1. Annotation of “special structures” in astronomy Bob Mann Institute for Astronomy and National e-Science Centre University of Edinburgh

2. What do astronomers want to do? Annotate data products in the same way we present data in journal papers Annotate data products in the same way we present data in journal papers

3. What do astronomers want to do? Describe extended structures in images Describe extended structures in images (Vela supernova remnant in Hα line emission) N.B. solar physicists may do better in this regard. N.B. solar physicists may do better in this regard.

4. What do astronomers do now? Store “annotations” in databases for use with the other data products Store “annotations” in databases for use with the other data products Satellite track on Satellite track on photographic plate – SuperCOSMOS Sky Survey (Amos Storkey et al.)

5. Why don’t astronomers do more? Technical problems Technical problems  How to introduce annotation into existing data formats interoperably? Sociological problems Sociological problems  Where does data curation stop and scientific research begin?

6. Sociological problems Data whose derivation involves scientific judgement belongs in a paper not a datacentre Data whose derivation involves scientific judgement belongs in a paper not a datacentre  All data processing involves judgement  Isn’t it enough to track the provenance? Attitude changing, aided by some journals Attitude changing, aided by some journals Original data in misssion archive WWW version of Journal Paper Tables of derived data from paper stored at data centre

7. Technical problems FITS data format FITS data format Primary Header (metadata) Primary data array (usually an image) Extension Header Extension body (image, table,…)

8. Technical problems FITS not insuperable obstacle FITS not insuperable obstacle  Flexibility in what goes into header: Keyword-Value-Comment format  Standard way to reference pixels, etc Other standard definitions underway Other standard definitions underway  e.g. Region – standard way to describe a region of the celestial sphere

9. Summary Astronomers don’t annotate much Astronomers don’t annotate much  We probably should do more  We probably will do more No concept of third-party annotation yet No concept of third-party annotation yet Sociological & technical problems to solve Sociological & technical problems to solve  Could do with help/advice/inspiration