Astra

The analysis framework for the SDSS-V Milky Way Mapper

Astra is the analysis framework for the Milky Way Mapper (MWM), one of the three mapper programs in the fifth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS V). The purpose of Astra is to manage the analysis of reduced data products from SDSS V and to streamline data releases.

Milky Way Mapper will produce data products that differ from previous generations of SDSS. High-resolution infrared spectra will continue to be acquired using the APOGEE spectrographs, but this will be complemented with low-resolution optical spectra. A wide range of scientific targets (e.g., red giants, main-sequence exoplanet host stars, white dwarfs) will be observed by both instruments. This change in strategy requires a framework to manage the analysis of targets, to encourage improvements to existing analysis approaches, and to streamline the data release process.