howto@astronomy.net
With all the help from major Linux distributions such as SuSE, Redhat, Caldera and many others, Linux based systems are becoming easier to use. However, there is still some need of understanding of basic UNIX skills to make the most of Linux. Thus, this HOWTO will assume that the reader has at least a basic knowledge of using a UNIX system including the ability to compile and install programs.
A few resources we have found useful over the years include:
Similarly, this is not a tutorial or reference for astronomy principles or
astronomical instrumentation. Astronomy is perhaps the grandest of all
sciences, employing widely disparate disciplines in a bold attempt to
understand nothing less than the universe itself. Your interests will lead
in many directions. A few references we have used include:
The authors define the scope of this HOWTO as primarily an index
to Linux tools applicable in some fashion to the pursuit of Astronomy. It
is *not* our intention to list WWW astronomy references in general. Our
own interests tend more towards the technology than the pure science and so
we welcome contributions from others who have found Linux tools which
contribute in other ways to Astronomy. Please contact us at the address
above.
$Revision: 1.6 $
$Date: 2000/05/03 22:01:25 $
The latest version of this document is always available on the Astronomy Net at Astronomy HOWTO.
We eagerly accept suggestions from you. Send them to Astronomy HOWTO Editors.
Copyright 2000 by Elwood Downey and John Huggins. This document may be distributed only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the LDP License except that this document must not be distributed in modified form without the author's consent.
A verbatim copy may be reproduced or distributed in any medium physical or electronic without permission of the author. Translations are similarly permitted without express permission if it includes a notice on who translated it. Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; however please notify authors of any such distributions.
Excerpts from the document may be used without prior consent provided that the derivative work contains the verbatim copy or a pointer to a verbatim copy.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.
In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through as many channels as possible. However, we wish to retain copyright on this HOWTO document, and would like to be notified of any plans to redistribute this HOWTO.
Here are some links to collections and other indexes of Linux astronomy
software.
Here is discussion of whole programs for use in finding objects, natural and
man-made, in the sky which run on Linux.
This section discusses bits and pieces of software that can be used to form the
basis for specialized projects.
Every list needs a miscellaneous section, and this is it for Software.
Much effort exists to allow access to Astronomical image file type such as FITS from any web browser. Here are some pointers.
The folks at harvard have a list of Image Servers and Image Browsers.
More folks are using Linux to control equipment. Users range from amateur astronomers in the field to professional observatories.
You need to know what you're doing with Linux and installing programs, but help is available for some programs. Here are some ways to make life easier.