Aladin, a portal for the Virtual Observatory
Abstract
Created nine years ago, the Aladin sky atlas tool has become a widely-used VO (Virtual Observatory) portal capable of locating data of interest, accessing and exploring distributing datasets, and visualizing multi-wavelength data. Its compliance with existing or emerging VO standards, interconnection with other visualization or analysis tools, and its ability to easily compare heterogeneous data are key features that make Aladin a powerful data exploration and integration tool as well as a science enabler. Latest developments include simultaneous access and query to data servers discovered via the IVOA registry, overlays of user-defined instrument fields of view, access to solar system database (SkyBOT) in collaboration with IMCCE, extraction of postage stamps around regions of interest, (re)calibration of images/catalogues and compatibility with the PLASTIC (Platform for AStronomical Tools InterCommunication) protocol to facilitate easy connexion between VO tools. Some developments have been performed in the frame of the european VO-Tech project. The Aladin software is available from the website <http://aladin.u-strasbg.fr/>
- Publication:
-
Highlights of Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- August 2007
- Bibcode:
- 2007HiA....14R.625B