ESO Schmidt Plates Query Form Archive Facility HOME ESO HOME Archive FAQ

General Description

• # of Records: 8436
• Description: Catalogue of ESO Schmidt Plates

Field List

Plate prefix 

A one- or two- character code for the filter/emulsion combination.   The
two-letter codes can be interpreted as follows:
     first letter    filter     second letter   emulsion
          U           none            .            .
          B          GG 385           B            O
          J          GG 395           J            J
          Y          GG 455           .            .
          V          GG 495           V            D
          R          RG 630           R           red
          I          RG 715           I            N
          W          RG 830           .            .
          Z          RG1000           Z            Z

Certain standard filter/emulsion combinations are given one-letter codes
(column 2) as follows:
          U         any emulsion with UG 1   filter
          B          O     ..     ..  GG 385   ..
          J          J     ..     ..  GG 395   ..
          V          D     ..     ..  GG 495   ..
          R         red    ..     ..  RG 630   ..
          I          N     ..     ..  RG 715   ..
          Z          Z     ..     ..  RG1000   ..

Certain other filters are denoted by special codes, as follows:
          P                linear polarisation
          LP               left handed circular polarisation
          RP               right handed circular polarisation
          IF,HA,O2,O3,S2 etc    various interference filters

The code  X  covers everything not included above.

Plate number

A running number for all ESO plates.

Plate suffix

          P  denotes an objective prism was fitted

Survey code

An entry in these columns means the plate was taken for one of the
following sky surveys:
          J  deep IIIa-J survey, declination -20 to -90
          I  deep IV-N survey (southern galactic plane, LMC, SMC)
         SR  short red survey (taken as comparison to I survey)
          R  deep IIIa-F survey, declination -20 to -90
         EJ  deep IIIa-J survey, declination   0 to -20
         ER  deep IIIa-F survey, declination   0 to -20
          P  objective prism survey
          Q  ESO Quick Blue Survey -20 to -90

Non-survey code

USER identification no.
  An asterisk (*) indicates that the plate is with the
  user and has not yet been returned to the ESO Plate Vault.

Field number or name

Field number is the ESO/SRC field number.

RA and DEC (B1950)

Equinox 1950 coordinates of the plate centre.

Date

UT date of exposure.

LST

Local sidereal time of start of exposure.

Emulsion and filter

Extended details of emulsion and filter.

Exposure time

Exposure time in minutes x 10.

Quality control plate grade

ESO plate grades, cf. ESO/Uppsala Survey (Lauberts,1982), p.494.
     First digit: seeing (1 - 5)
     Second digit: Notes (1 - 9)
             1: Clouds
             2: Wind
             3: Cirrus
             4: Humidity
             5: Wind and Clouds
             6: Image motion in Guider
             7: (not used)
             8: (No grid on plate)
             9: (QBS plate not used in ESO/Uppsala Survey)

          I  denotes image sizes greater than 40 microns
          T  denotes image elongation
          U  denotes underexposure (relative to exposure time)
          E  denotes an emulsion blemish
          P  denotes processing marks
          F  denotes overexposure or high chemical fog
          S  denotes blemishes due to static discharge
          H  denotes haze haloes
          X  denotes other defects



Prism code

First column represents prism dispersion                               
          5  ESO 4 degree prism      ( 450 A/mm at H gamma)
Second column represents prism orientation                             
          N,E,S,W   position of prism apex                             
Third column                                                           
          W  indicates spectra are widened