• The GEMINI science verification fields were delivered on DLT to GEMINI. GEMINI staff were able to successfully build and test the access code and data demo for GSC-II.

• STIS target field analysis is now supported using the SKYCAT tool to access GSC-II data. This method allows users to overlay GSC-II catalog data and DSS images.

• Completed scanning POSSI-E scans in the –30 degree zone, the southern limit of this survey.

• Preparations under way for annual GSC-II meeting to be held in Garching (25-26 Oct)
• Jane Morrison delivered a healthy 7lb 15oz baby boy on 29^th August. Mom, baby Oliver, (and Dad Steve) are all well…but sleep deprived!

• Beatrice Bucciarelli returned to OATo after working on GSPC-II and its publication.
• Mario Lattanzi returned to OATo after working on GSC-II classifications and GSPC-II.
• Installed new HP 8100 laser printer in OPS.
• PIXEL1 tape stacker is down and needs replacement.
• PIXELA CDROM jukebox is also broken and awaiting repair.

• No GSPRs (Guide Star Problem Reports) were received this period.
• Monthly NGSS Users meeting was postponed.

• STIS target field analysis is now using the SKYCAT tool to access GSC-II data. This method allows users to overlay GSC-II catalog data and DSS images. In addition, a web form (restricted access) is also available to access the data.

• Completed scanning the fourth shipment of UKST-IR plates and received the fifth shipment.
• Completed scanning the remaining POSS-I N plates in-house.
• Completed scanning the remaining plates in –30 degree zone of the POSSI-E survey.
• Returned a shipment of the UKST short-red plates plus special non-survey plates to ROE.

• Both GAMMAs are operating within nominal tolerances.

• Completed compressing and mastering 893 POSS-II J scans on 225 CDROM's. Compressed three more scans that await the scanning and compressing of the final plate from Palomar before all four can be archived to the last CDROM of the set.

• The DSS archive at STScI is now accessible through SkyCat.
• Corrected a number of minor data errors and omissions in GSH files. These errors were found by running the REFRACTION task over all available GSH files.
• A problem with a Phase 2 confirmation chart led to the identification of a corrupted scan in the DQVS survey. This CDROM will be re-mastered soon.
• Began the compression, CDROM mastering, and MOD archiving of the POSS-II N Survey.
• Started working to migrate last of compression/decompression code from VAX fortran to AXP fortran.

• No progress reported in investigation of a GETIMAGE failure with the DSS-I, first reported by the NAOJ Astronomical Data Analysis Center.

• Completing the remaining SERC-J plates, many in very crowded regions.

• The GEMINI science verification fields were delivered on DLT to GEMINI. They were able to successfully build and test the access code and data demo for GSC-2. They are currently in the process of configuring their data storage area for GSC-2 FITS files.
• The object-matching production code will be upgraded to correct problems with matching shallow overlapping plate areas following COMPASS backups and HSM installation. Once this upgrade is complete there are a few SV fields requested from GEMINI that will be matched and exported for GSC-2 delivery.

• OATO updated the OM code to detect and skip those cases of plates with very small overlapping area and no objects.

• The STIS fixed-target fields were successfully calibrated, matched and exported from COMPASS. These fields are viewable with the GSC-II catalog SkyCat access software.
• The HSM system installation is scheduled for early September in coordination with hardware upgrades to increase the data disk storage.

• Modified definitions in proc_info_flag to more cleanly support the astrometric calibration information (projection, mask type).
• Continued testing of different astrometric plate models with masks to determine best model to use for final recalibration.

• Developed software tools to address the low accuracy of galaxy classification. The tools will be used to analyze decision trees and training sets. A problem has been found in training sets made at ECF leading to poor performance. This work is expected to lead to recommendations for making better training sets and improving classification accuracy.
• Ported an existing classify QA task into IDL for use with Volpicelli’s IDL general QA environment for use with the GSC2 database.

• Completed re-reduction of Wise and Megantic observations. Re-reduction of Mount Hopkins, Mount Leguna and McDonald observations are in progress and should be completed soon.
• Recomputed astrometry for 66 southern hemisphere sequence and sent the data to OATo.
• Rearchived all data stored on old media to CDROM.
• Data from the 2.2m ESO telescope taken with 8kx8k mosaic is in reduction status. These data will provide better understanding of the vignetting problem.

• Defined a calibration build to support the start of production work on GSC2.1. This build will consist of the tasks PHOTOSOL, PLATE_SOLUTION, APPLY_CALIBS, and the supporting task Defined REFRACTION. Formal testing for these tasks is underway.

• Modifications to the CLASSIFY task so that, with the exception of the top-level program, the same code will run on both VMS and NT, are nearly complete. This work has been put on hold until the above delivery is complete.

• Plate processing is now finished for the open cluster M39, and work is beginning on the Sco-Cen association.

• Sent 113 plate scans to OATo for science processing.

S2. This survey is an on-going low level-of-effort collaboration between the ST ScI and the AAO. About 25-50 plates have been added in each of the past few years.

S3. Low priority scans of the POSS-I -24 deg and -30 deg zones.

S4. Includes recent scans of better grade plates.

GSC-II COMPASS DATABASE LOAD (total number entries = 758,880,625)