2MASS 6X: Deep Infrared Point Source Catalog for Targeted Sky Regions

Approximately 590 square degrees of sky, concentrated on the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and 28 other targeted fields, were observed with six-times-longer exposures than the main 2MASS survey. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration produced this working database containing point source detections, probing about one magnitude deeper in unconfused regions. The data represents a uniform, higher-reliability snapshot but has not received the same level of scrutiny as the primary 2MASS All-Sky Release Catalogs.

Use Cases

• Studying stellar populations in the Magellanic Clouds based on the deep infrared observations.
• Analyzing galactic star formation complexes mentioned as targeted fields.
• Investigating nearby galaxy clusters like M31 using the deeper point source detections.
• Comparing source density and detection limits in deep fields like the Lockman Hole.

Strengths

• Covers approximately 590 square degrees of sky in targeted deep observations.
• Probes about one magnitude deeper than the main 2MASS survey in unconfused regions.
• Includes comprehensive surveys of the Large (383 deg²) and Small (127 deg²) Magellanic Clouds.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The catalog has not received the same level of scrutiny and validation as the 2MASS All-Sky Release.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Targeted 'long exposure' freeze-frame scanning observations from the 2MASS observatory.

Time Range

Final months of 2MASS observatory operations.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:18:45.401886; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Targeted regions including the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, Pleiades, galactic star formation complexes, M31, nearby galaxy clusters, and the Lockman Hole.