• Conroy, M.
• Moran, S.
• Brown, W.
• Matthews, A.
• Chilingarian, Igor
• Kurtz, M.
• Fabricant, D.
• Tokarz, S.
• Mcleod, B.
• Roll, J.

Abstract

The Telescope Data Center at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory supports observations and data flow from the optical telescopes of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.With a limited amount of manpower, we handle the entire process from instrument operations to the data archiving and scientific reduction, which allows us to avoid many of the difficulties other data centers encounter arising from the incompatibility ofon the instrument and data processing sides. We use telescope control software and data reduction pipelines developed inside our unit which also helps us to ensure the consistency of data products at different stages of processing.Presently we are working on a data archive solution using PostgreSQL and GAVO DaCHS which will allow us to: (1) distribute the raw data to PIs on a timescale of days from observations; (2) feed the data reduction pipelines automatically; (3) distribute reduced science ready data to the PIs; (4) provide access to raw and processed data products using Virtual Observatory interfaces such as ObsTAP, SIAP, SSAP after the proprietary period of the data has expired; (5) maintain a searchable record of all astronomical sources observed by the instruments, along with a catalog of basic observing conditions and telescope/instrument status associated with each exposure.I will present the data archive prototypes for the MMIRS multi-object spectrograph.Our operations model can be scaled up and adopted by large optical observatories.

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