Astrocat/RC3

HELP: RC3 Third reference catalogue of bright galaxies

General Description

# of Records: 23024
Description: The catalogue is an good copy of the printed version. The main differences are the (+/-) sign in the paper copy which is replaced by the standard ascii character "@".
Spectral Band: Uband,Bband,Vband,OPT,Colour Index
Kind of Object: BrightGalaxy
Mode: 2DPhotometry
PreView:
Coordinates: J2000
Description The Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies, prepared by the University of Texas, contains entries for 23022 galaxies. Data include the positions for 1950 and 2000, galactic and supergalactic coordinates, several names, types and luminosity classes, optical diameters and axis ratios, the position angles of the major axes, galactic and internal extinctions, optical, infrared, and 21-cm magnitudes, color indices, surface brightnesses, 21-cm indices and linewidths, and radial velocities with respect to the Sun, the galactic standard of rest, and the 3K background. Data are arranged as in the published volume, i.e., four records per galaxy. The catalog attempts to be reasonably complete for galaxies having apparent diameters larger than 1 arcmin and blue magnitudes brighter than about 15.5, with a redshift no larger than 15000 km/sec. Approximately the same number of additional galaxies are also included.
Reference: de Vaucouleur,G., de Vaucouleurs,A., Corwin, Jr., H.G., Buta,R.J., Paturel,G., Fouque,P.: Third reference catalogue of bright galaxies, 1991, Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

Coordinates
Field Name Description

RA (2000) right ascension for the equinox 2000.0 processed from the 1950.0 position (see down) given to 0.1 second of time when available, and to 0.1 minute of time otherwise.

DEC (J2000) right ascension for the equinox 2000.0 processed from the 1950.0 position (see down) given to 1 arcsec when available, and to 1 arcmin otherwise.

lii Galactic longitude computed from ra and dec

bii Galactic longitude computed from ra and dec The precision of lii and bii(though depending on the precision of ra and dec) is better than that in l and b

SGL Galactic longitude in the IAU 1958 system, to deg 0.01

SGB Galactic latitude in the IAU 1958 system, to deg 0.01

SGl Supergalactic longitude, to deg 0.01

SGb Supergalactic latitude, to deg 0.01

RA (1950) Right ascension for the equinox 1950.0

DEC (1950) Declination for the equinox 1950.0

Coordinates
Field Name	Description
RA (2000)	right ascension for the equinox 2000.0 processed from the 1950.0 position (see down) given to 0.1 second of time when available, and to 0.1 minute of time otherwise.
DEC (J2000)	right ascension for the equinox 2000.0 processed from the 1950.0 position (see down) given to 1 arcsec when available, and to 1 arcmin otherwise.
lii	Galactic longitude computed from ra and dec
bii	Galactic longitude computed from ra and dec The precision of lii and bii(though depending on the precision of ra and dec) is better than that in l and b
SGL	Galactic longitude in the IAU 1958 system, to deg 0.01
SGB	Galactic latitude in the IAU 1958 system, to deg 0.01
SGl	Supergalactic longitude, to deg 0.01
SGb	Supergalactic latitude, to deg 0.01
RA (1950)	Right ascension for the equinox 1950.0
DEC (1950)	Declination for the equinox 1950.0

commonly used designations for the galaxies
Field Name Description

Name 1 Names (e.g. LMC, SMC) or NGC and IC designations

Name 2 UGC (Nilson `73), ESO (Lauberts `82), MCG (Vorontsov-Veljaminov et al. `62-`74), UGCA (Nilson `74), CGCG (Zwicky et al. `61-`68) designations, given in that order of preference. MCG designations not listed here are given in UGC and ESO.

Name 3 Other common designations.

PGC Paturel et al. 1989a,b designation.

commonly used designations for the galaxies
Field Name	Description
Name 1	Names (e.g. LMC, SMC) or NGC and IC designations
Name 2	UGC (Nilson `73), ESO (Lauberts `82), MCG (Vorontsov-Veljaminov et al. `62-`74), UGCA (Nilson `74), CGCG (Zwicky et al. `61-`68) designations, given in that order of preference. MCG designations not listed here are given in UGC and ESO.
Name 3	Other common designations.
PGC	Paturel et al. 1989a,b designation.

Types and Luminosity Classes
Field Name Description

Morph Type Mean revised morphological type in the RC2 system, coded as in RC2. Translation to the usual system of notation is as follows:

1st column: R = (R), outer ring; P = (R'), a pseudo outer ring;C = c, compact; D = d, dwarf
2nd column: E, S, I, or P; elliptical, spiral, irregular, peculiar.
3rd column: X = AB, transition class between A -- no bar -- and B barred galaxy. A plus sign "+" in this column indicates a transition between elliptical and lenticular galaxies;i.e. E/S0.
4th column: T = (rs), transition between s -- no inner ring -- and r -- strong inner ring. A number in this column is an ellipticity for an elliptical galaxy: 0 = round, 6 or 7 = edge-on; or a 0 for I0 galaxies.
5th column: For lenticulars: -, 0, or +; the three lenticular stages. For spirals, the numerical Hubble stage: 0 for 0/a, 1 for a, ... 9 for m. For Magellanic irregulars, always 9. Occasionally, there will be an uncertainty symbol (* -- uncertain -- or $ -- doubtful), or P = pec (minor peculiarity) in this column.
6th column: Uncertainty symbols (* or $), P (minor peculiarity), or / = sp (spindle; an edgewise galaxy).
7th column: Same as 6th column, if needed.

L estimate Sources of revised type estimates and number of luminosity class estimates

Numerical Hubble code The following are the numerical index (T) of stage on Hubble sequences: -6 = compact elliptical, -5 =elliptical, -4 = cD galaxy, -3 = S0^-, -2 = S0^o, -1 = S0^+, 0 = S0/a, 1 = Sa, 2 = Sab, 3 = Sb, ... 8 = Sdm, 9 = Sm, 10 = Im, 11 = cIm. The uncertainty code is either '*' (uncertain) or '$' (doubtful).

Err Hubble code Numerical Hubble type uncertainty code

Luminosity Mean numerical luminosity class in RC2 system.

Luminosity error L mean error

Types and Luminosity Classes
Field Name	Description
Morph Type	Mean revised morphological type in the RC2 system, coded as in RC2. Translation to the usual system of notation is as follows: 1st column: R = (R), outer ring; P = (R'), a pseudo outer ring;C = c, compact; D = d, dwarf 2nd column: E, S, I, or P; elliptical, spiral, irregular, peculiar. 3rd column: X = AB, transition class between A -- no bar -- and B barred galaxy. A plus sign "+" in this column indicates a transition between elliptical and lenticular galaxies;i.e. E/S0. 4th column: T = (rs), transition between s -- no inner ring -- and r -- strong inner ring. A number in this column is an ellipticity for an elliptical galaxy: 0 = round, 6 or 7 = edge-on; or a 0 for I0 galaxies. 5th column: For lenticulars: -, 0, or +; the three lenticular stages. For spirals, the numerical Hubble stage: 0 for 0/a, 1 for a, ... 9 for m. For Magellanic irregulars, always 9. Occasionally, there will be an uncertainty symbol (* -- uncertain -- or $ -- doubtful), or P = pec (minor peculiarity) in this column. 6th column: Uncertainty symbols (* or $), P (minor peculiarity), or / = sp (spindle; an edgewise galaxy). 7th column: Same as 6th column, if needed.
L estimate	Sources of revised type estimates and number of luminosity class estimates
Numerical Hubble code	The following are the numerical index (T) of stage on Hubble sequences: -6 = compact elliptical, -5 =elliptical, -4 = cD galaxy, -3 = S0^-, -2 = S0^o, -1 = S0^+, 0 = S0/a, 1 = Sa, 2 = Sab, 3 = Sb, ... 8 = Sdm, 9 = Sm, 10 = Im, 11 = cIm. The uncertainty code is either '*' (uncertain) or '$' (doubtful).
Err Hubble code	Numerical Hubble type uncertainty code
Luminosity	Mean numerical luminosity class in RC2 system.
Luminosity error	L mean error

Optical Diameters and Axis Ratios
Field Name Description

log D25 mean decimal logarithm of the ratio of the major isophotal diameter, D25, to the minor isophotal diameter, d25, measured at or reduced to the surface brightness level (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss , as explained in Section 3.4.a

Error log D25 Mean error on logD25

log R25 Mean decimal logarithm of the ratio D25/d25 measured at or reduced to the surface brightness level (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss, as explained in Section 3.4.b

Error log R25 Mean error on logR25

Log Apparent Diameter Decimal logarithm of the apparent diameter (in 0.1 arcmin) of the "effective aperture", the circle centered on the nucleus within which one-half of the total B-band flux if emitted

Error Log Apparent Diameter logAe mean error

log D0 Decimal logarithm of the isophotal major diameter corrected to face-on (i=0 deg.), and corrected for galactic extinction to Ag = 0, but not for redshift.

Optical Diameters and Axis Ratios
Field Name	Description
log D25	mean decimal logarithm of the ratio of the major isophotal diameter, D25, to the minor isophotal diameter, d25, measured at or reduced to the surface brightness level (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss , as explained in Section 3.4.a
Error log D25	Mean error on logD25
log R25	Mean decimal logarithm of the ratio D25/d25 measured at or reduced to the surface brightness level (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss, as explained in Section 3.4.b
Error log R25	Mean error on logR25
Log Apparent Diameter	Decimal logarithm of the apparent diameter (in 0.1 arcmin) of the "effective aperture", the circle centered on the nucleus within which one-half of the total B-band flux if emitted
Error Log Apparent Diameter	logAe mean error
log D0	Decimal logarithm of the isophotal major diameter corrected to face-on (i=0 deg.), and corrected for galactic extinction to Ag = 0, but not for redshift.

Major Axis Position Angle, Galactic and Internal Extinctions
Field Name Description

Position Angle Position angle, measured in degrees from north through east (all <180 deg.), taken available from UGC,ESO and ESGC (and in few cases from HI data).

Galactic extinction Galactic extinction in B-band magnitudes, calculated following Burstein and Heiles (1978a,1982,1984)

Internal extinction Internal extinction in B-band magnitudes (for correction to face-on), calculated from logR and T.

HI self-absorption HI line self-absorption in magnitudes (for correction to face-on), calculated from logR and T>=1

Major Axis Position Angle, Galactic and Internal Extinctions
Field Name	Description
Position Angle	Position angle, measured in degrees from north through east (all <180 deg.), taken available from UGC,ESO and ESGC (and in few cases from HI data).
Galactic extinction	Galactic extinction in B-band magnitudes, calculated following Burstein and Heiles (1978a,1982,1984)
Internal extinction	Internal extinction in B-band magnitudes (for correction to face-on), calculated from logR and T.
HI self-absorption	HI line self-absorption in magnitudes (for correction to face-on), calculated from logR and T>=1

Optical and Infrared Magnitudes
Field Name Description

B total Total (asymptotic) magnitude in the B systemderived by extrapolation from photoelectric aperture-magnitude data and from surface photometry with photoelectric zero point.

Error B total btot mean error

Photographic Magnitude Photographic magnitude

Error on Phot Mag. mb mean error

Far-infrared magnitude far-infrared magnitude calculated from mfir=-20.0-2.5*log(FIR) where FIR is the far infrared continuum flux measured at 60 and 100 microns as listed in the IRAS_PSC (Point Source Catalog) (1987)

Total magnitude corrected Total "face-on" magnitude corrected for galactic and internal extinction, and for redshift

Optical and Infrared Magnitudes
Field Name	Description
B total	Total (asymptotic) magnitude in the B systemderived by extrapolation from photoelectric aperture-magnitude data and from surface photometry with photoelectric zero point.
Error B total	btot mean error
Photographic Magnitude	Photographic magnitude
Error on Phot Mag.	mb mean error
Far-infrared magnitude	far-infrared magnitude calculated from mfir=-20.0-2.5*log(FIR) where FIR is the far infrared continuum flux measured at 60 and 100 microns as listed in the IRAS_PSC (Point Source Catalog) (1987)
Total magnitude corrected	Total "face-on" magnitude corrected for galactic and internal extinction, and for redshift

Total Color Indices
Field Name Description

B-V Total color index in the Johnson B-V system

B-V err. bmv mean error

U-B Total color index in the Johnson U-B system

U-B err. umb mean error

B-V corrected Total (B-V) color index corrected for galactic and internal extinction, and for redshift

U-B corrected Total (U-B) color index corrected for galactic and internal extinction, and for redshift

Total Color Indices
Field Name	Description
B-V	Total color index in the Johnson B-V system
B-V err.	bmv mean error
U-B	Total color index in the Johnson U-B system
U-B err.	umb mean error
B-V corrected	Total (B-V) color index corrected for galactic and internal extinction, and for redshift
U-B corrected	Total (U-B) color index corrected for galactic and internal extinction, and for redshift

Effective Color Indices and B-band Surface Brightness
Field Name Description

B-V in Ae Mean (B-V) color index within the effective aperture Ae

Error of B-V in Ae bmv_e mean error

U-B in Ae Mean (U-B) color index within the effective aperture Ae

Err of U-B in Ae umb_e mean error

B surface brightness Mean B-band surface brightness in magnitudes per square arcmin (B-m)/sm within the effective aperture Ae, calculated from the relation m_e = btot + 0.75 + 5*logAe - 5.26. this m_e is statistically related to the effective mean surface brightness with which it coincides when logR=0 (i = 0 deg.)

Err B surface brightness Mean error of m_e

Surface brightness at 25m Mean surface brightness in magnitudes per square arcmin within the (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss elliptical isophote of major axis logD25 and axis ratio logR25, defined as in RC2 by: m_25 = btot + (DEL)m25 + 5 logD25 -2.5 logR25 -5.26 where (DEL)m25 = 2.5 log (Lt/L25) = B25 - btot is the magnitude increment contributed by the outer regions of a galaxy fainter than (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss.

Err Surface brightness at 25m Mean error on m_25

Effective Color Indices and B-band Surface Brightness
Field Name	Description
B-V in Ae	Mean (B-V) color index within the effective aperture Ae
Error of B-V in Ae	bmv_e mean error
U-B in Ae	Mean (U-B) color index within the effective aperture Ae
Err of U-B in Ae	umb_e mean error
B surface brightness	Mean B-band surface brightness in magnitudes per square arcmin (B-m)/sm within the effective aperture Ae, calculated from the relation m_e = btot + 0.75 + 5*logAe - 5.26. this m_e is statistically related to the effective mean surface brightness with which it coincides when logR=0 (i = 0 deg.)
Err B surface brightness	Mean error of m_e
Surface brightness at 25m	Mean surface brightness in magnitudes per square arcmin within the (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss elliptical isophote of major axis logD25 and axis ratio logR25, defined as in RC2 by: m_25 = btot + (DEL)m25 + 5 logD25 -2.5 logR25 -5.26 where (DEL)m25 = 2.5 log (Lt/L25) = B25 - btot is the magnitude increment contributed by the outer regions of a galaxy fainter than (mu)_(bet) = 25.0 B-m/ss.
Err Surface brightness at 25m	Mean error on m_25

21-cm Magnitude and Linewidths, Hydrogen Index
Field Name Description

21 cm magnitude 21 cm emission line magnitude defined by m21 = 21.6 - 2.5 log S_H where S_H is the measured neutral hydrogen flux density in units of 10^-24 Wm^-2

Err 21 cm magnitude m21 mean error

H full width (20%) Neutral hydrogen line full width (in km/s) measured at the 20 % level (I_20/I_max)

Err H full width Mean error on w20

H full width (50%) Neutral hydrogen line full width (in km/s) measured at the 50 % level (I_50/I_max)

Err H full width Mean error on w50

Corrected H index Corrected neutral hydrogen index, which is the difference (m21 - btot)0 between the corrected (face-on) 21cm emission line magnitude and the similarly corrected magnitude in the btot system.

21-cm Magnitude and Linewidths, Hydrogen Index
Field Name	Description
21 cm magnitude	21 cm emission line magnitude defined by m21 = 21.6 - 2.5 log S_H where S_H is the measured neutral hydrogen flux density in units of 10^-24 Wm^-2
Err 21 cm magnitude	m21 mean error
H full width (20%)	Neutral hydrogen line full width (in km/s) measured at the 20 % level (I_20/I_max)
Err H full width	Mean error on w20
H full width (50%)	Neutral hydrogen line full width (in km/s) measured at the 50 % level (I_50/I_max)
Err H full width	Mean error on w50
Corrected H index	Corrected neutral hydrogen index, which is the difference (m21 - btot)0 between the corrected (face-on) 21cm emission line magnitude and the similarly corrected magnitude in the btot system.

Radial Velocities
Field Name Description

Radio velocity = cz is the mean heliocentric radial velocity in km/s derived from neutral hydrogen observations.

Err. radio velocity Mean error on v21

Optical velocity = cz is the mean heliocentric radial velocity in km/s derived from optical observations.

Err optical velocity Mean error on vopt

Weighted velocity The weighted mean of the neutral hydrogen and optical velocities, corrected to the "Galactic standard of rest"

Velocity 3K corrected The weighted mean velocity corrected to the reference frame defined by the 3K microwave background radiation

Radial Velocities
Field Name	Description
Radio velocity	= cz is the mean heliocentric radial velocity in km/s derived from neutral hydrogen observations.
Err. radio velocity	Mean error on v21
Optical velocity	= cz is the mean heliocentric radial velocity in km/s derived from optical observations.
Err optical velocity	Mean error on vopt
Weighted velocity	The weighted mean of the neutral hydrogen and optical velocities, corrected to the "Galactic standard of rest"
Velocity 3K corrected	The weighted mean velocity corrected to the reference frame defined by the 3K microwave background radiation

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