[fitsbits] [EXTERNAL] [BULK] FITS status ? {External}

Mon Jun 2 11:16:54 EDT 2025

Rob:

I have transitioned to half-time, but I am still involved in FITS activities in regards to Heliophysics missions.  A number of missions still come to me to check over their FITS header plans, in particular in regards to coordinates, and I still maintain FITS-related and other software in the IDL SolarSoft library.  I hope to stay involved at a low level for at least the next several years.

In regards to B, I have been mentoring some younger people to take over for me for various tasks, though not specifically for FITS.  It’s important to have somebody from the Heliophysics community involved, perhaps from the people developing the Python SunPy package.

In regards to meetings, under the new NASA system, I’ve already been refused permission for two meetings this year, including the AAS meeting in Anchorage this month, and don’t anticipate being allowed to go to any other non-operational meetings this year.

Bill

--
[signature_2809538790]

William Thompson
Senior Scientist
ADNET SYSTEMS, Inc.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 671
Greenbelt, MD 20771
o: 301.286.2040
William.T.Thompson at nasa.gov<mailto:William.T.Thompson at nasa.gov>

From: fitsbits <fitsbits-bounces at listmgr.nrao.edu> on behalf of "Seaman, Robert Lewis - (rseaman) via fitsbits" <fitsbits at listmgr.nrao.edu>
Reply-To: "Seaman, Robert Lewis - (rseaman)" <rseaman at arizona.edu>
Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 6:25 PM
To: "fitsbits at listmgr.nrao.edu" <fitsbits at listmgr.nrao.edu>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [BULK] [fitsbits] FITS status ? {External}

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Hello FITS folks,

I circulated a thread a couple of weeks ago about a proposed small addition to the allowed values for ZCMPTYPE to include “JPEGXL”. There are some other small details, but it isn’t much more complicated than that, and incrementing the standard (https://fits.gsfc.nasa.gov/fits_standard.html) to version 4.01. Support in astropy and CFITSIO is in the works.

Since then, I’ve contacted the latest two IAU FITS WG chairs, who are both now retired. The more basic logistical questions are A) who remains engaged from the old days in FITS as a standard, and B) how to navigate a transition to early (well, earlier) career astronomical software professionals.

Action items:

·         Please respond to this ping if you fall under category A

·         Please make suggestions about how to do B

·         Please consider participating in either:

o   the upcoming ADASSx Summer Workshop, August 1-5, 2025, following the Rubin Community Workshop in Tucson (https://catalina.lpl.arizona.edu/adassx-2025)

o   and/or the regular ADASS XXXV, November 9-13, Görlitz, Germany (website soon)

o   and perhaps even submit FITS-related abstracts!

FITS governance may need refreshing, but FITS as a day-to-day standard in astronomy continues strong.

Rob Seaman
Catalina Sky Survey
University of Arizona
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