2MASS Calibration Merged Extended Source Information Table

Photometric calibration data for the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), derived from observations of 35 regular and 5 special calibration fields. The merged source tables contain mean positions, magnitudes, and uncertainties for sources detected multiple times, with merging performed using positional autocorrelation within a 1.5" radius. The data was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with the metadata last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Calibrating photometric zero points and atmospheric extinction based on repeated observations of standard stars.
• Analyzing source variability or motion using the confirmation statistics provided in the merged tables.
• Studying the statistical properties of extended sources detected multiple times across different survey data sets.
• Validating infrared photometry pipelines using the high-frequency observation data from calibration fields.

Strengths

• Calibration fields were scanned between 562 and 3692 times in photometric conditions, providing high observational frequency.
• Merging was performed using a precise positional autocorrelation method with a 1.5" radius threshold.
• Includes data from both regular survey fields and a special deep observation campaign in the Magellanic Clouds.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Photometric calibration performed using observations of standard stars in calibration fields during nightly survey operations.

Time Range

Survey operations included a deep observation campaign between November 2000 and February 2001.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:53:22.426447; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Calibration fields are distributed near declinations of -30°, 0°, and +30°, with additional fields in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.