Dear SAX user,

This is message includes the following five topics:
	
        1. Status of scientific payload
	2. List of SAX observations performed up to August 31 1996
	3. Status of SAX AO1 timeline
        4. Status of SAX software for data analysis
	5. New "tools" available on the Web 


				Paolo Giommi & Fabrizio Fiore

  					SAX SDC 

===================================================================
	

1. Status of scientific payload
--------------------------------

All SAX scientific instruments are performing nominally. The LECS is 
currently only being operated when the satellite is in nighttime.
This implies a reduction in observation efficiency.  At the moment targets 
are scheduled during intervals of maximum LECS efficiency (when the sun angle
is between approximately 100 and 120 degrees).  We expect this constraint
to be relaxed once investigations to determine the LECS daytime viewing 
constraints are completed.


2. List of SAX observations performed up to August 31 1996
----------------------------------------------------------- 

NFI pointings:

Field				Program		Date

Cyg X-1				C, F		1996/06/22-25
North Pole deep pointing 1	C		1996/06/25-26
North Pole deep pointing 2	C		1996/07/01-05
NGC 4151			SVP		1996/07/06-09
Vela X-1			SVP		1996/07/14
Virgo Cluster/M87		SVP		1996/07/14-15
3C273				SVP		1996/07/18-21
Cyg X-2				SVP		1996/07/23
Her X-1				SVP		1996/07/24-28
MCG-6-30-15			SVP		1996/07/29-08/03
Cas A				SVP		1996/08/07
Sco X-1 			SVP		1996/08/08
4U1626-67			SVP		1996/08/09-10
Cen X-3				SVP 		1996/08/14
MS0158.5+0019			AO1		1996/08/16
Terzan 2			AO1		1996/08/17
GX 1+4				AO1		1996/08/18


WFC pointings

Field				Program		Date

GX301-2 field			SVP-WFC1	1996/07/21-22
GX301-2 field			SVP-WFC2	1996/07/28-29
Cygnus field			SVP-WFC1	1996/08/03-05
Cen X-3 field			SVP-WFC2	1996/08/11-14
Sco X-1 			SVP-WFC1	1996/08/15
Galactic Center 		SVP-WFC2	1996/08/22-31


C = Commissioning phase; F = First light; SVP = Science Verification Phase;
AO1 = Annonuncement of Opportunity 1 


3. Status of SAX AO1 timeline
------------------------------

The observation timeline (including the end of SVP and AO1 programs)
has been produced and frozen for the period 1 September - 31 October 1996.
The timeline will soon be available on line from our
web pages (http://www.sdc.asi.it/).



4. Status of SAX software for data analysis
--------------------------------------------

Software for SAX data analysys is mostly ready and it is 
currently being tested/used on SVP data at SAX SDC and at 
the institutes of the SAX consortium. 

Detailed on line documentation is available at http://www.sdc.asi.it/software/
Part of the documentation is being finalized and may still be subject to 
frequent modifications/updates.


5. New "tools" available on the Web 
------------------------------------
 
We provide a set of general purpose Web tools to better support SAX observers.
The list of tools include (available at http://www.sdc.asi.it/tools.html):

* WWW PIMMS (count rate/exposure time estimation for SAX, ASCA, XTE, ROSAT
instruments, based on HEASARC command driven PIMMS).

* WWW Viewing (target visibility for SAX, ASCA, XTE, ROSAT, HST, based on
HEASARC command driven viewing).

* Name to Coordinate Conversion (supports a local database including over
350,000 names, SIMBAD and NED).

* SAX Image Simulator (to simulate SAX MECS and LECS observations. Makes
use of known logN-logS and/or data from ROSAT WGACAT and ROSAT All Sky 
Survey, Bright Source Catalog.

* SAX SDC WWW NED interface (a simple WWW interface to popular NED service, 
with transparent links to the NASA ADS).

* Proposal Form Preparation (a tool to support SAX observers in the preparation
and submission of proposals.

....soon to come!!!:

** Improved Image Simulator, capable to generate event files, making use
of XSPEC-like spectral models, supporting extended sources simulations.

** General Purpose WWW Catalog Browser, including over 130 catalogs, 
logs, etc., providing several types of searches and cross-correlations 
between catalogs.