SALT science data is supplied to principle investigators as OGIP-compliant FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) files. Further information on the FITS data format can be found at fits.gsfc.nasa.gov. There are a number of software packages available to reduce FITS data. We have adopted the PyRAF environment to develop our software.  PyRAF was created at STScI and is based on the python language.  PyRAF provides the flexibility of a mature, modern language in python for developing new software while providing access to the IRAF environment and tasks.  The PySALT package will provide the SALT community with the tools necessary to process and analyze SALT data. 

The PySALT user package is the set of software written to address the data reduction and analysis needs for the SALT telescope.  The primary goals are to produce basic reductions of both imaging and spectroscopic data, provide analysis tools for the unique modes of SALT, and provide a frame work for the distribution of the data to the principle investigators.  In a given night, SALT can produce  several GB of data from different instruments with many modes unique to a 10-meter class telescope.   In order to maximize the scientific potential of the telescope, we provide the PySALT package to meet the unique needs of the SALT community.

The first release of the PySALT package includes tasks to handle basic CCD reductions for RSS and SALTICAM.  In addition the package contains software to provide analysis of SALTICAM slotmode data as well.   The package can be downloaded from here.

Much of the SALT community will face similar problems in reducing and analyzing the data.  A priority of the SALT science team is producing an automated reduction pipeline that will produce science quality data.   However, not all of the observational methods available at SALT lend themselves to automated processing.   As such, we hope to provide recipes for data reduction and analysis from the variety of instruments and modes available so that all facets of the telescope are accessible to the SALT community.  This area is still underdevelopment and more information will be provided soon!

The SALT IRAF package was tinitially developed to reduce SALT data.  It is based on the GEMINI reduction tools adaptive for use with SALT data.  For most purposes, this has been superseeded by the PySALT package.   However, we still provide the package with no warranties or guarantee of support in addition to the PySALT package.

At this early stage of the project, both data and software are provided to the PI on a shared-risk basis. we hope PIs will remain patient during this development phase and enter into the spirit of the exercise by providing feedback and bug reports back to SALT via salthelp(at)saao.ac.za.