RADIO_VV (E0): Catalog of Extragalactic Radio Source Identifications
FILE: radio_vv.e0 (14585 entries)
CONTENTS: Catalog of Extragalactic Radio Source Identifications, 1983
DATASET: This file comes in HyperSky dataset E-1, version 19930402. Availability on HyperSky CD-ROM: Vol. 1 (1993)
DESCRIPTION: This datafile contains a total of 14585 entries from the CATALOG OF EXTRAGALACTIC RADIO SOURCE IDENTIFICATIONS, by Veron-Cetty & Veron (1983). The HyperSky catalog file is based on the machine-readable version of the catalog,as provided on the NASA/GSFC Astronomical Data Center (ADC) cd-rom "Selected Astronomical Catalogs", Volume 1.
The catalog is a compilation of all published optical identifications of extragalactic radio sources, intended to be complete for relevant papers published through the end of 1982. The 1983 catalog is an updated and greatly expanded version of the original, published by Veron and Veron in 1974. The 1983 catalog is the final one; the authors discontinued further updates.
The intent of the HyperSky datafile is to help quickly identify the nature of optical objects associated with the radio sources, not to provide quick access to the referenced publications. Users interested in the publication references should consult the original machine-readable files onthe ADC cd-rom.
It should be noted that the catalog contains multiple entries for many objects, each entry representing a published reference. Hence the actual number of radio sources represented in the catalog is less than 14585. The HyperSky datafile does not condense these multiple entries into single objects, since each entry may have additional or unique information. However, because of this you may occasionally see what seem to be several duplicate entries for some objects.
DATA: The HyperSky datafile contains the following data from the catalog:
POSITION: Right Ascension and Declination are based on the 1950 catalog values, precessed to equinox 2000.
MAG: the cataloged magnitude estimate for the optical counterpart of the source as given in the reference. These magnitudes are inhomogeneous and generally only rough estimates; hence the catalog documentation advises caution in their use.
IDENTIFICATION: Up to three possible catalog identifications appear for each object. The HyperSky datafile adopts the first one available (in the order given below) as the primary identification. Any remaining identifications are listed one the first comment line:
(a) radio source designation: The most common name is used. Abbreviations and references for these designations are given in tables in the original catalog on the ADC cd-rom.
(b) 4C identification number: Identification number of the source in the Fourth Cambridge Radio Survey Catalogue (4C) (Pilkington and Scott 1965; Gower, Scott and Wills 1967).
(c) optical identification name: Optical name for the identification, as cited in the reference file of the catalog on the ADC cd-rom.
COMMENTS: The comment lines contain the following information, provided
if available for each radio source identification:
* Additional identifications. As discussed above, up to 3 object identifications are available. One is used by the HyperSky file as the primary identification. The one or two remaining, if any, will appear on the first comment line, each preceded by an '='.
* A line briefly identifying the type of the optical counterpart to the radio source. This identification is general (ie, "galaxy" or "quasar") and can also be negative (eg, "empty field"). The comment "star" indicates sources initially considered extragalactic, but which were identified as stars by subsequent spectra.
* A line beginning with "z=", giving the redshift for the optical couterpart to the radio source. Redshift values are reported with varying precision.