. V. Di Gesù, L. Scarsi, P. Crane, J.H. Friedman, S. Levialdi, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 193–200

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Schreier, E., Benvenuti, P. & Pasian, F. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turon, C., Arenou, F., Baylac, M.O., Boumghar, D., Crifo, F., Gómez, A., Marouard, M., Mekkas, M., Morin, D. & Sellier, A. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, H.J. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wamsteker, W. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, J.M. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss J.R. & Good, J.C. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells, D.C. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, N.E. & Giommi, P. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, R.A. & Mather, J.C. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, H.U. & Harris, A.W. 1991, in Databases & On-line Data in Astronomy, eds. M.A. Albrecht & D. Egret, Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht, in press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Observatoire Astronomique, 11 rue de l’Université, F-67000, Strasbourg, France

    André Heck

Authors
  1. André Heck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    V. Di Gesù

  2. University of Palermo and Institute of Cosmic Physics and Informatics/CNR, Palermo, Italy

    L. Scarsi

  3. Institute of Cosmic Physics and Informatics/CNR, Palermo, Italy

    R. Buccheri  & M. C. Maccarone  & 

  4. European Southern Observatory, Garching/Munich, Germany

    P. Crane

  5. Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching/Munich, Germany

    H. U. Zimmermann

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Heck, A. (1992). Astronomical Databases: A User Approach. In: Di Gesù, V., Scarsi, L., Buccheri, R., Crane, P., Maccarone, M.C., Zimmermann, H.U. (eds) Data Analysis in Astronomy IV. Ettore Majorana International Science Series, vol 59. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3388-7_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3388-7_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6496-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-3388-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation