IRAF: the Power, the Pain, the Zen (Abstract)

Volume 34 number 1 (2006)

Pamela L. Gay

Abstract

(Abstract only) The National Optical Astronomy Observatory’s (NOAO) general Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF) is one of the most powerful data reduction packages available. Used widely by professional astronomers, IRAF can reduce CCD image and spectral data, compute airmasses, heliocentric Julian dates, and world coordinate systems, provide numerous statistical packages, and much, much more. With a price tag of nothing, IRAF appears to be the obvious first choice for anyone looking for a way to take their raw images and get out clean, well-assessed data. Looks can be deceiving, however. IRAF may not cost any money, but it does cost you time. It takes time to install, time to learn, and perhaps time off the end of your life. With dense, and sometimes inaccurate manuals, a command line interface, and arcane commands, IRAF is hard to learn, and is only for the strong of heart and brave of computer. In this session, I will help you decide if IRAF is right for you. The IRAF features most relevant to AAVSO observers will be highlighted, computer needs will be discussed, and some of the tricks to becoming one with your future IRAF installation will be shown.