OBJECT keyword redux

[William Pence]

Steve Allen wrote:
> 
> I would like to re-open this can of worms.  Are there any further
> thoughts on the matter of how the OBJECT keyword should be used?  Or
> is the issue moot because the NOST panel will be changing the
> recommendations for OBJECT?

There has been no significant change to the definition of the OBJECT
keyword in the latest version of the NOST FITS Standard (which
incidentally, is expected to be publicly released within a couple weeks):
"Object Keyword - The Value field shall contain a character string giving a
name for the object observed".  The NOST panel decided it was out of scope
of its charter to introduce new restrictions or rules for the value of the
OBJECT keyword or to define a new reserved keyword such as IAUDESIG,
without the prior general agreement of the FITS community.

-Bill Pence
____________________________________________________________________
Dr. William Pence                          pence at tetra.gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA/GSFC Code 662         HEASARC         +1-301-286-4599 (voice)     
Greenbelt MD 20771                         +1-301-286-1684 (fax)