Astro::SIMBAD modules
---------------------  

What is it?
-----------

The Astro::SIMBAD module is an objected orientated Perl interface to the
SIMBAD astronomical database. SIMBAD provides basic data, cross-identifications
and bibliography for astronomical objects outside the solar system.

Currently the module is in the inital stages of development, and I'm following
the release early, release often paradigm. SIMBAD can currently be queried by
co-ordinates and by identifier, alrhough not yet by bibcode. Only minimal
information is mined, although URLs pointing to further, and more detailed,
information are stored along with this data.

More functionality should arrive soon.

Why do it?
----------

Due to the requirements of the eSTAR project for which this module was
written I needed a modern object-orientated interface I could use for
data mining SIMBAD. This module was the result.

Requirements
------------

The module requires the libwww-perl-5.60 package written by Gisle Aas
<gisle@ActiveState.com> v5.53 or above. This package can be obtained
via CPAN at http://search.cpan.org/search?dist=libwww-perl

Also required is the Net::Domain module, v2.13 or above, by Graham
Barr <gbarr@pobox.com>. This module has been included in the base
distribution since Perl 5.7.2, but otherwise can be downloaded from
CPAN as part of the libnet package, see
http://search.cpan.org/search?dist=libnet

Provides
--------

The package provides the following classes

    Astro::SIMBAD::Query
    Astro::SIMBAD::Result
    Astro::SIMBAD::Result::Object
    
Where can I get it?
-------------------

The package is availabe from CPAN <http://www.cpan.org/> and from
http://www.astro.ex.ac.uk/people/aa/pages/computing/estar.html

Installation
------------

Installation is automated using the ExtUtils::MakeMaker library

     % perl Makefile.PL
     % make
     % make test
     % make install

Authors
-------

This module was written by Alasdair Allan <aa@astro.ex.ac.uk>, of the 
University of Exeter Astrophysics Group (http://www.astro.ex.ac.uk/) 
as part of his work for the eSTAR project.

License
-------
This package is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later
version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple
Place,Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA
