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2004.............Fresch
The MASTER Optical Catalogue of Quasars, Quasar Candidates,
and Other Radio/X-ray Objects
Eric Flesch, Wellington, New Zealand 14 January 2004
================================================================================
The MASTER Catalogue aligns and overlays the year 2001/2 releases of the ROSAT
HRI, RASS, PSPC and WGA X-ray catalogues, the NVSS (2002), FIRST (2003) and
SUMSS (2003) radio catalogues, the Veron QSO catalogue (2003) and various
galaxy/star reference catalogues onto the optical APM and USNO-A catalogues.
This catalogue displays calculated percentage probabilities for each optical
radio/X-ray-associated object of its likelihood of being a quasar, galaxy,
star, or erroneous radio/X-ray association.
The main Master catalogue (Master.zip) displays all 501,761 radio/X-ray
associated optical objects and known quasars which are optically detected in
APM/USNO-A. Up to six radio/X-ray catalog identifications are presented for
each optical object, plus any double radio lobes (21,498 of these). These are
superimposed (and laterally fitted) onto a 670,925,779-object optical
background which combines APM and USNO-A data.
Objects presented in this catalogue are those optical APM/USNO-A objects which
are associated with X-ray/radio detections, or any optically-found catalogued
QSO/AGN/Bl Lac objects, with confidence >40% of being a radio/X-ray emitting
optical object. There are 501,761 objects included in all (inluding
48,285 catalogued quasars), representing the 99.4% coverage of the sky
available from the APM and USNO-A.
Each object is shown as one line bearing the position in equatorial
coordinates, red and blue optical magnitudes (recalibrated -- see the HGU
readme for details) and PSF class, calculated probabilities of the object
being, separately, a quasar, galaxy, star, or erroneous radio/X-ray
association, any radio identification from each of the NVSS, FIRST and SUMSS
surveys, including candidate double-lobe detections, any X-ray identification
from each of the Rosat HRI, RASS, PSPC and WGA surveys, including fluxes and
field shifts of those identifications, plus, if already catalogued, the object
name and redshift where applicable.
Questions or comments may be directed to eric@flesch.org.
File Summary:
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FileName Lrecl Records Explanations
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Master-ReadMe.txt 80 . This file
Master.txt 475 501761 The Master catalogue, with comprehensive
listings of detections from 7 surveys.
Also lists 2 radio lobes if applicable.
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See also:
APM home page www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~apmcat
USNO home page www.nofs.navy.mil
NVSS home page www.cv.nrao.edu/nvss
FIRST home page sundog.stsci.edu
HRI & PSPC home page wave.xray.mpe.mpg.de/rosat/rra
WGA home page wgacat.gsfc.nasa.gov/wgacat/wgacat.html
RASS-FSC home page www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/rosat/survey/rass-fsc
RASS-BSC home page www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/rosat/survey/rass-bsc
SUMSS home page www.astrop.physics.usyd.edu.au/SUMSS/index.html
Veron home page www.obs-hp.fr/www/catalogues/veron2_11/veron2_11.html
Principal Galaxy Catalogue (LEDA) home page leda.univ-lyon1.fr
Sloan Digital Sky Survey www.sdss.org
2dF QSO Redshift Survey www.2dfquasar.org
2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey www.mso.anu.edu.au/2dFGRS
NED nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu
CfA Redshift Catalogue cfa-www.harvard.edu/~huchra/
IRAS PSCz Redshift Survey www-astro.physics.ox.ac.uk/~wjs/pscz.html
Byte-by-byte Description of the MASTER CATALOGUE:
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Bytes Format Units Label Explanations
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1- 2 I2 h RAh Right Ascension J2000 (hours) (1)
3- 4 I2 min RAm Right Ascension J2000 (minutes)
5- 8 F4.1 s RAs Right Ascension J2000 (seconds)
9 A1 --- DE- Declination J2000 (sign)
10- 11 I2 deg DEd Declination J2000 (degrees) (1)
12- 13 I2 arcmin DEm Declination J2000 (minutes)
14- 15 I2 arcsec DEs Declination J2000 (seconds)
17- 19 A3 --- Descrip Nature of object and any association (2)
21- 24 F4.1 mag Rmag Red optical magnitude (3)
26- 29 F4.1 mag Bmag Blue optical magnitude (3)
31- 33 A3 --- comment Comment on optical object (4)
34 A1 --- R Red optical PSF class (5)
36 A1 --- B Blue optical PSF class (5)
38- 58 A21 --- Name ID from the literature, where existing.
59- 61 I3 pct QSOpct Confidence that the radio/X-ray association
shows this object to be a quasar (6)
62- 64 I3 pct galpct Confidence (as above) that obj is galaxy (6)
65- 67 I3 pct starpct Confidence (as above) that obj is a star (6)
68- 70 I3 pct errpct Probability that this is a false association,
i.e., coincidental radio/X-ray & optical (7)
71- 76 F6.3 z z Redshift from the literature.
78- 98 A21 --- HRIID ID from the ROSAT HRI survey.
99-103 I5 cts/hr hrate Count rate of the HRI source (9)
105-106 I2 arcsec hdist Distance from HRI detection to optical object
108-110 I3 deg htheta Angle (N thru E) from optical obj to detection
111-113 I3 pct hconf Confidence that this is a true association (7)
115-130 A16 --- hfield HRI field ID of this detection.
131-133 I3 arcsec hrmove R.A. arcsecs of the HRI field shift (10)
134-136 I3 arcsec hdmove Decl arcsecs of the HRI field shift (10)
138-158 A21 --- RASSID ID from the ROSAT RASS survey.
159-163 I5 cts/hr rrate Count rate of the RASS source (9)
165-166 I2 arcsec rdist Distance from RASS detection to optical object
168-170 I3 deg rtheta Angle (N thru E) from optical obj to detection
171-173 I3 pct rconf Confidence that this is a true association (7)
175-190 A16 --- rfield RASS field ID of this detection.
191-193 I3 arcsec rrmove R.A. arcsecs of the RASS field shift (10)
194-196 I3 arcsec rdmove Decl arcsecs of the RASS field shift (10)
198-218 A21 --- PSPCID ID from the ROSAT PSPC survey.
219-223 I5 cts/hr prate Count rate of the PSPC source (9)
225-226 I2 arcsec pdist Distance from PSPC detection to optical object
228-230 I3 deg ptheta Angle (N thru E) from optical obj to detection
231-233 I3 pct pconf Confidence that this is a true association (7)
235-250 A16 --- pfield PSPC field ID of this detection.
251-253 I3 arcsec prmove R.A. arcsecs of the PSPC field shift (10)
254-256 I3 arcsec pdmove Decl arcsecs of the PSPC field shift (10)
258-278 A21 --- WGAID ID from the WGA (PSPC data) catalogue.
279-283 I5 cts/hr wrate Count rate of the WGA source (9)
285-286 I2 arcsec wdist Distance from WGA detection to optical object
288-290 I3 deg wtheta Angle (N thru E) from optical obj to detection
291-293 I3 pct wconf Confidence that this is a true association (7)
295-310 A16 --- wfield WGA field ID of this detection.
311-313 I3 arcsec wrmove R.A. arcsecs of the WGA field shift (10)
314-316 I3 arcsec wdmove Decl arcsecs of the WGA field shift (10)
318-338 A21 --- FSID ID from the FIRST or SUMSS radio catalogue.
339-343 I5 mJy fsrate Flux of the FIRST or SUMSS source (9)
345-346 I2 arcsec fsdist Distance from FIRST/SUMSS detection to optical
348-350 I3 deg fstheta Angle (N thru E) from optical obj to detection
351-353 I3 pct fsconf Confidence that this is a true association (7)
355-375 A21 --- NVSSID ID from the NVSS radio catalogue.
376-380 I5 mJy nrate Flux of the NVSS source (9)
382-383 I2 arcsec ndist Distance from NVSS detection to optical object
385-387 I3 deg ntheta Angle (N thru E) from optical obj to detection
388-390 I3 pct nconf Confidence that this is a true association (7)
392-412 A21 --- Lobe1ID FIRST/NVSS ID of a radio lobe for this object
413-417 I5 mJy lrate1 Flux of this lobe source (9)
419-420 I2 arcsec ldist1 Distance from lobe detection to central object
422-424 I3 deg ltheta1 Angle (N thru E) from central obj to this lobe
425-427 I3 pct lconf1 Confidence that this is a true association (7)
429-449 A21 --- Lobe2ID FIRST/NVSS ID of radio lobe #2 for this object
450-454 I5 mJy lrate2 Flux of this lobe source (9)
456-458 I2 arcsec ldist2 Distance from lobe detection to central object
459-461 I3 deg ltheta2 Angle (N thru E) from central obj to this lobe
462-464 I3 pct lconf2 Confidence that this is a true association (7)
466-467 A2 --- cat Source catalogue of name identification (11)
469-470 A2 --- zcat Source catalogue of redshift value (11)
472-474 I3 K denscat Sky density bin of this sky location (x1000)
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Note (1): The location is given as per the IAU recommended naming convention,
thus the location doubles as the name for each object. When referring to
a candidate from this quasars.org catalog, specify it as e.g.,
QORG J000108.1-373858.
Note (2): Summarizes the identification (from the literature) and radio/X-ray
associations presented for this optical object. Legend:
Q=QSO, G=galaxy, A=AGN, B=Bl Lac, S=star, U=unknown with redshift,
R=radio source, 2=Double-lobed radio source, X=X-ray source
Note (3): Magnitudes have been recalibrated from the original APM / USNO-A
values. Estimated accuracy of these values is 0.2 from true, B-R to 0.1.
However, USNO-A non-POSSI objects fainter than 18.5 can have larger errors.
Extended objects brighter than mag 13 can be represented as far too bright.
If image is absent in this color, the plate depth is shown in parentheses.
Note (4): Legend:
p = optical magnitudes are POSS-I E and O.
(no p)= Not POSS-I, so the magnitudes are UKST R and Bj.
v = variability over 1 magnitude detected across epochs for both red & blue
m = proper motion detected across epochs (nominally over 3 arcseconds).
? = inferred object, position and optical magnitudes are estimated in one
or both colours where the PSF is listed as "n".
Note (5): The APM provides PSF class, the USNO-A does not. Legend:
- = stellar PSF (from APM)
1 = fuzzy PSF (from APM)
2 = extended PSF. Can be galaxies, merged stars, etc.
n = no PSF available, usually USNO-A sourced.
x = no image resolved (image fainter than plate depth, or confused, etc.)
Note (6): Probability that object is a QSO / galaxy / star is evaluated from the
radio/X-ray association with catalogued QSOs / galaxies / stars. There are
four cross-categories, these being the PSF (stellar appearance) of the
optical object, its B-R color, the offset of the optical and radio/X-ray
positions, and the ratio of the radio/X-ray flux to the optical flux (via
magnitude), and the radio detections are pooled separately from the X-ray
detections. Candidates are compared by these qualities to known objects,
and the I.D. probabilities are set by numerical prevalence of the known
objects. These same probabilities are also listed for the known objects,
so that you may judge for yourself the effectiveness of this method in
correctly determining the nature of the optical object. Note that the
probability of incorrect association (of the optical object to the
radio/X-ray detection) is listed in the fourth percentile column, and that
the four columns add to 100%. Thus the probability of incorrect
association is already built into the listed probabilities that the object
is a radio/X-ray QSO, galaxy, or star.
In this catalogue, a quasar is taken as any broad emission-line object, so
includes Seyfert-1 galaxies and many/most Bl Lacs. However, known objects
display object categories as defined in the Veron catalogue.
Note (7): Confidence of association is based on whole-sky density of optical
objects of the listed PSF and B-R colors. Density of such objects at x
arcseconds from the radio detections is compared with whole-sky density,
same for X-ray. Ten times the density yields a confidence of 90%, etc.
Whole-sky object densities are sub-categorized by galactic density
subclasses to minimize local-sky bias to within 20% in most cases.
Also, see note (6) above.
Note (9): If following a radio detection (i.e. from FIRST, NVSS or SUMSS), then
this figure is the peak flux in mJy. If the first detection is an X-ray
detection, then this figure is the countrate in counts/hour. Values are
from their respective source catalogues. Values over 99999 are displayed
as 99999.
Note (10): Radio and X-ray surveys are comprised of a set of single observations
each of which cover a defined swath (field) of sky, but with some
uncertainty as to the precise location. The ground-based FIRST, NVSS and
SUMSS radio surveys have very little uncertainty, but the ROSAT-satellite-
-based HRI, RASS, PSPC and WGA surveys typically have positional
uncertainty up to 10 arcseconds for the HRI and 5-25 arcseconds for the
others. A "best fit" between the detections and the optical background is
used to precisely fix the astrometry of each field. This catalogue achieves
that by weighing the individual objects in the optical background (see #7
above) and using likelihood algorithms to determine the best candidates,
using the 670,000,000-object HGU optical catalogue as the control. The
correctness of the technique is seen with any number of spot checks such as
the HRI NGC3628 field US700009H.N1 which has been shifted RA +5.8 arcsec
(positive is eastwards) and decl -14 arcsec (negative is southwards) to
become well-aligned with 5 known quasars in the field.
Note (11): Source catalogues for names and redshifts are:
2G: 2dFGRS the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey
Colless, M., et al. 2001, MNRAS 328, 1039
2Q: 2dF QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ)
Croom S.M., et al. 2003, MNRAS, submitted
3C: 3CRR the online 3CRR catalogue at http://www.3crr.dyndns.org
Laing R.A., Riley J.M., Longair M.S. 1983, MNRAS 204, 151
6D: the 6dF Galaxy Redshift Survey Early Data Release
Wakamatsu et al. 2002, IAU Regional Assembly, ASP Conf. Proc., in press
6Q: 6dF QSO Redshift Survey (6QZ), Croom S.M. et al. 2003, MNRAS, submitted
CF: the CfA Redshift Catalogue, Huchra J. P., et al. 1996, yCat 7193, 0
CN: the Common Name Cross Index, Smith, W.B., 1996 unpublished, IV/22
CV: the Atlas of Cataclysmic Variables
Downes, R. A., et al. 2001, PASP 113, 764
EN: ENEAR, the Redshift-Distance Survey of Nearby Early-Type Galaxies
Wegner, G., et al., astro-ph/0308357, submitted to AJ.
GC: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Vol 1) with Improved Coordinates
Samus, N.N., et al. 2002, Astronomy Letters, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 174-181
HD: the Henry Draper Extension Charts
Nesterov V.V., et al. 1995, A&AS 110, 367
LB: Large Bright Quasar Survey
Hewett P.C., Foltz C.B., Chaffee F.H. 1995, AJ 109, 1498
LC: the Las Campanas Redshift Survey, Shectman et al. 1996, ApJ 470, 172
NE: the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED)
NL: the revised New Luyten Two-Tenths catalogue of high proper-motion stars
Salim, S., Gould, A. 2003, ApJ 582, 1011
PG: Principal Galaxy Catalogue, Lyon-Meudon Extragalactic Database (LEDA)
Paturel, G., Bottinelli, L., Gouguenheim, L. 1995, ApL&C 30, 13
PS: the IRAS PSCz Redshift Survey, Saunders, W., et al. 2000, MNRAS 317, 55
SD: SDSS, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS Data Release 1)
Abazajian, K., et al. 2003, AJ, submitted; astro-ph/0305492
TY: Tycho, Hog et al. 2000, A&A 355, 27
UG: the catalogue of Arcsecond Positions of UGC Galaxies
Cotton W.D., Condon J.J. 1999, ApJS 125, 409
VE: Catalogue of Quasars and Active Nuclei, 11th edition,
Véron-Cetty, M.-P., Véron, P. 2003, A&A (in.press)
WD: Spectroscopically Identified White Dwarfs
McCook G.P., Sion E.M. 1999, ApJS 121, 1
YL: Yale, the Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed.
Hoffleit E.D., Warren Jr. W.H., 1991bsc, book, V/50
ZW: the Updated Zwicky Catalog, Falco E.E., et al 1999, PASP 111, 438
If using this catalogue in published research, please add a small acknowledgement.