Einstein IPC Sources Catalog: Over 4,000 X-ray Source Detections

Over 4,000 unique X-ray sources detected by the Einstein Observatory's Image Proportional Counter (IPC) between 1990 and 1993, with significance greater than 3.5 sigma in the 0.2-3.5 keV band. The database, originally compiled by Dr. D. E. Harris of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, includes 6,539 separate detections and a supplemental list of 277 sources omitted from the primary catalog. NASA's HEASARC recreated this database in December 2000 to correct transcription errors from earlier versions.

Use Cases

• Validate X-ray source detections based on the 3.5 sigma significance threshold mentioned in the description.
• Compare source lists against the more recent EINSTEIN2E catalog to identify potentially unreliable detections.
• Analyze the characteristics of sources flagged with a 'missed_code' to understand catalog exclusion criteria.
• Study the population of sources with no valid signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimate, noted as 258 entries with a value of 0.0.

Strengths

• Contains over 4,000 unique astronomical sources with 6,539 separate detections.
• Includes a supplemental list of 277 sources not in the primary catalog, with documented exclusion reasons.
• Data provenance is clearly traced to Dr. D. E. Harris and NASA ADS tables from 1990-1993.
• Database was recreated in December 2000 to correct known transcription errors from a prior version.

Limitations

• The HEASARC notes the EINSTEIN2E catalog has 868 fewer detections, suggesting some entries here may be unreliable.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

NASA HEASARC, based on tables from Dr. D. E. Harris of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Collection Method

Assembled from NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) tables created in 1991 and 1993.

Time Range

Observational data from the Einstein Observatory mission, with catalog tables created circa 1990-1993.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 18:30:42.287277; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Celestial observations, not Earth-bound.