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GOODS Cutout Tool Help

This help page describes the input parameters available for the GOODS cutout tool. The cutout tool allows users to create a cutout image (in FITS format) from the GOODS data sets based on a target name or coordinates and a width in arcseconds. Several qualifiers can be used to create image cutouts. The tool can be used from either the HTML search form, or as a Web service following the NVO SIAP cutout protocol.

Input Parameters

Target Name or Coordinates
Enter either a target name to be resolved by SIMBAD (by default) or NED, or J2000 coordinates (RA and DEC separated by a comma). An error message will be displayed if the position is outside the region covered by GOODS.

Resolver
The name resolver you want to use, if you want to resolve an object into its coordinates. You can resolve an object name either before a search, or you can redraw the form with the resolved coordinates in place. You can also elect not to resolve the object name when doing the search, and search the database on the object name instead. The resolver services that may be chosen are NED and SIMBAD. NED is the NASA Extragalactic Database at Caltech in Pasadena, California, and SIMBAD is the Set of Identifications, Measurements, and Bibliography for Astronomical Data at the Centre de Donn\351es astronomiques in Strasbourg, France. The object name will be sent to the chosen resolver, which will send back the coordinates. (If the object name is not recognized by the resolver, or there is some other problem with the SIMBAD or NED services, then the search form will be redrawn with an error message at the top.) These coordinates will then be used to search the database, along with whatever other query qualifications you have given.

Cutout Width
The width of the cutout region in arcseconds. The cutout image is always square, so specifying a second parameter for the height will be ignored. The default size is 5 arcseconds, and the maximum size is currently set to 50 arcseconds.

Maximum Number of Images
The maximum number of cutout images to be generated. The default is 50. (Note this currently applies to the file upload mode where mulitple coordinates or targets can be specified in an uploaded file.)

FITS Files
If yes, links will be displayed so FITS files may be downloaded. Note, FITS files (& all output files) can also be downloaded if the Tar file option is also selected.

Weight Files
If yes, links will be displayed so Weight files (in FITS format) may be downloaded. Note, Files can also be downloaded as a tar file (if the Tar file option is also selected).

Image Format
Options include
  • PNG images (default) with image displayed and downloadable.
  • Postscript image (downloadable but not displayed)
  • none. Note if both no images or FITS files are requested, the search form will be redisplayed.

Size
The size (width) of the cutout in arcseconds. Default = 5 arcsec. The maximum currently allowed is 108 arcsec (0.03 degrees). Larger values will be set to 108 arcsec. Note that no splicing of adjacent tiles is performed.

Tar File
If yes, all output files will be stored in a gzipped tar file and displayed as a link on the results page. By default, no tar file is created.
Local File Name
The name of a local file containing a table or list of parameters such as coordinates, targets names, or data IDs to be uploaded to the server and used to query the database. The file must be an ASCII text file with either one entry per line (e.g., a target name, a Data ID, or a set of coordinates), or a table separated with one of the allowed delimiters, with targets, Data IDs, or RA and Dec values in the designated columns. Note in either case, only one entry per line is extracted. If, for example, a comma-separated list of target names is downloaded in one line, only the value in the designated column will be used.

The search script will perform a database search for each extracted Data ID, target, or set of coordinates, contained in the uploaded list. Target names will be resolved to coordinates. If a resolver error occurs with target names, the search will abort and the compiled results displayed. Coordinates may be given in several formats including sexigesimal and decimal degrees. If the output is requested in CSV or Excel spreadsheet format, a blank line will be used to distinguish the results of one target search from another. VOTable format incorporates separate RESOURCE tags for each database query.

Use the other form entries to specify field delimiters, RA, DEC, or Target column numbers (when the file contains a table of values), and file contents (target names or coordinates). The browse button allows users to seach local directories to locate files.

Warning: Since uploading long lists can take a while to run, uploaded files are limited to 10,000 entries.

File Contents
Specifies contents of the local file to be uploaded (e.g., coordinates, target names or Data ID's). By default, most MAST search forms assume coordinates.

Note that each target, or set of coordinates specified in the uploaded file, is treated as a separate query. The results are displayed as each query is run. If however Data ID's are entered (up to 10,000 are allowed), it is processed as a single query (e.g., select * where data_id in (did1,did2,...).

To avoid displaying column names after each target name or coordinate query, consider using the comma-separated values output format. Also keep in mind that not all target names are resolvable. For example, SIMBAD currently does not reolve most 2MASS IDs.

RA/Target/Data ID Column Number
The column number containing either the Data ID, Right Ascension (decimal degrees or sexagesimal), or target name (depending on how file_contents is set). The default is to assume the first column is to be used.

Dec Column Number
For forms allowing coordinates as input, the column number containing the Declnation (decimal degrees or sexagesimal). The default is to assume the second column contains the DEC value. If the file contents is set to Target Name or any Data ID, this parameter is ignored.

Column Delimiter
The character used to delimit table entries in the uploaded file. Allowed values include tabs( ), commas(,), vertical bar (|), or semi-colons(;). The default is to assume tabs are the delimiters. If the file contains only a single column, use tabs as the delimiter.