A major release of the SOFA (Standards of Fundamental Astronomy) software was issued on 9 February 2015. This includes the update due to the leap second scheduled for the end of June, and a new section on "Galactic Coordinates", containing the transformation between galactic coordinates and the International Celestial Reference System (ICRS). See the SOFA website at www.iausofa.org for downloads and details of all changes.

SOFA operates under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to provide an accessible and authoritative set of algorithms and procedures that implement standard models used in fundamental astronomy.

The service is managed by an international panel, the SOFA Board, appointed through IAU Division A - Fundamental Astronomy. SOFA also works closely with the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS).

Links

• IAU SOFA website

Contacts

Catherine Hohenkerk
Chair, IAU SOFA Board
Taunton, United Kingdom
Email: Catherine.Hohenkerk@UKHO.gov.uk

Raquel Yumi Shida
IAU Press Officer Deputy
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 177
Email: rshida@eso.org