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Tue. June 15, 1999
IRAF is a four letter word
IRAF. Image Reduction and Analysis Facility. It's the often dreaded UNIX-based software that is used by many Earthward astronomers using CCD (basically digital) cameras on their telescopes. This program is the one tool that I need to learn by early July so I may make sense of the data that we retrieve at Kitt Peak. The sentiments of dread that linger about the program are all true. After multiple hours Jason and I spent setting up the blasted thing. Anyway, after lunch (recharge) Jason walked me through reducing some data gathered in the past. Everything did start to make sense and came together rather nicely. Until we ran into another problem with a graph we ended up with. As I stood relatively clueless, Jason knew there was something fishy about our graph. So, we gave up for the day. I was beat.
Also marking this day is my return to the world of communication. After my computer problem and the $200 I spent on hard drive recovery software, I believe (knock on wood) that I've nearly got my computer working properly again. This is also a day of catch-up for these web pages. I must say, I'm really thankful to have a chance at an experience like the REU program. It's a great topic to document on my site.


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