Author-reviewer workshop materials
Workshop PowerPoint is available here.
Authors Tag Definition: Relates to AJ and ApJ author guidelines.
Published Papers with Figure Sets in the AAS Journals
Some of these links may require a subscription to the journal.
Machine Readable Tables Information and Proof Tips
To create MRTs from an author supplied table a series of Perl and C+ routines are used.
extractcols.pl
Program extracts any number of columns (and in any order) out of a machine readable table using the information in the metaheader. The program can be used to create a new table from the original machine-readable table that is Tab delimited and thus easily read into spreadsheet programs like EXCEL. The options flags that are Currently available are:
-
-c#,#,#,...,# : which extracts out the columns numbers given after the -c flag. Each column number needs to be separated by a comma
read_fmr.pro
PURPOSE:
Given a machine readable table name and optionally
column numbers, this FUNCTION reads the format information in the
meta-header and outputs a IDL function containing either the
complete table or only the requested columns.
CALLING SEQUENCE:
data = read_fmr(filename)
INPUTS:
filename [STRING]: the name of the file containing the machine readable table. If filename is missing a dialog to select the filename will be presented
KEYWORD PARAMETERS:
mrcolextract.pro
Program plots and extracts two columns from a given machine readable table file by using the information in the meta-data header. The output is the information from each column saved in two arrays.
Machine-readable Table Programs
This website provides links to programs written to help journal readers extract and plot the data in machine-readable tables. The ultimate goal is to have programs for different needs and in various languagues.
Machine Readable Tables in the AAS journals
The continual expansion of capabilities in electronic publishing are now allowing us to expand our abilities to publish machine-readable tables as part of our on-line journals. We now have expanded these capabilities, by producing and posting standard format, machine-readable versions of long tables. Unlike the normal ASCII tables which only contain the raw, tab delimitted data, these machine readable tables are formatted in a standard way so that the information can be easily read into a computer.
AAS Journal Explanation Standards for Machine Readable Tables
AAS Journal Label Standards for Machine Readable Tables
In addition to providing further information about a column of data, the label can be used to as a flag to provide limit checks on certain types of common astronomical data.
AAS Journal Unit Standards for Machine Readable Tables
As more scientific analyses and observations are interlinked via the web it becomes more important to adopt standardized units so that information can be easily compared and used outside of specialized fields.
Machine-readable Table Standards
The AAS Journal's machine-readable tables follow most of the conventions for ASCII tables developed and used by the CDS. The meta-data header provides the key to interpreting the data that follows. Under the section labeled "Byte-by-byte Description of file:" a five column table is used to describe the data. These columns include:
-
the starting and ending byte locations of the data column separated by a dash.
Facility Keywords
To aid organizations in obtaining information on the effectiveness of their telescopes, the AAS has created a vocabulary of facility keywords for telescope facilities for use in journal articles. The use of a common set of facility keywords across astronomical publications will make searches for telescopes significantly easier and more accurate. In addition, the facility keywords will be useful for linking papers that use the same telescopes together within the framework of the National Virtual Observatory.
Author Instructions
Overview of the AJ and ApJ submission process.
Author Names in non-Roman alphabets
Including author names using Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters
AAS Journal Reference Instructions
Instructions and samples of citations and reference lists.
Manuscript Preparation: AJ & ApJ Author Instructions
These guidelines cover AJ and ApJ (the main journal (Part 1), the Letters (Part 2), and the Supplement Series).
Word Guidelines
LaTeX is the preferred format. However, Microsoft Word guidelines are available if needed.
Graphics Guidelines
Guidelines for electronically submitting figures as Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) files.
Manuscript Submission
Authors are strongly encouraged to submit their papers electronically to speed up peer review and facilitate the production process. This can be done via the web using online submission forms that are available for each journal.
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