Candidate Galaxies Behind the Milky Way: Infrared Survey Catalogs

A catalog of candidate galaxies detected behind the Milky Way from near-infrared photographic surveys. The four volumes (CGMW1-4) list approximately 19,450 galaxies and candidates found across specific galactic longitude ranges, covering over 1,960 square degrees of sky. This database was created by NASA's HEASARC in October 1999 based on data from the CDS Data Center, with underlying research published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan in 1990 and 1991.

Use Cases

• Mapping galaxy distribution and large-scale structure in regions obscured by the Milky Way based on the catalog's galactic longitude and latitude ranges.
• Studying the detectability of galaxies in infrared surveys based on the described visual inspection procedure and size threshold (0.1 mm on film).
• Cross-referencing galaxy identifications with other astronomical catalogs using the provided cross-identifications.
• Analyzing the galactic environment around voids like the northern Local void and Ophiuchus void based on the surveyed regions mentioned for CGMW3.

Strengths

• Covers approximately 19,450 galaxies and candidates across four volumes (CGMW1: ~7000, CGMW3: ~5300, CGMW4: ~7150).
• Surveys a large area of over 1,960 square degrees of the sky behind the Milky Way.
• Based on systematic searches using 32 film copies of the UK Schmidt Southern Infrared Atlas for two volumes.
• Includes cross-identifications with other catalogs, aiding in data validation and integration.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown for the full catalog, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data collection methodology relies on visual inspection of photographic film, which may introduce subjective detection biases.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), HEASARC, CDS Data Center.

Collection Method

Galaxies were detected by visual inspection of near-infrared photographic surveys (Schmidt atlases), with apparent sizes greater than 0.1 mm on film (6.7 arcseconds).

Time Range

Survey data likely from the 1980s; catalog publications in 1990 and 1991.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:05:46.988495; freshness should be verified as the underlying survey data is from the late 1980s/early 1990s.

Geography

Covers specific galactic longitude ranges: -7 to +43 degrees, and 210 to 250 degrees, with corresponding latitude ranges provided for CGMW3 and CGMW4.