The CommandLog: A comprehensive method to extract precise stellar photometry from CCD exposures

R. Janusz and R. P. Boyle

The CommandLog contains a comprehensive method for extracting precise stellar photometry from CCD frames. It leads to swift analysis of photometry for several frames in a set. In this way the mean magnitudes can be calculated and flat field signature revealed. The method has been developed mainly for the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope data frames. An IRAF package of tasks (CL and PERL scripts) is given and some easy-to-process data frames are included as an example. The use of text Tables allows organizing the frames and preparing them for automatic processing. The CommandLog contains an HTML document which facilitates the analysis by following carefully detailed instructions and also the examination of data frames. Pasting source CL code from an HTML window to the IRAF CL allows estimating and controlling all necessary IRAF parameters. The procedure also facilitates the preparation of specific IRAF scripts. Adaptation to other data sets should be easy enough provided one adheres to software conventions of IRAF, TTABLES, and PERL.

Manuscript: jad9_4.ps

myiraf gzipped tar file: myiraf.gz