The ROSAT All-Sky Survey Bright Source Catalogue (1RXS)

W. Voges, B. Aschenbach, Th. Boller, H. Bräuninger, U. Briel, W. Burkert, K. Dennerl, J. Englhauser, R. Gruber, F. Haberl, G. Hartner, G. Hasinger, M. Kürster, E. Pfeffermann, W. Pietsch, P. Predehl, C. Rosso, J.H.M.M. Schmitt, J. Trümper, and H.-U. Zimmermann

Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, 85740 Garching, Germany

To be published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 1996.
The catalogue can be used for scientific purposes as long as the above publication is referenced.

rosat@mpe ... up

Abstract

We present the ROSAT All-Sky Survey Bright Source Catalogue (RASS-BSC, revision 1RXS) derived from the all-sky survey performed during the first half year of the ROSAT mission in 1990/91. 18,811 sources are catalogued, with a limiting ROSAT PSPC countrate of 0.05 cts/s in the 0.1-2.4 keV energy band. The sources have a detection likelihood of at least 15 and contain at least 15 source photons. At a brightness limit of 0.1 cts/s (8,547 sources) the catalogue represents a sky coverage of 92%. The typical positional accuracy is 30 arcsec.

For each source the ROSAT name, the position in equatorial co-ordinates, the positional error, the source countrate and error, the background countrate, exposure time, hardness-ratios HR1 and HR2 and errors, extent and likelihood of extent, and likelihood of detection are provided. For 94% of the sources visual inspection confirmed the results of the standard processing with respect to existence and position. The remaining 6% have been analyzed using interactive methods; these sources have been flagged. Broad band images are available for a subset of the flagged sources.

A list containing correlations with other catalogues and identifications will follow soon.

Questions or comments may be directed to survey@rosat.mpe-garching.mpg.de.
In particular we would be grateful if any errors or inconsistencies found in the data would be reported to this e-mail address.

Feedback to: survey@rosat.mpe-garching.mpg.de (jer / 14-Jun-96)