Roman at AAS Home

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is anticipated to generate close to 30 petabytes of data during its five-year primary mission, heralding a new era of big data in astronomy. As data sets grow too large for personal computers, virtual science platforms offer a solution by providing cloud-based data processing and analysis capabilities. The Roman Research Nexus is the science platform being developed to offer the astronomical community a cloud computing environment for Roman data. It couples data-code proximity with a pre-configured software environment and real-time collaboration tools, making it easier for users to work with data and in teams. The platform also includes pre-loaded notebook tutorials and scientific workflows tailored to specific astronomical use cases. Utilizing the JupyterLab environment, users can create Jupyter Notebooks that seamlessly integrate code, analysis results, data visualizations, and other functionalities for handling astronomical images, spectra, and catalogs.

This one-day workshop will provide the scientific community with an introductory overview of the Roman Research Nexus, which will be made available to the science community in Summer 2025. In addition to offering hands-on training, we aim to gather feedback, understand the needs of the user community, and identify ‘early adopters’ interested in utilizing the system for precursor science prior to the Roman launch.

The workshop will include both directed training and independent exploration exercises (i.e., hack hours). The training will feature presentations and short tutorials, alternating with hands-on practical exercises focused on exploring several high-level workflows. Examples include an introduction to Roman data reduction tools, learning how to work with the ASDF file format, and using visualization and simulation tools such as Jdaviz (image visualization), Pandeia (Exposure Time Calculator), RIST (Roman Interactive Sensitivity Tool), STIPS (Space Telescope Image Product Simulator), and WebbPSF for Roman (PSFs simulator). Attendees will also learn how to access and analyze state-of-the-art Roman simulations from the Open Universe project (Troxel et al. 2023), which includes simulated wide-field and time-domain Roman data, as well as how to simulate their own data using Roman simulation tools.

This course is aimed at astronomers and scientists at all stages of their education and careers. A basic knowledge of Python and familiarity with astronomical data concepts (e.g., data reduction, photometry) is expected. Prior experience with science platforms, Jupyter Notebooks, or the Roman mission is not required.

This workshop requires registration. Participants will need personal computers and should set up Roman Research Nexus accounts in advance with help from the workshop organizers. A group list will be compiled approximately one month before the workshop to distribute software requirements and facilitate collaborative troubleshooting.

https://submissions.mirasmart.com/AAS246/Itinerary/EventDetail.aspx?evt=26

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled for launch no later than May 2027. As the mission approaches, there are increasing opportunities for the scientific community to become actively involved, culminating in the first Call for Proposals expected to be released in Fall 2025. Since all Roman data will be public immediately, the Call for Proposals will include support for analyzing archival data as well as the opportunity to propose for new surveys. This splinter meeting is designed to provide attendees with the information and resources they need to begin to plan their Roman proposals. Representatives from the Roman project and the Roman Science Centers at IPAC and STScI will provide information about the implementation of Roman’s community-defined surveys, data products that will be available, and the Roman proposal process. Additionally, we will discuss some of the key tools to support Roman’s proposal and science planning, including the Roman Telescope Proposal System (RTPS), the Astronomer’s Proposal Tool (APT), the Exposure Time Calculator (ETC), the Roman Image Simulator (Roman I-Sim), and the Roman Research Nexus, a powerful science platform designed to support collaborative research, data analysis, and community engagement.

https://submissions.mirasmart.com/AAS246/Itinerary/EventDetail.aspx?evt=211

The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) serves the astronomical community through the operation of multiple NASA flagship missions including the Hubble, Webb, and Roman Space Telescopes, the development of advanced data and science archives, including Kepler and TESS, and the dissemination of astronomical information to the broadest public audiences. Offering this breadth of resources to help the scientific community advance, STScI provides support and the primary user interface for Hubble, Webb and Roman. STScI will contribute to a wide range of workshops, science sessions, splinter meetings, and exhibits throughout the meeting.

The STScI Town Hall will serve as the center piece for our AAS 246 presence. We will report on the status of our existing and upcoming missions and describe new opportunities designed to advance astrophysics into the 2020s. In particular, we will present updates on Hubble and Webb operations in light of the current budget constraints. We will describe the science opportunities afforded by Roman, with the first Call for Proposals released in October. We will include a progress report on the JWST/HST Rocky Worlds Director’s Discretionary Time program and highlight synergies with the upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory.The presenters will include the STScI Director and mission heads. We will include time for discussion to receive community input regarding new capabilities and to answer questions about our activities in the coming year.

https://submissions.mirasmart.com/AAS246/Itinerary/EventDetail.aspx?evt=40