Astro Data Lab 2.0 - Tutorial

First Announcement

In this era of data-intensive research, the astronomy community needs to acquire skills to handle increasingly larger data sets, and to gain access to high-performance computing and analysis tools. The Astro Data Lab has been developing a science platform, now hosting new datasets (Gaia DR2, all-sky NOIRLab Source Catalog, Legacy Survey DR 5/6, etc.) and making new tools available to users.

This in-person tutorial will include an overview of Data Lab services and live, “follow-along” demonstrations during a 3-hour session. Seating will be limited to ensure adequate support to tutorial participants. Two separate sessions will take place to accommodate a range of experience with Python and SQL, as described below.

Registration for 2018 tutorial closed

Learn How To:

  • Explore the astronomical catalogs available at Data Lab
  • Use the Data Lab Jupyter Notebook server
  • Submit a database query to the Data Lab
  • Use the Data Lab virtual storage system
  • Get image cutouts for a set of objects
  • Automate workflows


    • Example science cases

  • Explore the Gaia DR2 dataset
  • Star/galaxy/QSO classification
  • Discover faint Milky Way dwarf galaxies
  • Identify RR Lyrae candidates
  • Probe large-scale structure in DECaLS and SDSS/BOSS surveys


  • Session 1: Tuesday May 29 @1-4pm: No/little experience with Python and SQL
  • Session 2: Wednesday May 30 @9:00-noon: Some experience with Python or SQL
  • Basic Intro (optional): Tuesday May 29 @9-11am
  • Hack Together (optional): Wednesday May 30 @1-5pm


    • Mark your calendars!

    Registration deadline: May 22, 2018
    Tutorial date: May 29-30, 2018
    Location: NOIRLab Main Conference Room

    Questions? Contact us at: datalab@noirlab.edu.

    Useful Links

  • Jupyter Notebook Basics
  • Project Jupyter
  • Python Introduction
  • ADQL Tutorial
  • SQL Tutorial (exercise 0-8)
  • Visual Representation of SQL Joins