All, An "emergency release" version of my DISTOOLS package for reducing DIS data with the new CCDs is now available. It will have to be updated again when the optics, etc. change, but this should tide you over until then. If you are unfamiliar with DISTOOLS, it is a series of IRAF "wrappers" that are hardcoded with DIS-specific parameters in order to make the reduction of DIS data somewhat easier and faster. The author claims that an experienced user can produce publishable, vacuum heliocentric wavelength, flux calibrated, telluric corrected spectra from raw data in less than 300s from the end of the exposure. Thus, if you have not used it yet, you may find it useful. You can find the package in /home/visitor1/distools/distools_v3beta.tar.gz on tycho.apo.nmsu.edu To install, just gzip -d distools_v3beta.tar.gz tar -xvf distools_v3beta.tar This will unpack all the .cl files in the current directory. There is also a "doc" directory with the help files. Then follow the instructions in the README file. See also the "release notes" below. Gordon ###### Selected release notes for DISTOOLS v3beta 1. All output files are now *.fits instead of *.fit, since DISII outputs *.fits. I prefer *.fit, but it isn't up to me. 2. Some things have changed in editHeaders. In particular, DISPAXIS is now in the header, so we don't need to add it. Also, we currently have to overwrite the OBSERVAT parameter since the current header gives the whole name instead of the abbreviation. I will take this out in the next release if Craig changes the header. [Already fixed by Craig.] 3. Some changes need to be made to your loginuser.cl file since the date and exposure keywords have changed. Note that the headers are still in a state of flux. If you want something added, let Craig know. If you want something changed, I would appreciate it if you would let me know before you ask to have it changed, so that I can tell you whether or not it will break DISTOOLS. 4. Various APALL parameters have been changed in doBlue.cl and doRed.cl 5. In practice, I find that the resolution of the blue and red CCDs is about the same; for "Setup 1", I choose to fix it to 3.15A/pixel. The default wavelength ranges will almost certainly change with the final release after things have settled down. 6. I have included PS files with the HeNeAr lines labelled. The files are blueHeNeAr.ps and redHeNeAr.ps. Not that the lines are given in *vacuum* wavelengths. 7. I have not updated *all* of the CL and HLP files. If the help file says Mar02, then I have updated it. If not, I may or may not have made changes. In any case *everything* will need to have more changes once the new optics are in and the default gratings (and tilts) have been chosen. 8. Various other un-documented changes and lack of changes. User beware! APO APO APO APO APO Apache Point Observatory 3.5m APO APO APO APO APO This is message 90 in the apo35-dis archive. You can find APO the archive on http://www.astro.princeton.edu/APO/apo35-dis/INDEX.html APO To join/leave the list, send mail to apo35-request@astro.princeton.edu APO To post a message, mail it to apo35-dis@astro.princeton.edu APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO