In the course of preparing for some image database work I have been playing around with three sets of images. The nature of the image sets is varied enough that I am fnding it difficult to outline a general path to creating a standard image databse. The contenet of the headers varies. Thenature of the data varies. For instance, the EFIGI and PFC samples are largely galaxies that are in the RC3. I want a general means to cross-matching to the RC3. However, the EFIGI headers do not have OBJECT cards and the PGC name is ecoded in the image name (as well as the filter name). The PFC images are only partly processed and do not yet have WCS in the header. The SBSKY acm images are very highly processed, but none of then match up to RC3 galaxies (and these headers also do not generally have OBJECT cards).
I'll use my current software tools to have a quick look at these image datasets. I'll try to summarize what can be done with each set, and hopefully this will help me to see the general steps I can take for all three sets. Simple descriptions of how approach these data sets in the inital stages are given here: