Astronomy Visualization Metadata Standard
  1. Intended Scope of the AVM
  2. Metadata Management
  3. AVM Tagging Tool
  4. CSV to AVM tagging script
  5. Users Guide
  6. AVM Adobe Metadata Panels
  7. Examples of Tagged Images
  8. Chandra's Pinpoint WCS


1. Intended Scope of the AVM

The astronomical education and public outreach (EPO) community plays a key role in conveying the results of scientific research to the general public. A key product of EPO development is a variety of non-scientific public image resources, both derived from scientific observations and created as artistic visualizations of scientific results. This refers to general image formats such as JPEG, TIFF, PNG, GIF, not scientific FITS datasets. Such resources are currently scattered across the internet in a variety of galleries and archives, but are not searchable in any coherent or unified way.

Just as Virtual Observatory (VO) standards open up all data archives to a common query engine, the EPO community will benefit greatly from a similar mechanism for image search and retrieval. Existing metadata standards for the Virtual Observatory are tailored to the management of research datasets and only cover EPO resources (like publication quality imagery) at the “collection” level and are thus insufficient for the needs of the EPO community.

The primary focus of the AVM is on print-ready and screen ready astronomical imagery, which has been rendered from telescopic observations (also known as “pretty pictures”). Such images can combine data acquired at different wavebands and from different observatories. While the primary intent is to cover data-derived astronomical images, there are broader uses as well. Specifically, the most general subset of this schema is also appropriate for describing artwork and illustrations of astronomical subject matter. This is covered in some detail in later sections.

The intended users of astronomical imagery cover a broad variety of fields: educators, students, journalists, enthusiasts, and scientists. The core set of required tags define the key elements needed in a practical database for identification of desired resources.  For example, one might choose to search for images of the Crab Nebula that include both X-ray and visible light elements, or for any images within 2 degrees of a specified location on the sky that include at least some data from the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Future plans include “multimedia modules” and “planetarium modules” into the AVM standard.

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2. Metadata Management

Managed by:
Virtual Astronomy Multimedia Project, Metadata Work Package (Robert Hurt)

These documents define metadata tags that describe the Astronomy Visualization Metadata (AVM). This metadata schema has been developed within the framework of the IAU Virtual Astronomy Multimedia Project (VAMP).

Current version

AVM Standard v1.2 Release Candidate 1



AVM 1.2 Release Candidate 1 (PDF)



Metadata tags overview spreadsheet (PDF)



Previous AVM Versions

AVM Standard (Version 1.1)



AVM 1.1 Final Candidate (PDF)



Metadata tags overview spreadsheet (PDF)

The IVOA note for Version 1.0 September 2006 (Retired December 2007, previously called Astronomical Outreach Metadata):
http://www.ivoa.net/Documents/latest/AOIMetadata.html

AVM Version 1.0 PDF:
AOI Metadata Tags for the Virtual Observatory (PDF)

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3. AVM Tagging Tool

(November 2007)
The alpha version of the AVM Tagging Tool is now online! This web form will create an XMP formatted XML file of the AVM tags. This file can then be imported to Adobe Photoshop or Bridge to attach the metadata to the image via the XMP standard. You will still need the AVM Panels (see Users Guide below) to verify the metadata once in Adobe Photoshop/Bridge. Without the panels, you will not be able to review the tags from within the program(s).

Go to the AVM Tagging Tool

This tool works best with Mozilla Firefox or Safari.

Please see the Users Guide for directions on using our initial version of the AVM Tagging Tool.

If you would like to help with development of the AVM Tagging Tool, please contact Adrienne (agauthier@as.arizona.edu).

Our wish list for functionality for future versions of the AVM-TT includes:

  • Subject.Category widget to auto-generate letter/number codes based off a collapsable hierarchy/taxonomy menu where the user navigates quickly and can click checkboxes to choose tags. The functionality/look&feel would be similiar to the Subject.Category generator in FITS Liberator.
  • Ability for users to create accounts and upload/store XMP templates to the tool for automated fill-in of common tags to sets of images.
  • Method for uploading an image and attaching the XML/XMP file to the header information without using Adobe Photoshop or Bridge (or some other free tool).
  • Widget to read/interpret FITS headers from Astrometry.net to auto-fill the WCS fields.

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4. CSV to AVM tagging script

The .zip file below contains php scripts that converts from a text file in comma separated format (csv) to xmp output that can be imported in Adobe Bridge (image by image) and "glue" the xmp info into the header of the tiff or jpeg file:
Download csv2avm.zip (9KB)


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5. Users Guide

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6. Adobe Metadata Panels

Adobe CS4 Beta Panels (Updated May 22, 2009)
AVM Adobe CS4 Metadata Panels

These are beta panels for Adobe CS4 applications. Please send inquires/bugs/comments to lnielsen@eso.org or akapadia@eso.org.


Instructions

  • Copy the folder AstronomyVisualization to:
    • Mac OS X: /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/XMP/Custom File Info Panels/2.0/panels/
    • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Adobe\XMP\Custom File Info Panels\2.0\panels\
    • Windows Vista: C\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\XMP\Custom File Info Panels\2.0\panels\
  • Copy the file avm.cfg to:
    • Mac OS X: /Users/[username]/Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash Player/#Security/FlashPlayerTrust/
    • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\#Security\FlashPlayerTrust
    • Windows Vista: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Macromedia\Flash Player\#Security\FlashPlayerTrust
  • Edit avm.cfg to contain:
    • Mac OS X:/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/XMP/Custom File Info Panels/2.0/panels/AstronomyVisualization/bin/AstronomyVisualization.swf
    • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Adobe\XMP\Custom File Info Panels\2.0\panels\AstronomyVisualization\bin\AstronomyVisualization.swf
    • Windows Vista: C\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\XMP\Custom File Info Panels\2.0\panels\AstronomyVisualization\bin\AstronomyVisualization.swf

Replace [username] with your computer user account name. If these folders do not exist create them.

Adobe Metadata Panels for pre-CS4

Archive.zip (Updated Mar 25, 2008)
or
AVM-1-Creator.txt (Updated Mar 25, 2008)
AVM-2-Content.txt (Updated Mar 25, 2008)
AVM-3-Observation.txt (Updated Mar 25, 2008)
AVM-4-Coordinates.txt (Updated Mar 25, 2008)
AVM-5-Publisher.txt (Updated Mar 25, 2008)
AVM-6-FitsLiberator.txt (Updated Mar 25, 2008)


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7. Example of Tagged Images

Instructions:

  1. Download image.
  2. Open in Photoshop.
  3. Look at File Info and scroll through various menus.
  4. Compare with Appendix D of current AVM Document to see XMP output file.

7.1 Example files with XMP (AVM 1.1)

NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

File
Size
Extras
Crab Nebula from Hubble Space Telescope 29.97 MB

Chandra X-Ray Observatory

File
Size
Extras
Weterlund 2 from Chandra X-Ray Observatory
10.0 MB
N132 D from Chandra X-Ray Observatory
4.08 MB
3c321 from Chandra X-Ray Observatory
4.14 MB
Kes 75 from Chandra X-Ray Observatory
19.28 MB
SNR 0509 from Chandra X-Ray Observatory
1.46 MB

Spitzer Space Telescope

File
Size
Extras
Splendid Splinter from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-002a.tif) 1.04 MB
Crab Nebula Supernova Remnant (IRAC Image) from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-003a.tif) 20.89 MB
Spitzer Turns Two (NGC 4725) from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-011.tif) 1.80 MB
NGC 1566 from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-013.tif) 1.66 MB
NGC 2976 from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-014.tif) 830 KB
Crab Nebula Supernova Remnant (IRAC-MIPS Image) from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-004a.tif) 20.89 MB
NGC 3351 (M95) from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-015.tif) 1.00 MB
NGC 3627 (M66) from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-016.tif) 1.04 MB
A SWIRE Picture is Worth Billions of Years from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-019b.tif) 421 KB
A SWIRE Picture is Worth Billions of Years from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-019d.tif) 477 KB
NGC 7793 from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-017.tif) 1.97 MB
Dwarf Galaxies Swimming in Tidal Tails from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-021.tif) 835 KB
NGC 4579 from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig06-003.tif) 920 KB
Stellar Snowflake Clusterfrom Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-028c.tif) 5.56 MB
The (Almost) Invisible Aftermath of a Massive Star's Death from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig06-012b.tif) 1.16 MB
Stellar Snowflake Cluster from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-028a.tif) 12.61 MB
Baby Stars Brewing in the Witch Head Nebula from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig06-013.tif) 500 KB
The (Almost) Invisible Aftermath of a Massive Star's Death from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig06-012c.tif) 1.45 MB
Story of Stellar Birth from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig06-021a.tif) 3.09 MB
Stellar Snowflake Cluster from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig05-028b.tif) 13.47 MB
Perseus' Stellar Neighbors from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig06-027.tif) 3.07 MB
Great Observatories Present Rainbow of a Galaxy from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig06-010.tif) 17.75 MB
Young Stars Emerge from Orion's Head from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig07-006.tif) 9.50 MB
Dark Globule in IC 1396 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2003-06b1.tif) 1.42 MB
Dark Globule in IC 1396 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2003-06b2.tif) 729 KB
Messier 81 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2003-06c1.tif) 1.89 MB
Messier 81 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2003-06d1.tif) 1.85 MB
Multiwavelength M81 from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig07-009.tif) 13.08 MB
Messier 81 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2003-06d3.tif) 1.05 MB
The Infrared Helix (Expanded View) from Spitzer Space Telescope (sig07-016.tif) 35.89 MB
Messier 81 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2003-06d4.tif) 1.18 MB
Messier 81 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2003-06d5.tif) 1.11 MB
Star Formation in Henize 206 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-04a1.tif) 4.86 MB
Star Formation in Henize 206 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-04a3.tif) 6.00 MB
Star Formation in Henize 206 from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-04a4.tif) 2.59 MB
Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin' from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-04a4.tif) 749 KB
Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin' from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-12a1.tif) 1.38 MB
Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin' from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-12a3.tif) 1.16 MB
The Starless Core That Isn't from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-20a2.tif) 537 KB
Star Formation in the DR21 Region from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-06a1.tif) 8.05 MB
New Views of an Old Beauty from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2005-02a4.tif) 867 KB
New Views of a Familiar Beauty from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2005-02a2.tif) 2.34 MB
First Peek at Spitzer's Legacy: Mysterous Whirlpool Galaxy from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-19a2.tif) 3.91 MB
Star Formation in the DR21 Region from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2004-06b1.tif) 9.08 MB
Spitzer Spies Spectacular Sombrero from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2005-11a3.tif) 4.05 MB
Huge Hidden Halo! from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2006-09a1.tif) 2.65 MB
Ready for the Cosmic Ball from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2006-11a1.tif) 1.08 MB
Spitzer Spies Spectacular Sombrero from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2005-11a1.tif) 7.82 MB
Chaotic Star Birth from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2005-24a1.tif) 8.22 MB
Towering Infernos from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2005-23a1.tif) 14.29 MB
The Infrared Hunter from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2006-16a1.tif) 17.45 MB
Heart of the Rosette from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2007-08a1.tif) 6.91 MB
The Sword of Orion from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2006-16b1.tif) 11.88 MB
Infrared Helix from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2006-01a1.tif) 21.43 MB
Planetary Danger Zones in the Rosette Nebula from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2007-08b1.tif) 6.91 MB
Fearsome Foursome from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2007-13b1.tif) 706 KB
The Seven Sisters Pose for Spitzer and for You! from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2007-07b1.tif) 23.36 MB
The Seven Sisters Pose for Spitzer and for You! from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2007-07a1.tif) 23.37 MB
Comets Kick Up Dust in Helix Nebula from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2007-03a1.tif) 27.29 MB
Dwarf Galaxies in the Coma Cluster from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2007-10a1.tif) 18.41 MB
Chaos at the Heart of Orion from Spitzer Space Telescope (ssc2006-21a1.tif) 50.24 MB
SNR 0509 from Chandra X-Ray Observatory
1.46 MB

 

7.2 Example JPEG files with XMP (AVM 1.0 - deprecated)

File
Size
Extras
NGC 1566 from Spitzer Science Center
178KB
A dust-bound supermassive black hole (artist's impression from ESA/Hubble)
1.17MB
Alternatively, you can get the separate XMP file for this image here
NGC 1333 from Spitzer Space Telescope
806KB
ESO 137-001 in Abell 3627 from Chandra X-Ray Observatory
4.86MB
NGC 281 from Hubble Space Telescope
5.31MB
Alternatively, you can get the separate XMP file for this image here

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8. Chandra's Pinpoint WCS

This software simplifies retrieval of world coordinate system (WCS) data from FITS images for outreach astronomy images. Desktop planetarium packages aware of these data can intelligently position astronomical images on the digital sky lending a unique context to the outreach image. Read more on GitHub:
https://github.com/kapadia/PinpointWCS



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Recent NEWS

June 24, 2016: The presentation "Why Astronomy VisualisationMetadata is a Cool Concept for Planetariums" is available [in PDF]

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M82, as imaged by Chandra, Hubble and Spitzer telescopes


M42 as imaged by Spitzer and Hubble telescopes


Poster presented at the AAS2013 Conference in Long Beach, CA