SDSS Computing

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) is one of the most ambitious and influential surveys in the history of astronomy. Over eight years of operations (SDSS-I, 2000-2005; SDSS-II, 2005-2008), it obtained deep, multi-color images covering more than a quarter of the sky and created 3-dimensional maps containing more than 930,000 galaxies and more than 120,000 quasars.   

SDSS data have been released to the scientific community and the general public in annual increments, with the final public data release from SDSS-II occurring in October 2008. Meanwhile, SDSS is continuing with the Third Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III), a program of four new surveys using SDSS facilities. SDSS-III began observations in July 2008 and released Data Release 8 in January 2011 and Data Release 9 in August 2012. SDSS-III will continue operating and releasing data through 2014. 

The Scientific Computing Division provides essential support for SDSS:  For SDSS I and II it supported the data acquisition systems at the Apache Point Observatory (APO) and provided engineering and technical support of operations there; ingested and stored all the data collected at APO and processed all the imaging, spectroscopic and the data from two telescopes. It continues to distribute SDSS I and II data to SDSS collaborators and the public via its Data Archive Servers and Catalog Archive Servers. It also supports the Catalog Archive Servers and runs the project web sites. Fermilab scientists in the Scientific Computing Division continue to analyze the scientific data.

More Information: SDSS Computing, Fermilab Experimental Astrophysics Group, SDSS Project Home

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Last updated by cdweb on 10/8/2012