To provide some context for this effort it is useful to briefly outline what STScI is doing on other fronts first.

I. Integration of numarray-dependent software with numpy/scipy. This will first be done by porting pyfits to use numpy (well underway and a beta version should be available soon)

II. Addition of features and capabilities to PyRAF in the next 6 months (support for goto's, text-based epar, ipython integration, package unloading, etc.)

III. Continued support for enhancing matplotlib

IV. Beginning development for astronomy library (the subject of this message).