SAS3YLOG - SAS-3 Y-Axis Pointed Obs Log

Overview

This database is the Third Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS-3) Y-Axis Pointed Observation Log. It identifies possible pointed observations of celestial X-ray sources which were performed with the y-axis detectors of the SAS-3 X-Ray Observatory. This log was compiled (by R. Kelley, P. Goetz and L. Petro) from notes made at the time of the observations and it is expected that it is neither complete nor fully accurate. Possible errors in the log are (i) the misclassification of an observation as a pointed observation when it was either a spinning or dither observation and (ii) inaccuracy of the dates and times of the start and end of an observation. In addition, as described in the HEASARC_Updates section, the HEASARC added some additional information when creating this database. Further information about the SAS-3 detectors and their fields of view can be found at: http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/sas3/sas3_about.html

Disclaimer: The HEASARC is aware of certain inconsistencies between the Start_date, End_date, and Duration fields for a number of rows in this database table. They appear to be errors present in the original table. Except for one entry where the HEASARC corrected an error where there was a near-certainty which parameter was incorrect (as noted in the 'HEASARC_Updates' section of this documentation), these inconsistencies have been left as they were in the original table.

References

This database table was created from the SAS-3 Y-Axis pointed Observation Log available from the NSSDC as dataset ID 75-037A-02B, with some additional information provided by the HEASARC.

Provenance

This database table was released by the HEASARC in June 2000, based on the SAS-3 Y-Axis pointed Observation Log (available from the NSSDC as dataset ID 75-037A-02B), together with some additional information provided by the HEASARC itself.

HEASARC Updates

(i) For a number of pointings, no source name was given in the original log. Where possible, the HEASARC added this information, typically based on the standard SIMBAD name for the X-ray source; if no obvious or unique X-ray source can be identified with a pointing, we have given a name of 'UNKNOWN' to the observation:


     1950 RA Dec    Name Given       Comment

     0042+327       4U 0042+32
     0115+634       V635 CAS
     0535+262       UNKNOWN
     0614+091       V1055 ORI
     1145-619       HD 102567
     1239-599       1H 1238-599
     1254-690       GR MUS
     1258-613       GX304-1          Deleted 'GX304+1'
     1401-45        1M 1401-45
     1608-522       QX NOR           Replaced 'NORMA BURSTER?'
     1624-490       4U 1624-49
     1627-673       KZ TRA
     1630-472       NOR X-1
     1631-64        4U 1631-64
     1636-536       V801 ARA
     1658-298       MXB 1658-298
     1700-377       HD 153919
     1702-429       ARA X-1
     1704-322       UNKNOWN
     1705-440       4U 1705-44
     1715-321       1H 1715-321
     1728-337       GX354+0          Deleted 'SLOW BURSTER' & '1722-30?'
     1728-247       V2116 OPH        Replaced 'GX1+4' & 'GX2+5'
     1735-444       V926 SCO
     1743-29        GALACTIC CENTER  Replaced 'GCX'
     1755-338       V4134 SGR
     1822-371       V691 CRA
     1822-000       4U 1823-00
     1905+000       4U 1857+01
     1907+09        4U 1907+09
     1916-053       V1405 AQL
     2127+119       M 15             deleted NGC 7078
     2129+470       V1727 CYG

(ii) For a number of pointings, only the target name was given and not the actual pointing direction. The HEASARC created pointing co-ordinates for these targets based on their positions given in the SIMBAD database (except for two targets 'TRANSIENT' and 'SNR PULSAR' with imprecise names which we arbitrarily assigned zero RA and dec values to): AR LAC, CAPELLA, DELTA GEM, DQ HER, GD 41, GD 421, G 191-B2B, GD 561, GD 71, HD 149499B, HZ 43, NGC 246, NGC 1275, PROXIMA CEN, PUPPIS, SN 185, WZ SGE, W 44, YZ CMI, and Z CAM.

(iii) The Start_date parameter for the entry with name of 'UNKNOWN' at RA = 17 04, Dec = -32 12 (1950 equinox) was changed from Oct 13.6 1979 to Oct 13.6 1978. The HEASARC is aware of other inconsistencies between the Start_date, End_date, and Duration fields for a number of other entries in this database table; however, the correct values for these fields were not self-evident, and they have been left as they were in the original table.

Parameters

Name
The common name for the X-ray source. As described in the section 'HEASARC_Updates', the HEASARC had to adopt names for 33 targets for which this information was either not given or was ambiguous in the original table.

RA
Right Ascension of the target. The RA was given to low accuracy (1 minute of time) and in 1950 co-ordinates in the original table from which this database was constructed. In addition, as described in the section 'HEASARC_Updates', the HEASARC had to adopt positions for 22 targets for which this information was not given in the original table.

Dec
Declination of the target. The declination was given to low accuracy (either 0.1 or 1 degrees) and in 1950 co-ordinates in the original table from which this database was constructed. In addition, as described in the section 'HEASARC_Updates', the HEASARC had to adopt positions for 22 targets for which this information was not given in the original table.

LII
The galactic longitude of the target.

BII
The galactic latitude of the target.

Start_Date
The observation start date. The start date was given to the nearest 0.1 days (2.4 hours) in the original table. Please note the disclaimer in the 'Overview' section of this documentation.

End_Date
The observation end date. The end date was given to the nearest 0.1 days (2.4 hours) in the original table. Please note the disclaimer in the 'Overview' section of this documentation.

Duration
The observation duration in days. The duration was given to the nearest 0.1 days (2.4 hours) in the original table. Please note the disclaimer in the 'Overview' section of this documentation.

Contact Person

Questions regarding the SAS3YLOG database table can be addressed to the HEASARC Help Desk.

Page Author: Browse Software Development Team
Last Modified: Monday, 16-Sep-2024 17:34:24 EDT