From: U01105%FRCCSC21.BitNet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU (Andre HECK)
Subject: Database StarWays
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Organization: [via International Space University]
Original-Sender: isu@VACATION.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU
Distribution: sci
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 13:26:18 GMT


                    The Star*s Family


                      * StarWays *


                       A database

                of astronomy, space sciences

             and related organizations of the world


                           ****


             General presentation and fields covered

StarWays is one of the products of the Star*s Family encompassing
databases, data sets, dictionaries, directories, mailing labels, and so
on, compiled by Andre Heck of Strasbourg Astronomical Observatory,
France.

StarWays is an on-line database of astronomy, space sciences, and
related organizations of the world made accessible through the public
account of the European Space Information System (ESIS) at ESRIN. ESIS
is an initiative undertaken by the European Space Agency (ESA) to
provide the European space science community with uniform access to
space data archives, value-added information services and scientific
functions to support and facilitate data analysis.

StarWays offers essentially the updated information listed in
directories on paper published previously by A. Heck under the acronyms
IDAAS, IDPAI, and ASpScROW. The next paper edition will be published
under the homogenized name of StarGuides at the beginning of 1993.

StarWays has however the advantage of being permanently updated. To
date, about 6000 entries from about 120 countries are accessible.

Besides astronomy and space sciences, related fields such as
aeronautics, aeronomy, astronautics, atmospheric sciences, chemistry,
communications, computer sciences, data processing, education,
electronics, energetics, engineering, environment, geodesy, geophysics,
information retrieval, management, mathematics, meteorology, optics,
physics, remote sensing, and so on, are also covered when appropriate.


                        Data available

StarWays gathers all practical data available on associations,
societies, scientific committees, agencies, companies, institutions,
universities, etc., and more generally organizations, involved in
astronomy and space sciences.

Many other related types of entries have also been included such as
academies, bibliographical services, data centres, dealers,
distributors, funding organizations, IAU-adhering organizations,
journals, manufacturers, meteorological services, national norms and
standards institutes, parent associations and societies, publishers,
software producers, and so on.

The information is given in an uncoded way for easy and direct use. For
each entry, all practical data returned by the organizations are
available: city, postal and electronic-mail addresses; telephone, telex
and telefax numbers; foundation years; numbers of members or staff; main
activities; titles, frequencies, ISS-Numbers and circulations of
periodicals produced; names and geographical coordinates of observing
sites; names of planetariums; awards, prizes or distinctions granted;
and so on.


                        Accessibility

Access to Starways is possible through the ESIS public account reachable
- through SPAN: $set host ESIS (29617) with username ESIS (no password
  required);
- through Internet: $telnet 192.106.252.127 with username ESIS (no
  password required);
- through PSDN (+222 26500147 22 via public network international
  dialing).

Once in the system, the successive menus are self-explanatory. On-line
tutorial and presentation are also available, as well as a dedicated
mailbox system.

StarWays points to the various entries not only by their different
designations and acronyms, but also by locations and major terms in
names. Information can also be retrieved according to the categories
mentioned above, as well as to thematic subindices corresponding to the
various types of data provided for each entry.

Selection criteria are also available, such as the geographical
coordinates of a location around which one would like to list the
entries (with available coordinates) within a given radius. Any string
of characters can also be searched in any field.


                           Contacts

For technical matters (connections to ESIS and StarWays, query
techniques, and so on), please contact:

ESRIN - ESIS
Via Galileo Galilei
Casella Postale 64
I-00044 Frascati
Italy

Telephone: +39-6-941801
    Telex: 610637 esrin i
  Telefax: +39-6-94180361
Electronic mail: esis@ifresa51 (bitnet)
                 esis::esis (span)

For StarWays contents and data-related queries, as well as for
information on the other products of the Star*s Family, please contact:

Andre HECK                -+-  *    Phone (direct)     +33-88.35.82.22
Observatoire Astronomique    *      Phone (Secretary)  +33-88.35.82.18
11, rue de l'Universite   -+-   *   Fax (direct)       +33-88.49.12.55
F-67000 Strasbourg      *    -+-    Fax (Secretary)    +33-88.25.01.60
France               -+-   *    *   Telex              890506 starobs f
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