Date: Fri, 16 May 2003
Subject: sirtf-astro: New SPOT release


Contents of mailing:
1) Announcement of new SPOT release
2) New launch date for planning purposes in SPOT

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1) The SIRTF Science Center is pleased to announce that  SIRTF Planning
Observations Tool (SPOT) V7.1 has been released. There is also an updated
SPOT User's Guide. We have also updated the PET and the Observation
Planning Cookbook.

These items can be found on the Proposal Kit area on
the SSC website: 
http://sirtf.caltech.edu/SSC/propkit/

The SPOT automatic update feature will work to go from version 7.0 to this
version, but if you are running a version earlier than 7.0, we urge you to
download the software directly from this site, as the file is quite large.

Some of the new features in this release are:

* The maximum IRS peak-up fluxes you can enter in SPOT have changed.
  Previously, 1 Jy was the maximum. Now the maximum values are: Red point
  source: 1000 mJy, Blue point source: 450 mJy, Red extended source: 700
  MJy/sr, Blue extended source: 700 MJy/sr.
* SPOT has been updated to search the new format of the full 2MASS catalog
  for IRS peak-up sources.
* There is now a Mac OS X installation of SPOT.

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2) Currently, August 27, 2003 is what we are using for launch planning
purposes.  The new planned date/time for the SIRTF launch is now:

27-August-2003 06:03:10 UTC
27-August-2003 02:03:10 EDT
26-August-2003 23:03:10 PDT

This date is now available in SPOT, e.g. if you calculate visibilities
and/or background estimates, it will assume an Aug 27th launch.  



cheers,
SIRTF Observer Support