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Goddard Space Flight Center

Astrophysics Science Division | Sciences and Exploration

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Search Page - Catalog of Infrared Observations

1. Browse the Catalog Listings:

Use this option to browse through the main Catalog listings, as if reading a book. This is by far the simplest way to access the infrared database without complicated search procedures. To open the Catalog, click a green button below. The Catalog listings for that hour of RA will be displayed. You can scroll up and down through the listings using the mouse or the up/down arrow keys.

Select an hour of RA as a starting point:

[00] [01] [02] [03] [04] [05] [06] [07] [08] [09] [10] [11]
[12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [no pos.]

Explanation of Catalog column headings

2. Access the Catalog Data by Source Name:

It can be difficult to locate a source in the Catalog simply by typing its name, because source names and spellings are not standardized, and names are often abbreviated in the database. However, all of the object names contained in the database are listed alphabetically in an Atlas of Infrared Sources, which is a supporting tool built into the Catalog. Two effective ways of finding an object in the Catalog by name using the Atlas are provided here:

a) "Open" the Catalog to the page containing the source name of interest: Click on the red button to find the source name in the Atlas. The Atlas name listed is a link to the source location in the Catalog. Click on the link to display the Catalog page containing the source, then you can scroll up and down to identify all records for that source. This option provides an efficient way to find the source in the Catalog.

[Locate Source]
b) Create a summary of Catalog data for the source name of interest: You can restrict the search results to those records falling within 2 arcminutes of the source of interest and create a shorter list of records for sources within that search area, by using the green button below. Choose a source name to generate a summary of the observations within a small region of sky around that source. This option returns Catalog listings for all sources within 2 arcminutes of RA and Dec, including observations of other sources in the region.

[Locate Source]

3. Search the Catalog Listings by Specifying Position/Wavelength/Flux:

This search option creates a summary of all Catalog database records meeting the search criteria you establish below.

Any one (or any combination) of the search fields below can be used to limit your search. It is not necessary to specify all fields. For example, if the Right Ascension, Declination and R.A./DEC range are not specified, the entire sky will be searched. This will result in a longer search time, but will result in a complete survey based on the specified parameters. Click on SEARCH PARAMETER HELP or the individual links below for an explanation of the format of each search parameter.

Right Ascension (hh mm ss, or hh mm, or hh):

R.A. Search Range:
±
You may change the value by typing any range.

Declination (±dd mm ss, or ±dd mm, or ±dd):

Dec. Search Range:
±
You may change the value by typing any range.

[UNDER CONSTRUCTION] THE EQUINOX OPTION IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Equinox:

At the present time the Catalog uses equinox 1950 coordinates. An option to enter positions based on a different equinox and return the search results in the equinox specified will be implemented in the future.**UNDER CONSTRUCTION**

Wavelength:

Enter the range limits of the wavelength search in the two boxes below. To restrict the search to a single wavelength, enter it in the From box. To search over a range of wavelenghts, enter beginning and ending values in the FROM and TO boxes. A search over a range of wavelengths is *NON-INCLUSIVE*. For examples and options, click on Wavelength Help.
From: µm
To: µm

Flux:

Enter the range limits of the flux search in the two boxes below. To restrict the search to a single flux, enter it in the From box. To search over a range of fluxes, enter beginning and ending values in the FROM and TO boxes. A search over a range of fluxes is *NON-INCLUSIVE*. For examples and options, click on Flux Help.
From: (Units of flux can be specified below.)
To:

Units of Flux:

NOTE: A search can be made for data in specific UNITS without specifying the FLUX (above).

The vast majority of units listed in the Catalog are either Magnitudes or Janskys. If you don't specify the UNITS OF FLUX the search will return all listings, however, most will be either Magnitudes or Janskys with only a few of the less commonly used units. The less commonly used units are identified below, and explained further in Units Help.

Relative Intensity (Magnitudes):
M = Magnitudes
 Brightness:
B = 10-19 W m-2 Hz-1 Sr-1
Flux Density (Janskys, etc.):
J = 1 Jansky = 10-26 W m-2 Hz-1
F = 10-16 W cm-2 µm-1
 Flux:
X = 10-18 W cm-2
Miscellaneous:

4. Search the Bibliography:

a. Search by First Author:

You can view the collection of journal articles from which the Catalog data were obtained, arranged alphabetically by first author. Select the button corresponding to the first author's last name:

[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M]
[N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]

b. Search by Bibliographic Reference Number:

You can find a complete bibliographic reference (author, title, journal, etc.) for any bibliographic reference number, such as one found while browsing the Catalog (Search Option 1 above). Type in the 6-digit bibliographic reference number which identifies the journal article.

Enter 6-digit "BIBLIO" Reference Number from Catalog listings:

For an explanation of the bibliographic reference number, click on Bibliographic Reference Number Help.

Last modified: December 5, 2000

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